:quality(70):focal(307x399:317x409)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/HOBC2KMXLZEDBNOZ2ZNT55TVPM.jpg)
Nelle Utterback, 88, of Creston, died Saturday, March 2, 2024, at her home in Creston. A Celebration of Life Service will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 13, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Mary O’Riley will officiate the service. Services will be livestreamed under the events page on powersfh.com. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery in Creston. Open visitation, with family receiving friends, will be from 12–2 p.m., prior to the service, at the funeral home.
Memorials are kindly suggested to Every Step Hospice. Online condolences can be given at www.powersfh.com.
Nelle Catherine Utterback was born Jan. 22, 1936, daughter of Milree Ethelyn Gummere and Clarence Alfred Rundberg at home in Des Moines. Nelle attended Creston schools where she earned her G.E.D.
On June 23, 1951, she was united in marriage to Lewis Edward Utterback in Greenfield. The two settled in Creston. Nelle worked as a cook for the school for seven years and babysat in Creston. She worked seven years for GET Plastics making silk ads to put on coin purses, silk screens and type settings. Nelle was then employed at Wellman Dynamics as a casting cleaner for 20 years. After retiring, she volunteered and babysat until her health declined.
Every month the ladies of Wellman’s would get together for dinner. She didn’t know what she would have done without her dear friends: Debbie Gordon, Jan Osborne, Linda Linch, Teresa Wilson, Chris “Twiggy” Gillam, Kathy Nelson, Jean Woosley and Robbie Bartley. Nelle greatly appreciated her children, especially when Greg helped around the house and yard and when Deb and Tom would come to visit her.
Nelle is survived by her children, Greg Utterback of Creston and Debbie Schieffer of Waukee; four grandchildren: Jennifer (Doug) Bird of Des Moines, Catherine (Kole) Young of Ankeny, Krista Schieffer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Greg Scheiffer of Ames; five great-grandchildren: Hunter Bird, Bentley, Scarlett and Madison Young and Tom Schieffer; her sister, Alvie Reed of Creston; her brother, Ray (Jack) Rundberg of Surprise, Arizona; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family.
Nelle is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lewis Utterback; a son-in-law Tom Schieffer; siblings: Edna (Jodi) Rundberg, Rosemary Stansberry, Charlotte Palen, Bud Rundberg and Mary Hunter; her grandmother, Ethelyn Dorman, and her great-grandfather, Alvarach Gummere.