A funeral service for Jake Kimzey will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sat., Mar. 28 at the New Virginia United Methodist Church. The Rev. Jerry Kramer, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the New Virginia Cemetery with military flag presentation at graveside conducted by the American Legion Virginia Post #281. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the Overton Funeral Home, 501 W. Ashland, Indianola. The family will be present to receive friends from 6 to 8 on Friday. There will be a public Masonic service conducted by the Neophyte Lodge #301 AF & AM at 7:30 p.m.

Albert Henry "Jake" Kimzey was born May 26, 1923 on the family farm northeast of New Virginia. He was the son of Claude Wesley and Margaret Ruth (Shoup) Kimzey. He graduated from New Virginia Consolidated High School in 1940. On November 3, 1951 at the (then) Ft. Des Moines Methodist Church, Jake was united in marriage to Barbara Jean Hilton.

As a young man, Jake worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduation, Jake moved to the San Diego, CA area to work as a riveter in an aircraft factory. Jake was called to serve his country during WWII. He entered the (then) United States Army Air Corps on July 21, 1943 at Camp Dodge, IA. He attended radio operator schools in South Dakota and Mississippi. He was assigned as a radio operator and gunner on a B-17 with the 464th AAF Battalion Unit in Europe. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant on February 24, 1946 at the Ft. Lewis (WA) Separation Center. He returned to Iowa and worked delivering trailers and on a bridge painting crew. In 1954, he assumed operation of the Standard Oil Tank Wagon Service in New Virginia, delivering heating oil, gasoline and other fuels. In 1964, Jake began a long career as a Rural Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service. He was the mailman for New Virginia Rural Route #1 for 27 years, retiring in the fall of 1990. During some of that time, he raised Black Angus cattle on the family farm.

Jake was a member of the New Virginia United Methodist Church, a 61-year member of the American Legion Virginia Post #281 of New Virginia, and a 59-year member of the Masonic order, Neophyte Lodge #301 AF & AM of New Virginia. He had served the city of New Virginia as its town clerk and was the former secretary and treasurer for the Virginia Manor Corp, the senior housing project of New Virginia. Jake was involved in several real estate projects and rental properties in New Virginia. He was a real estate broker for the former Kimzey Real Estate of New Virginia. He established the first commercial car wash in New Virginia, and later built the Town Apartments, an 8-plex in New Virginia. Jake and Barb were often found at an untold number of auctions in the central Iowa area to supply their antique business, Barb's Antiques. Jake enjoyed going to the former Aksarben Race Track, an occasional visit to a casino and card games with relatives and friends.

Those thankful for sharing in Jake's life include his wife of 57 years, Barbara of Indianola; 2 daughters, Mrs. Tala Lehmer of Clive and Renee Stephens and her husband Tony of Indianola; a son and his wife, Mark and Linda Kimzey of Mt. Pleasant; 4 grandchildren, Shenna Lehmer of Clive, Dusti Sanchez and her fiancé Scott Houser of Indianola, and Rebekah & Aaron Kimzey of Mt. Pleasant; 2 step grandsons, Tom Shelton of Huxley and Joe Shelton of Ankeny; 3 great grandchildren, Natalia, Catalina and Adon Sanchez of Indianola; 2 sisters, Mrs. Doris Raney of Clifton Hills, MO and Joanne Chandler and her husband Don of Davenport, IA; a brother and his wife, Jerry and Norma Kimzey of Phoenix, AZ; 2 sisters in law, Billie Lou Davidson of Indianola and Sandra Hilton of Osceola; a brother in law, Steven Hilton and his wife Christine of Indianola, and a host of other relatives and friends.

His parents, a sister, Lois Stuart, 2 brothers, Claude Kimzey, Jr. and Ronald "Squirt" Kimzey, 3 cousins whom his parents raised, Victor, Kenneth "Skinner" and Clarence Kimzey, a son-in-law, Roy Lehmer and a granddaughter, Kassia Lehmer precede Jake in death.

Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the American Legion Virginia Post #281 or Neophyte Lodge #301 AF & AM.