Samuel Woodburn Wiley: July 1, 1904-October, 26, 2005

Samuel Woodburn Wiley of Des Moines died Oct. 26, 2005 at Heather Manor Health Care Center in Des Moines.

Funeral services will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, Cottage Grove Avenue in Des Moines at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 31.

Visitation will be at Hamilton's Funeral Home on Lyon Street from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30. A graveside ceremony will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at Green Mound Cemetery near Trenton.

The family requests that in lieu of memorial flowers, gifts be sent to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, 5452 NE 22nd St., Des Moines, IA 50313, Attn: Tom Colvin.

Sam was born on July 1, 1914 to Rev. Samuel and Isabella Woodburn Wiley in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Evelyn; his daughters Linda May (Rex) of Los Angeles, CA, Jill (Philip) of Brockton, MA; and his son, Curt (Priscilla) of Indianapolis, IND; three grandchildren and a great-grandchild; his sisters Isabelle Johnson of Fairfield, IA and Josephine Kellam of Virginia Beach, VA; and a brother Robert of St. Petersburg, FLA. He was preceded in death by his sister Jane and brother James.

Sam was a lifelong educator. He began teaching at the age of 18 in a one-room school at Seymour. He was a coach and high school principal at Allerton before serving as superintendent at Elwood and College Community Schools in Cedar Rapids. For many years he was consultant to the School Budget Review Committee of the State Department of Public Instruction in Des Moines before he retired in 1981. When the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines opened in 1979, Sam joined the House Staff and served as an usher and stage-doorman for over 25 years until he was 90 years of age.

Sam was a graduate of Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant and Drake University and served in WWII as a First Lieutenant in the US Navy. He was a Mason and member of the Za Ga Zig Shrine and Shrine Chanters. For nearly forty years, he was a member and usher at Grace United Methodist Church in Des Moines. Sam had a great love for animals, especially golden retriever dogs.