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Roxanne
Thompson
June 10, 2008
Roxanne Thompson, 33, of Kanawha, died on Sunday,
June 1, 2008, at her home.
A private family service with military honors was
held on Thursday, June 5, at the Dugger Funeral Home
in Belmond.
Roxanne, the
daughter of Sandy Phillips and Robert Raftis, was
born on February 23, 1975 in Hobart, Indiana. She
graduated from the Hobart High School and joined the
U.S. Marine Corps where she served until 1998. While
in the service Roxanne met her future husband, David
Thompson, and they were married on June 14, 1996.
Following their discharge they lived in Humboldt and
then rural Kanawha.
Roxanne is
survived by her husband; children, Nicholas, age 12
and Haley age 9; her mother; and two brothers.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Robert
Avery
June 10, 2008
Robert (Bob) Avery, 77, of Rowan, died on Monday,
June 2, 2008, in the hospice unit of the Wright
Medical Center in Clarion.
Funeral services were held on Friday, June 6, at the
United Church of Rowan, with Pastor Nancy Hofmeister
officiating. Burial with military rites was in the
Graceland Cemetery near Rowan.
Robert Gean, the son of John and Eva (Fischer)
Avery, was born on April 23, 1931 in Miller, South
Dakota. His family moved to the Eagle Grove area
when he was a young boy. He attended country school
and the Eagle Grove School until his family moved to
Rowan in his freshman year. Bob graduated from the
Rowan High School in 1949. He and Anna Mae (Annie)
Tudor were married at the Little Brown Church on
January 6, 1952.
Prior to his
induction into the Army in March 1952, Bob worked
for the railroad and various farmers in the Rowan
area. He was particularly proud of his service to
his country, including a year-long deployment to
Korea, where he served as a Military Policeman. He
was honorably discharged in March 1954 and returned
to Rowan where he lived for the rest of his life.
With help from
their parents, Bob and Annie began farming in 1954
on rented land north of town. Bob was proud of his
success at farming, and he and Annie farmed until
ill-health forced him to retire in 1989. Then they
enjoyed winters in Weslaco, Texas with many friends
from the Rowan area.
Bob was an
outdoorsman and horseman, and took great joy in
riding and greater joy in sharing his love of horses
with his family and friends. He was an original
member of the Belmond Saddle Club and a member of
the Hamilton County Saddle Club. He was particularly
proud of the riding skills of his grandchildren. He
was a lifelong supporter of the Rowan community as a
member of the United Church of Rowan, the Rowan
Legion and the Rowan's Lion Club. He served for
years as the Lion's Treasurer and will be remembered
as the guardian of the sausages at the pancake
breakfasts. He was one of the originators of the
Rowan Endowment fund.
Bob rarely sat
still and took his hobbies as seriously as he took
his work. He was known for his clowning and trained
mule, his skill as a square dance caller, as an
amateur auctioneer, his drumming in the Aitken
Hearts and Country Cousins, his decorative and
humorous welding, and his love of stories, practical
jokes and tall tales.
Bob was a great
role model and teacher for his family. He was
especially proud and supportive of Annie and
daughter-in-law, Terri's musical performances.
Bob is survived by
his wife; Jim and Terri Avery of Rowan; Jack Avery
and Dan Lontkowski of St. Paul; and grandchildren,
Abbey, Caleb and Brogan.
He was preceded in
death by his parents; an infant sister; and his
father and mother-in-law, Dillard and Luelda Tudor.
In lieu of
flowers, the family suggests memorials be given in
Bob's name to the Rowan Endowment Fund, the United
Church of Rowan or the Hospice of Wright County.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Harry
Hinckle
June 10, 2008
Harry M. Hinckley, 83, died on Saturday, June 7,
2008, surrounded by his family at the Belmond Health
Care Center.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 11,
at 2:00 p.m., at the United Church of Rowan, with
Pastor Nancy Hofmeister officiating. Burial with
military honors will be in the Graceland Cemetery,
rural Rowan.
Harry Merton, the
son of Samuel Dwight and Nellie Belle (Carter)
Hinckley, was born on June 17, 1924 on his parent's
farm near Rowan. He attended Rowan area schools. He
enlisted in the United States Army, serving during
WW II. Harry spent time in Germany, having some
involvement in the Battle of the Bulge. Upon his
discharge he began farming in the Rowan area.
