Gary A. Hearl

Gary A. Hearl, 67, of Newton died Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, at Skiff Medical Center in Newton. A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Memorials in Gary’s name may be left at the funeral home.

Gary, the son of Ernest and Lucille M. (Dittmer) Hearl, was born on Sept. 12, 1946, in Oak Park, Ill. In 1951, the family moved to Newton. Gary graduated from Newton High School in 1964, and became a production worker at the Maytag Company in Newton. He worked there until his retirement in 1992. Gary was a member of the Elks Lodge, Masonic Lodge, Shriners and the Local UAW 997. He enjoyed going mushroom hunting, to auctions and races and doing renovation projects.

Those left to honor Gary’s memory are his son, Brian (Emily) Hearl; granddaughter, Miley Hearl; mother, Lucille Hearl; sister, Cindy Reynolds; his significant other, Linda Smith, all of Newton; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest “Bud” in 1979; brother, Ernest W. Hearl in 2000; sister, Nancy Foster in 2008.