Corey Ivan Stull

MELCHER-DALLAS, Iowa - Corey Ivan Stull age 64, of Melcher-Dallas, Iowa, departed this life early on the morning of Friday, December 5, 2025, in Madison, Wis., after a long and stubborn battle with Alzheimer’s disease - though he never lost his spark. He continued making friends, sharing smiles, whistling, and laughing long after words were no longer available to him.

Born November 7, 1961, in Des Moines, Iowa to Gene and Thelma (Kading) Stull, Corey was one of five siblings, Craig, Cheryl (Gravett), Cathy (Huth), and Christine (Williams), and never once blended into the background. At Melcher-Dallas High School (1980), Corey was many things: a standout defensive football player, a tough opponent on the wrestling mat, a smooth-voiced choir singer, a booming tuba player, a charismatic performer on stage, and a full-fledged charmeur in French club.

After working for the family construction business, Corey discovered his true calling - helping people. He became a registered nurse in 1982, when it was still uncommon for men to do so, starting work as a maternity nurse at Broadlawns Medical Center, then working as a WIC nurse. He then transitioned to supporting the elderly, serving as an ombudsman for the State of Iowa, a home health nurse, and as Director of Nursing at nursing homes, fiercely advocating for dignity, compassion, and good care of the elderly.

Corey was larger than life, had a magnetic personality, and an uncanny ability to make people laugh. He loved music and singing and proudly passed that love on to his three children. He loved telling stories, pulling pranks, and generally being the center of attention. He was also an outrageous flirt and left many broken hearts in his wake-though none are more broken now than those of his three children, Ashley (Brandon) Gries, Courtney Stull and Matthew Stull, who all loved him fiercely.

“Everybody has a Corey story.” If you met, you probably have one too.

The family is deeply grateful to all who loved Corey, laughed with Corey, cared for Corey, and became part of his story. And because he would never let things end on a serious note, he’d want us to leave you with his favorite dad joke:

A piece of string walks into a bar.
The bartender says, “We don’t serve string here.”
So, the string goes outside, ties himself in a knot, messes up his ends, and walks back in.
The bartender says, “Aren’t you that piece of string from before?”
The string replies, “Nope! I’m a frayed knot!”

A celebration of life will be held in Madison, Wis., in January 2026 for those that took care of him over the past five years there. A second celebration of life and interment will be held in Melcher-Dallas, Iowa in May 2026. All are welcome to attend and celebrate his life with his family; additional details will be shared at www.gundersonfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin (secondharvestfoodbank.org) or Solace Friends (www.solacefriends.org <http://www). Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com or by mail to Ashley and Brandon Gries, 5306 Tonyawatha Trail, Monona, WI 53716, and Courtney Stull, 12013 Idlewild Rd., Matthews, NC 28105.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420