Obituary of Alice Parmelia Vander Leest

Alice Parmelia Vander Leest, 94, the daughter of James Henry and Anna Laura "Kate" (Jenkins) Hawkins, was born June 12, 1913 in Jasper County, Iowa. Alice attended rural Prairie City-Colfax School. She had devoted her life to her family, moving to Newton, Iowa in 1951. She was employed by the Maytag Hotel for 15 years, Newton Clean Towel and Skiff Medical Center, in house keeping. Alice was united in marriage with Gerrit Vander Leest on October 12, 1932. She enjoyed her family, and was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, R.S.V.P., Jasper County Senior Citizens, Women of the Moose and Woman's Relief Corp's. Alice went to be with her Lord on Sunday afternoon, February 3, 2008 in the Monarch Wing of Skiff Medical Center in Newton. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gerrit; son James; daughter Janet Eilander; a brother Jake Hawkins; and a sister Rachel Perkins. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Newton. Those left to honor Alice's memory include her son, Robert (Carmen) Vander Leest of Newton; four daughters: Dolores (Joe) McMaster of Kingman, Arizona; Shirley (Henry) Harris and Beverly (Carlo) Supino, all of Newton; Roberta Lewis of Berwick, Iowa; her twenty three grandchildren; more than thirty great and great-great grandchildren; a sister, Maxine McClellan of Prairie City, Iowa; and her many good neighbors and friends.