Gerald William 'Bill' Sickels

GERALD WILLIAM "BILL" SICKELS

Mount Pleasant

Gerald William "Bill" Sickels, 72, of Mount

Pleasant, passed away on Sunday, June 14, 2020, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

Bill was born on Dec. 27, 1947, in Ottumwa, Iowa, the son of Lawnis Isaiah and Mary Jane Lingerfelter Webb Sickels. Bill worked at Chain and Cable in Fairfield, Blue Bird Midwest in Mount Pleasant. Bill enjoyed working with wood and started working for H. Eugene Smith Construction as a finish carpenter, and later Ed Chaney before going out on his own in 1975. During his construction career, he helped build churches. Bill was very spiritual minded. He enjoyed skydiving, had his student pilot licenses and enjoyed traveling, spending time with his family and was a proud American. Bill was attending Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington.

He is survived by his sisters and brother, Jenny (Peter) Sweedy of Holdenville, Oklahoma, Mary (Richard) Douglas of Mount Pleasant and Lawnis (Kelly) Sickels of Mount Pleasant; a special niece, Kristina Sickels; along with nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents.

Graveside Services will be held on Friday. June 19, 2020, at 11 a.m. at the Bethlehem Cemetery rural Eldon, Iowa, with the Rev. Mark Clark officiating. Friends may call after 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. that evening. A memorial has been established in his memory.

Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant is caring for his arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com.