Dorothy Gould, age 94, of Des Moines, Iowa, died Sunday, November 15, 2015, at Trinity Center at Luther Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

A private family memorial service will be held at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington, Iowa. Interment will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Memorial gifts may be directed to Iowa 4H Foundation, Friends of Iowa Public Television, or Food Bank of Iowa. Online condolences may be sent to Dorothy's family at www.jonesfh.com .

Dorothy was born August 14, 1921, in Washington, Iowa, the daughter of Delbert Alton and Mary Margaret (Hunter) Darnel. She attended school in Washington, graduating from high school in 1940. She was elected as the Iowa State 4H President in 1941. She earned a B.A. degree from Sterling College in Kansas and a B.S. degree in Home Economics from Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) in 1945. Over the years, she worked for the ISU Extension service, taught home economics and other subjects as a substitute teacher, and directed Montessori and Head Start preschool programs. Dorothy was the ultimate hostess, well-known for her cooking and entertaining talents. The kitchen and dining room were always the center of her home. Dorothy supported her children and grandchildren in all their activities and interests, faithfully attending concerts and sports events.

Dorothy Darnel met Herbert Gould at Iowa State, at an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship campus ministry gathering. They were married on September 7, 1946 in Washington, Iowa. Dorothy and Herbert lived in Coin, New Sharon, Missouri Valley, Oakland, Hawarden, Des Moines, New London and Marshalltown, serving United Methodist Church congregations in all those Iowa communities. They moved to Des Moines in 1998 after Herbert retired from the ministry.

She is survived by five children: Gene (Judy) Gould of Bedford, Texas; Dave Gould of Chicago, Illinois; Marilyn (Myron) Maurer of Winfield, Illinois; Emily (Brad) Chafa of Johnston, Iowa; Phil (Liz) Gould of Chicago, Illinois; eight grandchildren: Dylan (Harvey), Bevan (Gloria) and Madelyn Gould; Brian, Eric and Hagan Maurer; Alex and Shane Chafa; and three great grandchildren.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Delbert and Mary Darnel; her husband, Rev. Herbert Gould in 2014; and her sisters, Maurita Stout and Ila Mae Selby.