2019 Iowa Homeless Memorial

“Dying homeless, typically means dying alone and forgotten,” explains Joe Stevens, Joppa Cofounder & Chairman. “Too often, people experiencing homelessness lose touch with family and friends, who don’t even know they’ve died, and for the vast majority there is no memorial service.”

Joppa organizes the Iowa Homeless Memorial at the capitol each year on the first day of winter and longest night of the year, to remember those who’ve died homeless, to honor them as fellow human beings, and to help prevent future homeless deaths by expanding awareness.

Although unseasonably warm, the chill dipped near freezing as the names of over 40 individuals were read by Angie Arthur of the Polk County Continuum of Care and Matt McNeese of Lutheran Church of Hope.

The deceased were honored by over 250 attendees, proclamation readings by Governor Kim Reynolds and Mayor Frank Cownie, music by Joe Figueroa, harmonica, and The Chamber Choir from Heartland Youth Choir, Poetry by Claudine Cheatom, and Pastoral Prayer and Reflection by Rev. Rechab Gray of Cottage Grove Church.

We Will Remember…

• Michael Artwein, 37
• John Ballentine, 48
• David Blodgett, 48
• Gabriel Boettger, 38
• James Bradley, 61
• Kvols Brockman, 34
• Charles Childs, 69
• Michael Cockerham
• Oliver “Randy” Coffin, 54
• Michael Wesley Collins
• Jason Cronin, 39
• Robert Davis
• Arthur Lee English
• Douglas Jason Followill, 58
• Geoffrey French, 42
• Robert Garner, 59
• Anthony Gilkey, 44
• Jeff Goldstein, 60
• William Grail, 58
• Michael Grant
• Jody Hildebrand, 40
• Dezawn Jackson, 30
• Marshal Aaron Terrell Johnson, 23
• JD Jordan, 54
• Roger Kirby, 58
• Blama Kollie
• Robert “Randy” McLain
• Tracy Moore, 58
• Jayson Parker, 41
• Andrea Portillo, 34
• Brandon Reimers, 22
• Jeremy Seddon, 37
• Don Seifried, 49
• Danny Shafer, 60
• Michael Sloan
• David Franklin Smith, 36
• Jordan Spain, 27
• Thomas “Scott” Stevens
• Jeffrey Tedder, 57
• Eric Way
• Rodney Wells
• Marshall Wilkerson
• Timothy Williams
• Harold Wilson
• Woody Woodman, 70