Cecil Clark Tuttle

SIOUX CITY -- Cecil Clark Tuttle, 74, of Sioux City passed away Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, at Countryside Senior Living following a brief illness.

Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Tess Panamarow and the Rev. Jeff Tuttle, son of the deceased, officiating. Private graveside services will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.

Cecil was born Feb. 26, 1935, in Wakefield, Neb., the son of Ward and Marguerite Tuttle. He came to Sioux City with his family as a young boy and had lived here the rest of his life. He graduated from East High School in 1953.

He married Joyce E. Moore on Sept. 4, 1954, in Sioux City. He was employed as a system operator for 37 years at Iowa Public Service. He retired in 1991. He worked for Fashion Floors until his retirement in 2000.

He was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and was on the church council and property committee. He designed and oversaw the construction of the recent addition at the church. He coached Little League. He restarted the Indian guides for the Y.M.C.A. He was the coordinator for the church girls basketball league, as well as a coach. Cecil was devoted to his church, loved his wife, children and grandchildren and was loyal to his friends.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce E. Tuttle of Sioux City; his daughter, Toni Uhl of Sioux City; two sons and their wives, Jeff and Judy Tuttle of Lafayette, Ind., and Joe and Kelli Tuttle of Sioux City; his son-in-law and his wife, Kurt and Cheri VanValkingburg of Sioux City; two sisters, Twila Gustavson of Sioux City and Birdie Gesland of Chicago, Ill.; his sister-in-law, Betty Tuttle of Norfolk, Neb.; eight grandchildren, Tabitha Uhl of Sioux City, Jamie and Jared Sowders of Lafayette, Ind., Jed Tuttle of Lafayette, Megan and Jordan Wall of Sioux City, Marshall Tuttle and his girlfriend, Megan Mosher of Sioux City, Chase and Caryn VanValkingburg of Houston, Texas, Ivy and Tyler Menke of Des Moines and Audrey VanValkingburg and her boyfriend, Lance Larson of Ames, Iowa; two stepgrandchildren, Kevin McGuire of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Adam McGuire of Lafayette; and two great-stepgrandchildren, Tyler and Lexi McGuire of Lafayette.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Teri VanValkingburg; a brother, Arvil Tuttle; two brothers-in-law, Ray Gustavson and Duane Gesland; and a niece, Linda Wobschall.

Pallbearers will be his 10 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Immanuel Lutheran Church or Hospice of Siouxland.

The family wishes to express their gratitude and thanks to the nurses and staff of Home Instead Senior Care, Hospice of Siouxland, Countryside Retirement Home, Mercy Medical Center Emergency Room and Sixth Floor S.E. and Dr. Holdiman and staff for their care, compassion and encouragement to Cecil and the family.