On December 12,
1948, he married Jean Aldrich at the church in
Rowan. In addition to working the land and raising a
crop, Harry, his wife, and children raised sheep and
milked dairy cattle. For a time he was also a
custodian at the Rowan School, did some custom
farming, and assisted other farmers. Harry
eventually went to work at Hagie Manufacturing in
Clarion where he did welding, cut-out torch work and
milling for more than 20 years. In later years Harry
could be found helping at the Aldrich Tree Farm.
Harry and his wife
were wonderful parents. Their children fondly
remember family trail rides through Bingham Park
near Rowan and the Grove near Belmond, trips to a
horse show, sledding at Gunderson's Hill, and riding
snowmobiles. Harry enjoyed the company of a wide
variety of dogs and cats, especially his buddy
"Mel". He enjoyed feeding the squirrels and birds.
He assisted with the Iowa State High School Rodeo
for several years when Belmond was the host and was
a long time member of the Belmond Trail Blazers
Saddle Club. A favorite adventure was taking his
family to the Chuck Wagon Races at the Clay County
Fair. Harry was an excellent dancer and proficient
two-stepper, and he and Jean spent many years as
members of the Grand Squares square dancing club in
Rowan. Harry always supported his children and
grandkids in their activities and was their number
one cheerleader on the field and in life.
Jean died in
September of 1983. After a period of time he enjoyed
the companionship of Hazel Lester for many years.
Harry was a long
and active member of the Rowan Lions. He was a
member of the Disabled American Veterans and a
61-year member of the Rowan Legion Post 159. He was
very patriotic and proud of his military service and
that of his comrades, illustrated by his
participation in the Rowan military funeral unit for
55 years.
In later years
Harry might be seen about town, checking on the
happenings of the day, stopping by to see what
family was up to, and visiting and drinking coffee
at Keeling Auto. His daily adventures would include
a meal or two followed by a chocolate malt or ice
cream at Laurie's Diner. Later in the day Harry
might be found at an athletic event, car race, or
following the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team on
television. Though he was somewhat quiet, he always
seemed ready for a little conversation. His friendly
smile, the twinkle in his eyes, and warm hello will
be be deeply missed by his family and many friends.
He was preceded in
death by his parents; wife; sisters, Marie Utz, Ruth
Hoke and Neva Aldrich; brother, Lyle Hinckley; and
infant brother, Edward.
Survivors include
his daughter, Karen (Harlan) Tulp of Belmond and
their children, Elizabeth and special friend, Seth
Malek of Garner, Holden and fiancée, Tracy Heifner
of Belmond and Kyle and Heath of Belmond; son,
Robert (Robin) Hinckley of Sheffield and their
children, Micah (Marty) Duncan of Fraser and McKray
Hinckley of Sheffield; son, Thomas and fiancée,
Tammy Strand and Tom's children, Brandon, Joshua and
Mindy, all of Alta; sister, Ardyce Riis of Hampton;
brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Mary Aldrich of
Phoenix; and special friend, Hazel Lester of Fort
Collins, Colorado and family.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
John Ysker
June 17, 2008
John Ysker, 56, of Belmond, died on Saturday, June
7, 2008, in an automobile accident near Williams.
Funeral services were held on Friday, June 13, at
the Luick Memorial Auditorium at the Belmond-Klemme
High School. Pastor Samuel Schmeling officiated.
Burial was in the Belmond Cemetery.
John Allen, the son of Robert and Evelyn (Trapp)
Ysker, was born on March 2, 1952 in Windom,
Minnesota. He graduated from the Windom High School
in 1970 and then attended the Jackson (MN)
Vocational School for two years. John and Linda (Zerke)
were married on June 23, 1972 in Estherville. They
moved to Belmond in 1976 where he opened John's Body
Shop.
John was very
active in the Belmond community. He was a long-time
member of the Belmond Fire Department and spent
several years of service as a member of the Belmond
Jaycees. John was a member of Pheasants Forever and
the Richland Lutheran Church in Thornton.
John had many
hobbies. You could often find him attending old car
shows. He loved his old Case tractors and thoroughly
enjoyed farming. His love of the outdoors showed in
many different ways, from bailing hay, riding
horses, hunting, trapping, and riding motorcycles.
The highlights of his life, however, were times
spent with family and friends.
He was preceded in
death by older brother, Gary and his grandparents.
