Mary Ellen And Dr. James David Kimball

Mary Ellen and Dr. James Kimball
Mary Ellen and Dr. James Kimball were passionate, curious, adventurous, and perpetual philanthropists. They shared in their joy of the arts, flying, travel, and promoting anyone and everything they believed in, especially their children and grandchildren. They lived and explored the British Virgin Islands on the 39' C&C sailboat "Bukha" from 1990-1993 and cruised the rivers of Europe from Amsterdam to Budapest on their 40' river cruiser "Blue Lady" from 2000-2003. They dedicated their time, efforts, and resources over the years to the communities of Osceola, Clarke County and the state of Iowa. They proudly served as Honorary Colonel's for Governor Kim Reynolds 2019 Inauguration. They actively supported the South Central Iowa Community Foundation and created the Kimball Family Foundation for the Arts and Medical Education to promote continued education of south central Iowa students. Their lives will continue to be celebrated through the countless art installations, community betterment projects, philanthropic gifts, and individuals who were blessed to be their friends and family. In accordance with their wishes, a private family burial after cremation will be held. A Celebration of Life will be held in the future to honor and commemorate their contributions and achievements. The family would ask that, in lieu of flowers or gifts, memorial contributions be made in their honor to any organization that they were involved in that would have meaning and connection to the bestower or to the Kimball Family Foundation for Medicine and the Arts through the South Central Iowa Community Foundation.
Dr. James David Kimball
Dr. James David Kimball, 85, of Osceola, Iowa died on December 17, 2024. He was born in Des Moines Iowa to Maxine McPherson Kimball and Warren Kimball on January 7, 1939. He was raised in Murray, Iowa, attended school in Murray, and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire in 1957. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Zoology from Grinnell College in 1960 and his medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1964. He completed his internship at Walter Reed General Hospital in 1965 and then served as a Major in the US Army, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and VietNam, and the 85th Evacuation Hospital in VietNam. He returned from VietNam and joined the Clarke County Medical Clinic in Osceola where he was the physician for a multitude of Clarke County residents from 1968 to 1984 and served as the Clarke County Medical Examiner from 1969 to 1984. He was Chief of Staff at Clarke County Hospital and the Medical Director of the Clarke County Ambulance from 1974 to 1984. In 1985, he became the Associate Director and then Director of the Family Practice Residency Program and Emergency Medicine Program at Broadlawns Medical Center until 1992, where he continued to serve the patients and trained numerous Family Practice Residents until he retired in 2000. Medicine and service to others was his passion and his calling.
He was married to Mary Ellen Kimball (deceased December 20, 2024) on March 2, 1963. Jim was dedicated to and passionately supported his family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and extended family members including his beloved Aunt Elleen McPherson Wheatley and cousin Monte Smith. He is survived by his sons Jeffrey Deur Kimball (Eva) of Budapest, Hungary and Dr. Joseph McPherson Kimball (Dr. Amy) of Winterset, Iowa, sister-in-law Sally Ann Foss Reavely (Tom) of Norwalk, Iowa, and brother-in-law Dr. Robert (Bob) Eugene Foss (Lisa) of Van Meter, Iowa, grandchildren David Nicholas Kimball (Danielle) of Temple, TX, Dr. Anna Krisztina Kimball of Budapest, Hungary, Jackson McPherson Kimball and Madeline Rae Kimball of Winterset, Iowa, great-grandchildren Samuel James Kimball, Panni Horvath-Kimball and step-great grandchildren Bridget and Sydney, many treasured cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, as well as countless amazing and dear friends he considered family.
