Myrtle "Myrt" Irene (Lewis) Wollenhaupt

On November 19, 2022 Myrtle Irene Lewis Wollenhaupt passed away peacefully at age 98 and 8 months entered God’s Kingdom.  Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Service of Wapello.   Funeral Service will be 2:00 p.m.  on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at the funeral home.  Burial will follow in Wapello Cemetery.  Online condolences may be view at www.sandhfuneralservices.com. 

Third child born to Vera Gasson Lewis and Jesse Lewis on March 7, 1924, Myrtle was the last remaining grandchild born to Thomas and Sarah Gasson, immigrants from England.  The Gasson’s settled in Villisca, Ia. as farmers in 1867.  Vera was their youngest daughter of 9 children. 

Myrt grew up in the depression and remembered having only one dress for winter and one dress for summer.  Her parents were divorced when she was young, and her mother had a restaurant in Elliott, Ia. Sometimes a traveling salesman would come in and trade a meal for some new pencils.  All of the children, Kenneth, Garland, and Little Myrtie lived at the Gasson farm in the summer where food was plentiful and life was full of fun farm adventures.  Many aunts and uncles and cousins enjoyed Iowa summers on the farm.

In 1941 she graduated high school and met her lifelong partner, Arlin Titus Wollenhaupt.  They married March 28, 1942 , and he went off to Germany to serve in the US Army during World War II for 3 years.  He came home to meet their 3 year old daughter, Connie Kay (Taylor).  They relocated to Wapello, Iowa where Wally got a job at the State Bank of Wapello.  Three more children followed; Kathy Anne (Volkman), Kent, and Kim (Adney). 

Myrt enjoyed owning the Wapello Apparel in downtown Wapello from 1960 – 1975.  She was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Study Club, and the Methodist Church. During retirement, she spent time golfing, gardening, wintering in Texas, and traveling.  She loved her dog companions.  Myrt’s last few months were spent enjoying the birds and squirrels outside of her window.  She talked to them and they listened.

Myrt is predeceased by her husband A.T. Wollenhaupt, daughter Connie Taylor, and daughter Anne Volkman. She is survived by her son, Kent and her daughter, Kim as well as grandchildren, Jeff, Doug, and Susan (Jones) Taylor, Melinda (Doblie) and Jessica (Chapman) Volkman, Ryan and Kama Wollenhaupt, and nine great-grandchildren.  They will miss her greatly

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