Pamela Kessler, 67, of Grinnell, died Thursday, November 10, 2022, at UnityPoint Hospice-Taylor House, in Des Moines.

A memorial service for Pam will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Cox-Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, Iowa.  A memorial fund has been established and can be sent in care of Cox-Smith Funeral and Cremation Service, PO Box 163, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.

Pam was born July 14, 1955, the daughter of Robert and Phyllis Clay Merritt in Camden, Arkansas. She attended Searcy High School and graduated in 1973. Pam went on to college at Foothills Vocational Tech School in Searcy and graduated with the class of 1974. On April 1, 1978, she was united in marriage to Alan Kessler. The couple was blessed with two boys, Blake and Nathan. The couple later divorced.  Pam was a longtime resident of Grinnell and worked at many area businesses over the years including GTE, GreenState Credit Union and Brownell's.

Pam was a dedicated member of the Grinnell Elks Lodge #1266 where she volunteered much of her time and talent. Pam liked to stay busy, going to car and tractor shows.  She had a love of hummingbirds.   She was a foodie and enjoyed baking and sharing her kitchen expertise with others.  She also deeply loved eating crab legs drowning in butter.   She always had her nails manicured typically painted in some shade of red.  She also loved to get her naturally curly hair cut and styled even until her passing. Her go-to meal was either Red Lobster or anywhere that had steamed crab legs. Her greatest pride and joy were her boys and her granddaughter; those memories will be cherished.

Pam is survived by her sons, Blake (Abby) Kessler of Ankeny and Nathan Kessler of Des Moines; granddaughter, Avery Lyn Kessler; her brother, Bob Merritt; niece, Janelle Hamilton (Josh) and nephew, Jaryd Merritt (Jacquie).

She was preceded in death by her parents.