David E. Roth

On sunny August 26, 1936 a baby boy with sky-blue eyes was born. His parents named him David E. Roth. As a child he attended school in his home of Carroll Iowa where he enjoyed playing and running in the woods with his dog.

Dave graduated from high school and enlisted in the US Army where he proudly served until his honorable discharge. On August 2, 1958 Dave married the love of his life, Rita E Steinkamp. For Dave, family was the most important thing. He told his young bride he wanted a family of his own. Dave and Rita bought a big gray house in Fort Dodge Iowa where they worked, played, and loved their five children.

He was an active member of The Knights of Columbus, and Corpus Christi Catholic Church and school system where he helped with fund raising and even drove the athletic bus for St. Edmond High School.
In 1985, Dave and Rita heard the call of the west and journeyed to Castle Rock, Colorado where they were apartment managers for 17 fantastic years. All of their kids and grandchildren vacationed a couple of times a year to swim in Grandpa’s pool and climb Castle Rock. Dave was happy to have his little pool helpers there to dive under water and scrub the rust stains off the bottom of the pool.

With all of his children living in the mid-west, Dave was a great phone conversationalist. He often said, “Well this better be good,” and “Send cash!” Also, he claimed that we were all rich and famous and that we should send him gifts. If we said otherwise, he would claim, “That sounds like a personal problem.”
In his spare time, Dave love to create beautiful items from wood. Family favorites included Christmas stables and cute reindeer. When his great grandchildren came along, he made them a variety of wooden vehicles and little chair step stools.

Dave and Rita were married for 63 1/2 years. They were always the last ones on the dance floor at weddings. Dave told his bride he wanted a big family and boy, did he get it. When his five children married he said, “We don’t have 5 kids, we have 10.”

Dave never met a stranger. If you ever met Dave he would greet you with a butterscotch candy, a hug and a kiss. He never met a person he didn’t like.

David was preceded in death by his parents, George and Dolores Roth.

Those left to celebrate his legacy include his wife, Rita. Children, Tim and Nadine Roth, Terri and Tim Burke, Sandy and Mike Harvey, Jane and Denny Baker, and Patti and John Nilles. Thirteen grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren, and his sister, Marilyn Ludwig.

All because two people fell in love.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 9 at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church, 510 E. 1st Street, Ankeny, with burial to follow at Altoona Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed online at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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