Don Sammons

Don O. Sammons, 68, of Salem, IA, died June 25, 2011, at the Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant, IA. Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 28th, beginning after 12 noon, at the Olson~Powell Memorial Chapel in Mt. Pleasant, where the family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening. Graveside service will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, June 29th, at the Salem East Cemetery, Salem, IA, with the Rev. Houston Sears officiating. A memorial has been established and may be directed to the family. Born August 18, 1942, in Mount Pleasant, IA, Don Orval was the son of Clarence and Irma Edith Lee Sammons. He attended the Mount Pleasant Community School, until joining the family business with his father and brother. On October 6, 1963, he married Retha Louise Septer at the First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant. She survives. Don worked with his father and brother, Henry, doing carpentry and being a part of the Sammons Tree and Concrete Service. He worked for Schmits Construction and helped to build Red Rock Dam in central Iowa. Don worked in the Mental Health Institute Dairy House and was part time help at Forest Home Cemetery, both located in Mount Pleasant. From September 1965 to 2005, Don worked as a machine and set-up operator at Heatilator in Mt. Pleasant, where he belonged to the Silver Circle Club for 40 years. Don has always enjoyed dancing, bowling, watching wrestling, racing, and watching soap operas on TV. He loved to follow the Pittsburg Steelers and liked attending auctions. He had an appreciation for old cars, trucks, and especially tractors. Don is survived by his wife, Retha, of Salem; three sons, Ricky (Annette) Sammons of Bolingbrook, IL, Timmy (Lori) Sammons of Mount Pleasant, IA, and Lloyd Sammons of Salem, IA; two sisters, Esta Mae Ferguson and Rosie Wiggins, both of Mount Pleasant, IA; three brothers, Henry Sammons of Mt. Pleasant, IA, Guy (Diane) Sammons of Mount Pleasant, IA, and Dennis (Georgia) Sammons of Rome, IA; several grandchildren, Daniel Sammons of Bolingbrook, IL, Tyson, Tiffany and Crystal Sammons of Mount Pleasant, IA, and Robin, Brooklyn, and Adylan Sammons of Olds, IA, along with one great grandson, Aidon Sammons of Mt. Pleasant, IA. He is also survived by a brother-in-law, Ronald (Judy) Septer of Mount Pleasant, IA; and two sister-in-laws, Earnestine Harvey of Salem, IA, and Janice (Jim) Miller of Fulton, MO. He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Robin Sammons; a brother, Darrel Sammons; four brother-in-laws, Walter "Junior" Ferguson, Neville Wiggins, Wayne Harvey, and Earnest Septer; and two sister-in-laws Ramona Sammons and Shirley Septer.