Marcella Tomlinson

Marcella Ann (Wiss) Tomlinson "Sally" was born on Jan.14,1933 to Everett and Fern (Stutcliffe) Wiss in Fort Dodge, Iowa. She went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on August 11, 2025.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Mission Community Church in Harcourt with Pastor Ernest Amstalden officiating. Burial will follow at the Paton Township Cemetery. There will be a visitation from 9:30 AM until the time of the service on Thursday at the church. Laufersweiler Palmer & Sons Funeral Home in Gowrie is serving the family.

She married the love of her life Richard Tomlinson on June 25,1980 and they made their home in Paton, Iowa. Sally told everyone Richard was the kindest and most gentle man she had ever known.

By a previous marriage Sally had four children: Rosalie (Jim) Wolf, David (Lynda) Roe, Cameron (Marsha) Roe, Shelby Roe. Richard added two more children to their family, Vicki (Mark) Anderson, and Rick (Tina) Tomlinson. She has been blessed with many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.

Sally had many jobs throughout her life but said,"My favorite job was raising my kids."

As a young girl she worked in her grandfather Wiss' gardens.

She babysat and then delivered newspapers for a short while as a young girl. She cleaned houses with her mother. She was a golf caddy at the Fort Dodge Country Club. Sally worked the candy counter at the Woolworth Store and sold seed corn for the Earl May Store. At the Park Movie Theater she sold tickets and worked the concessions counter. Sally was a hostess, waitress and a fry cook at the Warden Hotel. At the telephone company she worked as a long distance operator and also at the rate desk. On the Paton farm she raised livestock/hogs.

Sally owned a restaurant and bar, in Paton Iowa- known to others as Sally's Carousel, until her retirement.

Sally was a care giver and looked after her mom and Aunt Annie, as their health failed and they became older.

Sally loved people and was a good friend to many, providing a listening ear. Sally enjoyed many things in life. She loved making her house a home where her family and friends enjoyed gathering. She loved to cook and decorate, especially for holidays and her family. She loved her family and the times they spent together.

She loved to sew and craft items and enjoyed wood working and the smell of fresh cut wood. She was happiest outside digging in the dirt with her hands and tending her flower and vegetable gardens. She often said she loved the smell and feel of dirt. The farm life was her happy place, where she could be outdoors in wide open spaces, enjoying sunshine on her shoulders as she listened to the birds singing and watching the wild life and insects as they carried out their work. Such great joy this simple life afforded her.

Sally was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Tomlinson, father Everett Wiss, mother Fern (Stutcliffe) Wiss, brothers Earl and Everett Wiss JR., and sister Norma Bloomquist.

She had a smile that lit up a room and her eyes twinkled, her smile brought joy, peace, and comfort to others around her. She was an encouragement to others.

Sally was a kind and considerate woman who loved others unconditionally.

She was content and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life. She loved a good story or joke and loved to laugh.

We will greatly miss Sally but knowing she has been released from her weak and weary body and is with Jesus in Heaven gives us great comfort and we rejoice with her. She will be deeply missed, but we are thankful for wonderful and wonder filled memories we have shared with her.