Gary DeCook, 66, of Barnes City, passed away Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, at UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at Lighthouse Church in New Sharon. Burial will be held in the Stewart Cemetery near Taintor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Barnes City Volunteer Fire Department.
Gary Lee DeCook, son of Walton and Nellie Fay (Zwank) DeCook, was born June 25, 1956, in Oskaloosa. He graduated from North Mahaska High School in 1974. Oct. 19, 1979, Gary was united in marriage to JoAnn Sanders. To this union three children were born: Joshua, Jacob, and Jami. They later divorced. Gary worked at D & P Lumber in Taintor and Taintor Co-op before going to Vermeer Manufacturing in 1994 where he was currently employed. Gary was then married to Joyce Foltz Berry on Sept. 11, 2021.
He enjoyed going to tractor pulls, watching NASCAR, and anything with motor sports. He also loved spending time with his family and attending all of his children’s and grandchildren’s activities. He was always a phone call away for anything his family needed help with, and above all, he really enjoyed babysitting his grandkids when their parents were busy. Gary had a passion for farming and helped several local farmers. Gary was a member of Barnes City Volunteer Fire Department and New Sharon Jaycees in his younger years. He was also very giving and donated blood on a regular basis and most recently was an organ and tissue donor with the Iowa Donor Network.
His legacy will be honored by his wife Joyce DeCook of Barnes City; his children Joshua (Erin) DeCook of New Sharon, Jacob (Brittany) DeCook of Ottumwa, and Jami DeCook of New Sharon; his grandchildren Timothy DeCook, Gideon DeCook, Madsen DeCook, and Anderson DeCook; his brother Terry (Lea) DeCook of New Sharon; Joyce’s children Heather (Jeff) Nix of Texas, Heidi Lohmann of South English, and Shannon Applegate of Brooklyn; mother of his children JoAnn DeCook of New Sharon; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents Walton and Fay DeCook.
