Jack Dale Marcum, son of Isaac Harvey and Bertha Ruth (Jones) Marcum, was born on Thursday, July 13, 1933 in Grinnell, Iowa and took his last breath upon this earth, Monday, November 30, 2015 in his house, following an intense, but brief struggle with acute leukemia. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 4, at the Grinnell Christian Church with his son, Mr. Scott Marcum, pastor of the Blockton Christian Church, officiating. Vocalists will be Jay and Jodi Marcum. Pallbearers will be Michael Gabler, Andrew, Hannah, Megan, Sarah and Seth Marcum, Samantha Sehr, Chad and Kristin Stuchis and Kyle Yoder. Honorary bearers will be members of the Grinnell High School Class of 1951. Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Poweshiek County, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, December 3, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 Thursday evening. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Grinnell High School Faculty Award or Grinnell Community Theatre. Jack, being born and raised in Grinnell, graduated from GHS with the class of 1951. He entered the U.S. Navy following his graduation, taking leave to return to Grinnell and marry Nella Darlynn Schultz on July 3, 1953. To this union two sons were born: Scott Montgomery and Jay Douglas. Jack later married Janet (Muehlenthaler) Stuchis on June 10, 1995. Jack welcomed into his life at this time Chad and Kristin. After five years in the Navy, Jack (aka Jackie, JD and MR. Marcum) returned to Grinnell and was employed in a variety of jobs – driving turkeys, building houses, starting JD's Restaurant – before going on to get his degree from the University of Iowa (and he was alive to see Iowa finish its first undefeated regular football season!) and start his teaching career. After two years in Prairie City, Iowa, he began teaching High School English at Grinnell. With full-time teaching and substituting after retirement, Jack gave over 45 years to the education of students in Grinnell. Jack was preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Bertha Marcum; a step-mother Mary (Bennington) Marcum; his in-laws Ervin and Elizabeth Schultz and Paul and Marian Muehlenthaler; his first wife Nella; and his sister Darlene Pickens. Those family members left to cherish the memories of the life of Jack include his wife, Janet of Grinnell; his sons Scott (Debbie) Marcum of Blockton, Iowa and Jay (Jodi) Marcum of Spring Hill, Tennessee; his step-children Chad Stuchis of Grinnell and Kristin (Michael Gabler) Stuchis of Decorah, Iowa; his six grandchildren Samantha (Jarrod) Sehr of Loganville, Georgia; Seth (Megan) Marcum of Columbia, Tennessee; Sarah (Kyle Yoder) Marcum of Rutledge, Missouri; Andrew (Rebecca) Marcum of State College, Pennsylvania; Hannah Marcum of Pella, Iowa and Noah Gabler of Forbes, Minnesota; his five great-grandchildren Moriah Jo Sehr, Cainan Ransom Sehr, Reuben Justice Sehr,, Levi Everett Marcum and Nora Nancy Marcum and many special nieces, nephews, cousins and numerous people who considered Jack a friend. Thanks for the love, for the gift of life and for the laughter you gave.