His numerous contributions and accomplishments would easily comprise a book if not a series. Jim demonstrated his dedication and passion for helping others starting in his military career. He was the medcap officer and ran the Medical Civil Action Program while in VietNam and spearheaded the development, supply and staffing of a local hospital for the Vietnamese in the Chuchi province. This project received the attention of Morley Safer and the story was aired by Walter Cronkite. He also served at the 85th EVAC hospital where he again found a need and worked with a group of Scottish Nuns to assist them in caring for the local leper colony. He contracted tuberculosis and was sent to Fitzsimmons Hospital in Denver for a year in isolation. He received the Bronze Star for his service. Jim was a Charter Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, served many boards and organizations and actively supported volunteer medical projects in Iowa throughout his medical career. He served on the Clarke County Hospital Foundation Board, prominently in the Iowa Medical Society, as Director of the Polk County Medical Society, delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians, and President of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians from 1989 to 1990. He volunteered his time teaching and serving on numerous councils and boards. He was a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner and enjoyed sharing his love of flying with pilots from all over Iowa. His service was celebrated with many awards including the Iowa Medical Society Physician's Community Service Award in 2000 and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy in 2002.
If he wasn't serving the community through medicine, he could be found flying his Bellanca or one of his many airplanes, including the experimental Kit Fox he built with family and friends, performing on stage, hosting the "Dr. Jim Show" on KSOI-91.9 FM, supporting one of many projects or organizations he was passionate about, or on the golf course. He was especially dedicated to ensuring the economic development and community betterment of Osceola and Clarke County and served on the Clarke County Development Corporation and the Water Boards, as well as in many other capacities. He helped establish the Osceola Municipal Golf Course after purchasing the course from the previous Country Club and coordinating the transfer to the city of Osceola along with new trees and a parking lot. Jim actively assisted the success of the Revelton Distilling Company and obtained his CDL in order to maintain the Osceola Municipal Airport as the snowplow driver. He wrote, produced and acted in many stage performances including "Twelve Angry Men" at the Des Moines Community Playhouse, "The Waiting Room" on Iowa Public Television, "Warrior Osceola" in Clarke County, and a walk-on part in "Wicked" at the Des Moines Civic Center. He received numerous honors including as Iowan of the Day at the 2008 Iowa State Fair, and being celebrated as one of "Eight Over 80" honorees at the University of Iowa in 2024.
Mary Ellen Foss Kimball
Mary Ellen Foss Kimball, 83, of Osceola, Iowa died on December 20, 2024. She was born Mary Ellen Foss in LeMars,Iowa to Flora Mary Clapp Foss and Dr. Robert Harvey Foss on November 17, 1941. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1957 and attended the University of Iowa College of Nursing ('61) where she was a proud member of Delta Gamma Tau Chapter. She attended Drake University's College of Fine Arts and received her Bachelor degree in Fine Arts from Graceland University ('75) and her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications from Drake ('87). She worked in public relations for many entities including Charter Community Hospital and Iowa Bankers Trust and owned her own private firm that provided services to non-profit organizations. She was inducted into the Public Relation's Society of America's Counselor's Academy in 1998 for her professional achievements. She served on the art faculty at Graceland University and the public relations and marketing faculty at Southwestern Community College. She devoted her career to promoting and supporting anyone and anything she was passionate about.
Mary Ellen celebrated and was celebrated by everyone she came into contact with, whether family or friend. She was married to Dr. James David Kimball on March 2, 1963. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Jim (December 17, 2024). She is survived by her sons Jeffrey Deur Kimball (Eva) of Budapest, Hungary and Dr. Joseph McPherson Kimball (Dr. Amy) of Winterset, Iowa, sister Sally Ann Foss Reavely (Tom) of Norwalk, Iowa, and brother Dr. Robert (Bob) Eugene Foss (Lisa) of Van Meter, Iowa, grandchildren David Nicholas Kimball (Danielle) of Temple, TX, Dr. Anna Krisztina Kimball of Budapest, Hungary, Jackson McPherson Kimball and Madeline Rae Kimball of Winterset, Iowa, great-grandchildren Samuel James Kimball, Panni Horvath-Kimball and step-great grandchildren Bridget and Sydney, many adored nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, as well as countless amazing and dear friends she considered family.
