Joseph Donald Simon was born on January 30, 1927, on a farm near Ida Grove, Iowa. He was the youngest of seven children born to Ernest Everett and Edith Alm (Irwin) Simon. Joe lived in Ida Grove until his father died. Joe then moved to Newton, Iowa, with the rest of his family. While living in Newton, Joe mowed lawns, scooped snow, and set pins at the Newton Bowling Alley. He was a great bowler himself, won many awards, and also won a state championship. Joe cared for his mother in Newton until her death on December 27, 1973. He then moved to Pella, Iowa, where he lived in an apartment on Washington Street. Joe worked at the Clark Gas Station and continued mowing lawns and scooping snow for people. He also worked in the Housekeeping Department at the Pella Community Hospital for a number of years. Joe later moved to Prairie Village and as his health failed moved to Hilltop Manor. At the time of his death, he was being cared for at Long Term Care at Pella Regional Health Center where he lived since February 14, 2011.

Joe attended the First United Methodist Church of Newton with his mother until her death. On July 22, 1984, Joe was baptized as an adult and made Profession of Faith at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church of Pella, of which he was still a member.

Joe will always be remembered for his friendliness, his volunteering at the nursing home, and his love for putting together jigsaw puzzles. Joe could become a friend to anyone he met. Because of this, God placed many special people in his life to care for him.

Joe was the last surviving member of his original family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Edith Simon; his sisters and their husbands: Margaret and Monroe Brown, Lucille and Albert Broderick, Wilma and Paul Gal; and his brothers: Ralph (Eleanor) Simon, Bill who died at the age of 2, and Paul Henry Simon who died in infancy.

Joe is survived by his special friends Jim and Christy Van Zee of Pella; special nephews and their spouses: Ed and Deborah Simon of Olathe, Kansas, John and Penne Simon of New Brighton, Minnesota, Bill and Elizabeth Broderick of San Antonio, Texas; special nieces and their spouses: Elizabeth and James Garon of Chicago, Illinois, Nonie and Earl Hanson of Redding, California, Edith Hackman of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Paula Holiday of Fort Meyers, Florida; and a host of other family members.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

10:00 A.M., Saturday, September 14, 2013
Oakwood Cemetery
Pella, IA

VISITATION

Beginning at Noon until Seven on Friday,
September 13, 2013
Garden Chapel Funeral Home
Pella, Iowa
MEMORIALS
Calvary Christian Reformed Church

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