Vada Marie Secrest

Vada M. Secrest, 89, of Washington, passed from this life on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Halcyon House in Washington. 

A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 10:30 AM at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington. Burial will follow at Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery in rural Richmond. Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 20, 2024, from 1 – 7 PM at the Beatty Funeral Home, where a rosary will be recited at 4:30 PM and the family will greet friends from 5 – 7 PM. A memorial fund has been established for Hospice of Washington County. 

Vada Marie (Barr) Secrest was born July 22, 1934, in Trenton, IA, the daughter of Jess and Dorcas (Ball) Barr. She graduated from Washington High School. On September 24, 1953, she was united in marriage to Gordon Secrest at the St. James Catholic Church in Washington. Vada worked at the Washington County Hospital and Wooden Wheel Antiques in Kalona. She was a member of St. James Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters, and the Shiloh Lady’s neighborhood group. She enjoyed gardening, needlework, and collecting antiques, and it was said of Vada that she had true grit. 

Survivors include seven children: Angela Secrest of Waller, TX, Daniel (Cynthia) Secrest of Washington, IA, Rollin Secrest of Wellman, IA, Mary Walker of Stanhope, IA, Kevin (Martha) Secrest of Frederick, OK, Sarah (Roger) Lillie of Washington, IA, Jenny (Steve) Apland of Bondurant, IA; 22 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters: Alice Hesser of Washington, IA and Hazel Sinn of Washington, IA.

Preceding Vada in death were her parents, her husband Gordon, daughter-in-law Donna Secrest, two brothers: Bill and Roger Barr, and her sister Wynona Woods.