Jack Menter

Jack Menter died on April 8th, 2026, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. He passed peacefully surrounded by his wife Rachel and son Jason. 

Jack was born on February 16th, 1957, in Marshalltown to Jess Menter and Lois (McMahon) Haskel. Jack grew up in Albion where he learned the value of hard work. After attending Albion and Marshalltown schools, he started his career at Iowa Wholesale. Over a decade behind the counter and on the road delivering plumbing supplies all over Iowa, he built a reputation for reliability. He eventually moved onto being the ‘go to’ sheet metal fabricator in HVAC for 25 years with Kapaun & Brown. Jack had a mental map of Marshalltown; he knew every house and business he had worked on and up to his passing, he would still drive around and point out his handiwork. He was quick to recall any install issues he encountered and still had a few choice words about the process. 

In 1975, Jack met the love of his life, Rachel Horton. After a short engagement, they tied the knot on July 16th, 1976. For 50 years they never left one another’s side, building a life of shared adventures. Jack and Rachel had one son, Jason. 

A true “car guy,” Jack loved to tinker in the garage. He and Jason attended many car shows, always dreaming of the day they could be cruising around together in a 1957 Chevy, Jack’s dream car. In his later years, Jack and Jason would take trips exploring local breweries and hunting down the best local cheese curds - day trips that often led them across the state line into Wisconsin in search of the perfect curd. Jack also enjoyed visiting casinos with Rachel as well as camping and fishing.

Jack was a fixture at Rumours for ‘Thirsty Thursdays.’ From his usual bar stool, he and his buddies would solve all of the world’s problems over a cold beer or two. 

His later years were centered around his grandchildren, Jaxon and Huxley. They cherished their time with ‘Papa’ and the feeling was mutual. He loved to pull out pictures on his phone and proudly show off his ‘Waffles.’

Jack is survived by wife Rachel; son Jason (Dani) Menter; grandchildren Jaxon and Huxley Menter and granddog Olive. He is also survived by his siblings Chris Elliott, Gary (Valerie) Menter, Peg Harwell and Shelly (Russ) Dall. He is preceded in death by his father, Jess; mother Lois; sisters Rose and Cindy; and brother Dennis O’Dell. 

Per Jack’s wishes, no formal service will be held. The Cremation Society of Iowa is handling arrangements, and the family will host a celebration of life at a later date.