Mary Ellen was passionate about visual and performing arts and culture and devoted her time to teaching, promoting, serving on countless boards, performing and creating art for the benefit of her community, Iowa, and the world. The list of organizations she supported, served through and helped charter could comprise a novel. She was instrumental in the Iowa Arts Council and founded the Clarke County Area Arts Council in 1971. She chaired the Iowa Cultural Trust and was honored with the Governor's Award for Promotion of the Arts and the Arts Legacy Award. She impacted the performance art community with her involvement in the Iowa Stage Theatre Company, Des Moines Metro Opera, Ballet Iowa, the Tallgrass Theatre Company, and the Des Moines Playhouse. Mary Ellen summed up her own passion for the arts when she wrote "I believe the arts are essential; they are not an option. They have a role to play in attracting and retaining people, building our economy, welcoming diversity and providing a better lifestyle." Her creativity and boundless energy resulted in multiple theatre productions, publications, paintings, sculptures, prints, and pottery pieces that grace family and friends homes, collections throughout the country, and have benefited Clarke County and Iowa.
When she wasn't creating or promoting the arts, she could be found flying her Cessna 150 solo, with her husband Jim and family, or sharing her joy of flight with countless youth through the Girls in Aviation, Young Eagles, and Clarke County Youth in Aviation programs. She was dedicated to making Clarke County and Osceola a vibrant community and spearheaded or supported numerous events, programs, art installations, exhibits, and scholarships to accomplish her goal. Her lasting impact for beautifying can be witnessed by the Warrior Osceola sculpture at the entrance to Osceola, the Van Duzer water fountain/sculpture at Clarke County Hospital, the Mural adjacent to Fareway, and the Art Gallery at Lakeside Casino. Her art event reports and support of stations JC 106.9 and KSOI-91.9 FM radio assured that south central Iowa stayed informed and could benefit from these celebrations. Mary Ellen extended her talents and time to the State of Iowa as well through her service on multiple commissions, boards, and committees for organizations including Blank Park Zoo, PEO, Iowa Public Television, Main Street Iowa, Children and Families of Iowa, Iowa Aviation Promotion Group, and the South Central Iowa Community Foundation and South Central Iowa Theatre to name a very few. Mary Ellen was repeatedly recognized for her achievements, and improving Iowan's lives through the arts and her contributions to others. When she was celebrated as the Iowan of the Day at the 2010 Iowa State Fair, she was perfectly described as "brightening the lives around her, working to make Iowa shine and radiating the true meaning of being an Iowan."
Please find the following list of organizations that had special meaning to the Kimballs
Ballet Des Moines
Blank Park Zoo
BRAVO
Central Iowa Experimental Aircraft Association (Young Eagles Program)
Children and Families of Iowa
Clarke Community Players
Clarke County Arts Council
Clarke County Development Corporation
Clarke County Hospital Foundation
Cross Ministries
Department of Cultural Affairs
Des Moines Art Center
Des Moines Civic Center
Des Moines Metropolitan Opera
Des Moines Playhouse
Drake University Alumnae
Gateway Dance
Graceland Alumnae
Grinnell College Alumnae
Iowa Academy of Family Physicians
Iowa Architectural Foundation
Iowa Arts Council
Iowa Aviation Promotion Group
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Iowa Medical Society
Iowa Public Radio
Iowa Public Television
Iowa Stage Theatre Company
KSOI-91.9 FM
Kunzler Studio
Lakeside Casino
Main frame Studios
Osceola Airport Commission
Osceola Chamber of Commerce
Osceola Municipal Golf Course
Osceola Public Library/ Library Foundation
PEO
Phillips Exeter Academy
Polk County Medical Society
Pyramid Theatre
Revelton Distilling Company
Salisbury House
South Central Iowa Community Foundation
South Central Iowa Theatre
South West Community College
Tallgrass Theatre
The Ninety Nines, International Organization of Women Pilots
University of Iowa Foundation- Alumni
Winterset Stage