John is survived
by his wife; sons, Nathan, Nolan (Julie) and Justin
(fiancée, Jennifer Goeman) all of Belmond; his
parents of Windom; sisters, Kathy (Mike) Earhart of
Grand Rapids, Minnesota and Gail (Dennis) Craig of
Alexandria, Minnesota; and sister-in-law, Linda
(Richard) Paplow of Dundee, Minnesota.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Rosa
VanGerpen
June 17, 2008
Rosa Van Gerpen, 102, of Belmond, died on Monday,
June 9, 2008, at the Belmond Health Care Center.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 14, at
the Calvary Baptist Church in Belmond, with Rev.
Gary Schneider officiating. Interment was in the
Belmond Cemetery.
Rosa Frances was born on November 22, 1905 in
Aplington, the eleventh of twelve children of Jann
and Engelina Bruns. Her parents were farmers,
immigrants from Ostfriesland, Germany. When Rosa was
two her father died. Her mother remarried and Aeilt
Reemtsma of Aplington became her step-father when
she was seven.
Rosa attended
public school in Aplington for several years. At age
13 she was baptized and joined the Aplington Baptist
Church. A few years later she became a housekeeper
for a retired sea captain in nearby Ackley.
On January 5,
1927, she married John J. VanGerpen, a feed dealer
from Buffalo Center, where they moved and started a
family. For three years they farmed, then set up a
hatchery and feed mill operation which continued for
a decade or so. After briefly residing in Hampton
and Sheffield, they moved to Belmond in 1941.
A loving mother,
Rosa's greatest joy was her family. She enjoyed
cooking and caring for flowers, for which she seemed
to have a special talent. Her church affiliation was
Baptist.
She was preceded
in death by her parents; step-father; husband in
1993; and her eleven siblings.
Survivors include
her eight children, Rev. Emory (Phyllis) VanGerpen
of Washington, Iowa, Myrna Vandermeulen of Colorado
Springs, Arthur (Carol) VanGerpen of LaHabra,
California, Irvin (special friend, Carol Lockett)
VanGerpen of Hampton, Merle (Eunice) VanGerpen of
Webster City, Edythe (Bill) Henthorne of Denver,
Colorado, John (Pam) VanGerpen of Garner and Dr.
Royce (Cherie) VanGerpen of Spokane, Washington; 22
grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Pauline
Frohwein
June 17, 2008
Pauline Frohwein, 63, of Dows, died on Thursday,
June 12, 2008, at the Heritage Care Center in Iowa
Falls.
Funeral services were held on Monday, June 16, at
the First Lutheran Church in Dows, with Rev. Robert
Edwards officiating. Inurnment was in the Fairview
Cemetery, Dows.
Pauline, the
daughter of Otto and Ida Evelyn Johnson Bonin, was
born on May 19, 1945 in Iowa Falls. She was baptized
at Immanuel Lutheran in Iowa Falls and confirmed at
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran in Fairmont,
Minnesota. Pauline attended schools in Iowa and
Minnesota. She graduated from the Iowa Falls High
School in 1963 and attended a one-year business
course at Ellsworth Community College. Pauline
married Larry Frohwein on January 17, 1965. They
were divorced in 1991.
Pauline worked for
eleven years at the USA Health Care Center in Dows.
This was her extended family. The facility closed in
May of 2002.
Pauline was a
member of First Lutheran in Dows where she served as
deacon and church secretary from 2003 to 2007.
Pauline was also a member of the Mary and Esther
Circle, Harmony Club, and Friends of the Library.
Her children, grandchildren and siblings were her
greatest joy.
Pauline was
preceded in death by her mother and a sister,
MaDonna.
Pauline is
survived by her children, Bruce (Gayla) and their
children, Derek and Riley of Des Moines and Brenda
(Kevin) Cummer and their children, Andrew, Zachary
and Tai of Waverly; father and step-mother, Otto and
Beverly of Dows; sisters, Judy Kreitlow of
Kirbyville, Missouri, Patricia (Donald) Lane of
Dows, Lou Ann (LeRoy) Sharp of Cushing, Oklahoma and
Shirley (Charles) Pack of Des Moines; and brother,
David (Joy) Bonin of Belmond.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Dorothy
Brede
June 24, 2008
Dorothy Sheriff-Brede, 93, a resident of the
Klemme-Goodell area, died on Sunday, June 15, 2008,
at the Belmond Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., on
Saturday, June 28, at the Goodell United Methodist
Church, with Rev. Paddy Druhl officiating.
Visitation will be from 9-10:00 a.m., on Saturday,
at the church. Those wishing to express their
sympathies through a memorial may wish to consider
the Klemme and Goodell United Methodist Churches.
