White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence – Arvel W. Childress, 74 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died on Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  He was born on February 11, 1940, in Alcoa, Tennessee, the son of Theodore and Edna Movine (Campbell) Childress.  He graduated from high school in Maryville, Tennessee.  On September 10, 1966, he and the former Wanda Jeanne Bonefas were married at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Winthrop, Iowa.  Mr. Childress served in the U.S. Air Force.  Before retiring, he was a painter in the maintenance department of the Mental Health Institute in Independence.  Mr. Childress enjoyed woodworking and refinishing furniture.  He also enjoyed all sports, but especially NASCAR racing.

Mr. Childress is survived by his wife of 48 years, Wanda, 3 daughters, Diana Childress of Coralville, Iowa, Debra (Larry Heimer) Childress of Hillsborough, North Carolina, and Donna (Scott) Kaas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and 4 grandchildren, Nick LaPole, Teagan LaPole, Benjamin Heimer, and Theodore Heimer. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2015, at the White Funeral Home in Independence.  His cremated remains will be placed in the Cremation Garden at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence at a later date.  Friends may call for visitation from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, January 23^rd, at the White Funeral Home where a Military Service begins at 7 p.m.