Dewey Allan Blatchford

Dewey A. Blatchford, age 71, of Alta, Iowa died Thursday, December 24, 2015 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will follow in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa. Visitation will take place Tuesday, December 29, 2015 from 5-8:00 p.m. with a rosary prayed at 7:15 p.m. and a vigil service at 7:30 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Dewey was born on October 30, 1944 in Hartington, Nebraska, the son of Raymond and Imogene (Heikes) Blatchford. Dewey graduated from East High School in Sioux City, Iowa in 1963. On June 13, 1964 he was united in marriage to Virginia (Ginger) Simeon in Sioux City, Iowa. They were blessed with two children, Peggy and Todd. Dewey started his career as a scale technician for Toledo Scales in Sioux City, Iowa in 1964. He then worked for Wilson Foods in Cherokee, Iowa as their scale technician from 1967 until 1986. In 1986, Dewey and Ginger moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Dewey was field service manager for Fairbanks Scales until 1999. They then moved to Ankeny, Iowa where Dewey was an Industrial Specialist for the USDA in Des Moines, Iowa until his retirement in 2006. Retirement took them to Emmetsburg, Iowa where Dewey enjoyed relaxing on their deck, boating, gardening, wood working and projects in his garage. He also did lots of volunteering at the hospital in Emmetsburg and enjoyed driving their wheelchair van. He also loved playing Santa Claus for the Chamber Office. Dewey and Ginger made lots of happy memories traveling over the years and enjoying their winters on South Padre Island in Texas where he loved biking and spending time with friends. Most of all he loved spending time with his family. His five granddaughters and his two great grandchildren always held a special place in his heart. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Ginger Blatchford of Alta, Iowa; children: Peggy (Terry) Meyers of Alta, Iowa; Todd (Sonya) Blatchford of Woodbury, Minnesota; grandchildren: Katie (Bryan) Schrieber, Kily (Collin) Johnson, Kelsi Meyers, Taylor Blatchford, Riley Blatchford; great grandchildren: Karsyn Meyers and Crosby Schrieber; brothers: Dean (Marnie) Blatchford of Fargo, North Dakota; Dennis (Delores) Blatchford of Sioux City, Iowa; sisters: Leona Young of Sioux City, Iowa; Beverly Jensen of Indianola, Iowa; Ailene (Sam) Gochenour of Lake Park, Iowa; extended family and friends. Dewey was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Loren and Keith.

Dewey Allan Blatchford

October 30, 1944 - December 24, 2015