Obituary of Annabelle Wallace

A funeral service for Annabelle Wallace, age 78, of Spirit Lake, will be held Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 11:00am at the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 25th after 3:00pm with the family present from 5:00-7:00pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Annabelle passed away Monday, March 23, 2015 at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. Annabelle L. Wallace was born January 4, 1937 in Spencer, Iowa, to Dana Hayes Devitt and Charlotte (Sherry) Ruby Campbell Devitt, Annabelle grew up on a farm near Webb, Iowa. She attended elementary school in Webb and graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1954. She met the love of her life and married him, Dean Lewis Wallace on September 9, 1956 in the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church. Ann and Dean farmed in Lakeville Township, Dickinson County until Dean's death, when nephew Steve Wallace took over the responsibilities. Ann owned and operated Wallace Income Services in spirit Lake until 2005 when she sold to Erpelding and Voigt. Ann provided tax and accounting services to thousands of individuals, farms, corporations and non-profits for 52 years, getting a professional start with Peter B. Narey, Attorney, as a secretary when she was in high school. Ann and Dean embodied their love of Christ through their generosity of heart, time and resources to their community, and anyone who needed a hand-up. They became licensed foster parents in the 1960's and fostered many youth in their home for over 2 decades. Annabelle served in community leadership roles for numerous organizations including the United Methodist Church, Morning Kiwanis, KinshipCare, the local, state and national Democratic Party, Dickinson County Extension and 4-H, and many others. During the 1980's, Ann and Dean started and trained leaders in farm support groups, listening, providing emotional, spiritual and financial guidance, and opening their home and hearts for others. Ann was an avid reader, antique collector, gardener and photographer. Her favorite color was green, she loved strawberries, dancing, collecting rocks and seashells from her many travels. Although she never got to go to college, she made sure her children and grandchildren knew the importance of education. She deeply explored her many interests including alternative medicine, parenting, horticulture, conservation and genealogy. Ann was an early adopter - getting the first microwave, first mobile bag phone, the first handheld electronic devices. She eagerly and easily learned to use the computer for use in their businesses and her hobbies. She raised children in a home with no running water, sewed her family's clothing, cooked for harvest crews, built one large farm house from two smaller ones, and knew tax code inside and out for half a century. Ann's legacy continues in her children, grandchildren and one great granddaughter expected to arrive March 26, 2015; Daughter Kristi Ann Wallace Cooper and husband Michael D. Cooper of Swisher, Iowa and their children, Nathan M. Cooper and wife, Casey L. Espe Cooper and Baby Girl of Swisher, Iowa; Kaci L. Cooper Uthoff and husband Jordan V. Uthoff of Hanapepe, Hawaii; Son, Dennis Dean Wallace, of Sheldon, his fiance' Kathy Thate, of Spirit Lake and children Kelsey Wallace and fiancé John Shea of Worthington, MN, Alexa Wallace of Brookings, SD, Cole Thate and Mackenzie Thate of Spirit Lake; Son, Mark Kendall Wallace and wife, Brenda Lansink Wallace and their children Braden and Isaac Wallace of Olathe, KS. Ann is also survived also by her sister, Sharon K. Cusick of Spirit Lake, Iowa.; foster son, Ronald Brown and wife Janet Hively Brown and their children Janelle Droegmiller and Ryan Brown; and many beloved nieces and nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean L. Wallace in 1992, her parents, and farm business partner and Nephew Steve Wallace in January 2015. She loved the 'company' that flowed freely through the farm house with many meals, stories, laughter and tears shared with family, neighbors, friends and strangers. We are gonna miss her!