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Tom Narak Obituary – Death: West Des Moines Iowa Man and Former District 6000 Rotary Governor, Tom Narak Died from Stroke

Author

Sebastian Wright

Published Apr 08, 2026

Tom Narak Obituary – Death: West Des Moines Iowa Man and Former District 6000 Rotary Governor, Tom Narak Died from Stroke

Tom Narak Obituary: Tom Narak, a former Rotary Governor of District 6000 from West Des Moines, Iowa, sadly died away. On Monday, December 18, 2023, he passed away in Huntsville, Alabama, following a huge stroke.

“We lost a member of our family today. John’s brother-in-law, Tom Narak, passed away from a massive stroke in Huntsville, AL”.

Tom Narak Education

Tom was raised in Chicago and graduated from Morningside College with a bachelor’s degree. His academic career continued with a doctorate in education from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and a master’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University.

Tom’s career as a middle school science teacher came to an end in 2011 when he retired from his position as West Des Moines, Iowa’s superintendent of schools.

Tom served as an elementary, middle, and high school principal over his career, showcasing his adaptability. He joined the School Administrators of Iowa and served as their Director of Government Relations until his retirement in April 2017.

When Tom was a principal in Schuyler, Nebraska, in 1979, he started his Rotary career. He joined the Rotary Club of Indianola after moving to Iowa, where he presided over the group in 2003–04. He then became a member of the West Des Moines Rotary Club, of which he served as president from 2013 to 2014.

Tom Narak Career

For a number of years, Tom also made a contribution as the West Des Moines Rotary Club’s Youth Exchange Officer. He has been actively involved in District 6000’s Xicotepec Project since 2007 and has worked as DGs John Ockenfels and Jacque Andrew’s District 6000 Trainer.

In the summer of 2016, Tom served as a volunteer RYLA facilitator in addition to his participation with Rotary. In addition to Rotary, he formerly served on the boards of The United Way of Central Iowa and Morningside College. His wife, Carol, has been active on the board of the West Des Moines Friends of the Library in the meantime.

Tom’s enthusiasm to assist underprivileged individuals, particularly children, demonstrates his devotion to changing the world. Tom has always made an effort to improve the lives of people in need, whether it be through education or volunteer work.