Wanda Panek, 72, of Indianola died Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend, who will be greatly missed by so many. Wanda was born May 24, 1939, to Carl and Edith Mellon in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, and grew up in various locations in Tennessee including Oak Ridge and Mascot. She attended Carter High School and enlisted in the US Army in 1961. She was stationed at Fort Ritchie, Maryland, and worked in "The Underground Pentagon" also known as Site R. She served in the Joint Communications Agency as a Cryptographer from 1961 until 1963, decoding military communications during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Bob Panek, who also served at Fort Ritchie as a Crypto Maintenance Man. Wanda and Bob were married in January 1963 in Carteret, New Jersey. They lived in Old Bridge, New Jersey, for 38 years where she raised her family and shared her life with her older grandchildren. In 2009, Wanda and Bob moved to Indianola, Iowa, to watch their youngest grandchildren grow up. Wanda's greatest joys in life were her husband, her children, her grandchildren, her sister, and her friends. She always put the cares and needs of her loved ones before her own. She was an avid reader, enjoyed watching all kinds of sports on TV, loved to talk, enjoyed family time while camping and fishing, and took great pleasure in her gardens and nature. Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Edith Mellon; brother and sister-in-law Ray and Betty Mellon; brother Richard Mellon; and father and mother-in-law, Peter and Mary Panek. She is survived by her husband, Bob Panek of Indianola; son and daughter-in-law Brian and Cindy Panek and grandchildren Jason and Erin Panek of Freehold, New Jersey; daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Rich Thompson and grandchildren Emily, Katie, and John Thompson of Liberty Center, Iowa; and daughter and son-in-law Monica and Bill Dwyer and grandchildren Tara, Colleen, and Kaleigh Dwyer of East Brunswick, New Jersey; sister and brother-in-law Tarra and Robert Anderson, nephew Eric, niece Pam, and 6 great nephews, Tyler, Michael, Nathan, Zachary, Ryan, and Scott of Mascot, Tennessee. Graveside burial services will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at 3:00pm at Liberty Center Cemetery. A celebration of life memorial service and dinner will follow on Wednesday evening at the Annett Nature Center in Indianola, Iowa, from 5-7pm. Family will greet friends during this time, and hope for a time of fellowship, sharing of stories, and celebrating the beautiful life that Wanda has led. Service arrangements are being coordinated by Overton Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family and will be used to honor Wanda's memory.