Donald Llewellyn Eells “Lew” passed into the loving arms of our Lord after a long struggle with various health problems on August 13, 2026. 

Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 E Water Street, Decorah, Iowa, with Pastor Steve Jacobsen presiding.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the funeral home prior to the service.

Lew was born November 29, 1943, in the Corn Belt hospital in Belle Plaine, Iowa. Lew was proud that his parents, Donald R. Eells and Lois G Eells (Julian), were educators.

Lew was deeply religious being baptized and confirmed in the Methodist church and sang in the Methodist church choirs in Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. Lew prayed daily and always tried to live by the rule that God is first, others are second, and I am third.

As a lad, Lew started his days delivering the Des Moines Register in Cedar Falls, and then practiced the piano daily. While 13 years old and in Boy Scouts, Lew obtained the Eagle rank, later with Bronze and Silver Palms, and also earned the God and Country award and the marksmanship medal. Lew obtained the Virgil rank in the Order of the Arrow and was voted Area 8A Chief for the Order of the Arrow. Lew attended the National Conference of the Order of the Arrow at Indiana University, where he accompanied the Iowa delegation on the piano singing the Iowa Corn Song. As a teen, Lew worked as Scout Craft Director and song leader at Camp Ingawanis for three summers. Lew’s scout troop twice canoed the Canadian boundary waters with their dads. Lew attended Junior Leader Training at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the National Jamborees in 1957 and 1960 in Valley Forge and Colorado Springs, and represented all Iowa Scouts in Kansas City at the annual Report to the Nation contest in 1960. Lew always tried to live according to the Scout Oath.

Lew graduated from West High School in Waterloo in 1962. During that time he had the honor to be a representative to Hawkeye Boy’s State at Camp Dodge, serve on the student council, was chosen for the American Citizenship Award as a senior, sang in the high school choir, quartet and swing chorus, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Annual Variety Show, played the lead in the high school play, “The Desk Set”, lettered on the basketball team and was captain of the tennis team.

Lew graduated from State College of Iowa, now U.N.I., in 1966. While there he was a member of Phi Mu Alpha, President of Alpha Phi Omega, sang as a freshman in the A Cappella Choir and men’s quartet, competed on the debate squad, was college chess champion, played number one on the tennis team, and was North Central Intercollegiate Conference singles champion in 1965 as well as regional NCAA singles and doubles champion for UNI in 1965. While at SCI, Lew played the boy in “The Fantastics” for the Waterloo Community Players. Also, while at SCI Lew met the love of his life, Bette Johnson when they were rehearsing for the musical, “The Most Happy Fellow.” They married and were blessed with three children, Spencer, Craig, and Dominique. His family made him a most happy and proud fellow for all of the 62 years he and Bette were married.

Lew graduated from the Iowa Law school in 1968 with a Juris Doctorate degree where he was a member of Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. Upon graduation from law school Lew and Bette moved to Dubuque where he began practicing law with the Kintzinger firm. In 1969, Lew and his family moved to Cedar Rapids to practice with the John Randall law firm. In 1970, Lew and Tim White formed the new firm of White & Eells, while Lew also enjoyed serving as a part-time assistant Linn County Attorney for eight years. He tried over fifty felony trials and handled over 850 felony guilty pleas. Lew enjoyed helping to teach the Cedar Rapids Police Academy applicants. He taught the police candidates Iowa criminal law and constitutional law.

In 1970-71, Lew served as editor of the Iowa Young Lawyers monthly newsletter. In the early 80’s, Lew served as the Norway City attorney and he enjoyed being a legal coach for mock trial competitions for numerous Cedar Rapids youngsters, and conducted a seminar for the Iowa Bar Association on the handling and trying of the Soft Tissue Injury Case in Iowa.

Throughout his practice, Lew believed in hard work, honesty, and providing the best legal services possible for all his clients. Thanks go to many long-term clients. Lew also took many cases on appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court or the Iowa Court of Appeals. He enjoyed helping people in the practice of law in Cedar Rapids for forty-six years, retiring from the firm of Eells & Tronvold in 2013. He was a member of the Iowa Bar Association, the Federal Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and the Dubuque and Linn County Bar Associations. He also served as a member and president of the Cedar Rapids Library Board and was on the Library Board of Trustees. He enjoyed serving as cub master for his sons’ cub packs, and was president of the Cedar Rapids PTA . Lew sang in several of the early Follies productions, and in the Midwest Chorale and Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale. Lew proudly enjoyed watching his talented wife Bette undertake the duties of president of the Cedar Rapids Community Theatre and later as the Executive Producer of the Cedar Rapids Follies for many years. He enjoyed being a doorman at the Paramount Theatre for many of the Follies performances after leaving the Follies cast. Lew was a member of Sertoma Club and believed in service to mankind.

For many years, Lew enjoyed competing in tennis and golf tournaments at Elmcrest Country Club, until injuries prevented him from playing further. He loved teaching each of his three children to play tennis, and was so proud of his children and their many accomplishments in high school and beyond. All three played tennis for their colleges, Iowa State, U.N.I. and Luther.

Lew was extremely proud of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He fully enjoyed all the time spent supporting them in their various activities whether they be academic, musical, or sports related. He attended as many events as he could over the many years. He even kept his great grandchildren entertained by his wonderful impersonation of Donald Duck. He was an amazing grandfather.

Lew turned to art in his retirement and has sold many giclees of his beautiful paintings and also enjoyed the golf course across the street. A whole new group of friends, including folks from the Decorah Winneshiek Habitat for Humanity organization and the Oneota Golf & Country Club, welcomed Lew and Bette into the last portion of their lives. Lew was so thankful for the friendships and enjoyment that graced his life, and as Lew once sang in the Cedar Rapids Follies over fifty years ago, “Happy trails to you, until we meet again!”

Lew is survived by his dear, beautiful wife Bette, whose loving care he was most grateful for, his three wonderful children, Spencer (Kristina), Craig (Kelly), and Dominique (Michael Bockman), and seven grandchildren, Carson (Alicia), Jenna (Jon) Lowell, Jackson, Parker, Nicholas, Patrick, Benjamin, and two great-grandchildren Colton and Cayden Lowell. Lew will love you all forever. Thanks to his precious Dominique for assisting Bette with his care. Also surviving him are his brother Len and wife Karen Eells, and numerous dear cousins, nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law Raymond Johnson, Michael McConville, David Ducharme and his sister-in-law Jan Johnson.

Lew was preceded in death by his parents, paternal grandparents Donald Tiffany Eells and wife Mary Farris Eells, his maternal grandmother Ida Mae Julian (Goodrich), sweet sister Julie Ducharme and his brothers-in-law Leonard Johnson, Sherman Oberhauser, Samuel Johnson and his sisters-in-law, Mary Ellen Oberhauser and Jean Ann McConville.

The family thanks the WinnMed doctors and nurses, Dr. Andy Goodner, all the caring dialysis nurses, and Jen Schrandt in the Wound Clinic for the wonderful care they provided.

Lew’s body was donated to the University of Iowa Medical School to provide medical education for their students.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Kids First, Cedar Rapids, to help make children’s voices heard in divorce proceedings or to Winneshiek Habitat for Humanity.