Dale Walter Totemeier

      Dale Walter Totemeier, 83, of New London, died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2000, at the New London Nursing and Rehab Center.

      The funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, at the First Baptist Church of Yarmouth, with the Rev. Brian Betts officiating. Visitation will be after noon on Friday, Nov. 24, at Elliott Chapel of New London with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in the Ferrell Cemetery of New London. A memorial has been established.

      Mr. Totemeier was born Aug. 1, 1917, at his family home in New London, the son of Adolph and Fannie Bishop Totemeier. He married Faith A. Holsteen on May 11, 1943, in Yarmouth. A 1935 New London High School graduate, he farmed his entire life.

      A member of First Baptist Church of Yarmouth, he was a founder of the Southeast Iowa Youth for Christ and a board member of the organization, a deacon, Sunday School superintendent, and senior high Sunday School teacher at his church. He was a World War II veteran, spending 3-1/2 years with the 90th Division and took part in the D-Day invasion of France.

      Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Sherril and Gary Gibbs of Mt. Pleasant, Denise and Rob Baptista of Elmhurst, Ill., and Julaine and Dennis Siegel of Englewood, Colo.; five grandchildren, two adopted Chinese granddaughters, three step-grandchildren, and seven step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, Eva, Ethel and Hazel.