Dorothy Laurena,
the daughter of Owen and Blanche (Montgomery)
Nuehring, was born on December 9, 1914 on her
parents' farm in Liberty Township, Hancock County.
She was baptized and confirmed at the Reformed
Church in Klemme. Dorothy attended Liberty and Twin
Lake Township rural Schools and graduated from the
Klemme High School in 1934.
She married
William H. Sheriff of Belmond, on March 11, 1936 at
the Klemme Reformed Church. They had two children,
Robert Owen and Beverly Jane. The couple farmed as a
team in rural Hancock County. After William's death,
Dorothy married Dale Brede and brought Dale's two
children, Judith and Delwyn, into her heart and
under her loving care. Dorothy and Dale also made
their life together working the land and caring for
hogs and other livestock on the farm.
Dorothy was a life
long homemaker. The oldest of 12 children, she
helped provide for her siblings. She always focused
on putting the needs of her family and the hired
hands on the farm before her own. She was a
dedicated babysitter to the Barkema kids and others.
Her hobbies included clipping recipes, gardening,
bird watching and refunding. She loved to babysit
and was an excellent cook. Dorothy enjoyed making
baby quilts for family and friends, and crazy patch
quilts and pillows for church bazaars. She was an
active member of the Klemme UMW and the Belmond
Legion Auxiliary for more than 50 years. She held
memberships in both the Klemme and Goodell United
Methodist Churches and was on the Belmond Methodist
Church Building Committee. Dorothy belonged to the
Friendly Neighbors Club and the Farm Bureau Women.
Dorothy was
preceded in death by her parents; her two husbands;
son, Calvin Joseph Sheriff at age three;
step-daughter, Arlene Sheriff Young; step-son,
Delwyn Brede; sisters, Grace, Clara and Betty;
brothers, Lyle, Morris and Ralph; sisters-in-law,
Doris and Elsie; and brothers-in-law, Warren Beier,
Ken VanNurden, Norman Eckes and Dick VerHelst.
Dorothy is
survived by her son, Robert Owen (Betty) Sheriff of
Belmond; daughter, Beverly Jane (Harvey) Harris of
Herndon, Virginia; step-children, Donald J. "Red"
(Margie) Sheriff of Belmond, William Sheriff, Jr. of
Belmond and Judith Brede McClure of St. Charles;
siblings, Dean Nuehring of Osage, Keith (Wilma)
Nuehring of Webster City, Mavis Eckes of Long
Prairie, Minnesota, Marie VerHelst of Klemme and
Inez (Bruce) Dunbar of Mason City; brother-in-law,
Art Kemp of Colorado; grandchildren, Matthew (Debra)
Harris of Manassas, Virginia, Paul Harris of
Virginia Beach, Virginia, Susan Sheriff of Des
Moines and John (Devna) Sheriff of Ames;
great-grandchildren, Jessica and Robert Harris of
Manassas; step-great-grandchildren, Jenna and Collin
Pritchard of Ames.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
J. E. Blank
June 24, 2008
Junior E. "Cap" Blank, 85, of
Klemme, died on Thursday, June 19, 2008, at the
Kanawha Community Home.
Funeral services were held on Monday, June 23, at
the Immanuel Reformed United Church of Christ in
Klemme, with Reverend Donna Buckman officiating.
Burial was in the Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme.
Cap was born on
June 27, 1922 in Britt, the son of John and Cora (Roushia)
Blank. They lived in Britt until Cap was 1 1/2 years
old, then moved to a farm in Erin Township, where he
attended the Country School #7. He attended school
through the 8th grade, then helped his father on the
farm.
Cap married Nadine
Charlotte Kimball on December 12, 1944. They lived
with his parents on the farm until his parents moved
to Britt. Cap and Nadine stayed on the farm for five
years before buying their own farm southwest of
Klemme. Cap loved to farm and he loved his animals,
especially the cattle. Cap would farm from dawn to
dark and then go play softball. He belonged to two
teams, one in Klemme and one in Kanawha, and he was
the catcher. Fishing, pheasant hunting and the
outdoors were his favorite pastimes.
Cap and Nadine
started delivering Winnebagos in 1969 and traveled
to 48 states plus Canada. They retired in 1977 and
remained on the farm, spending winters in Arizona
and California. Later they wintered in Tonto Basin,
Arizona, so Cap could fish Lake Roosevelt. He held a
record for the largest bass caught in Lake
Roosevelt. They made many, many friends.
Because of Cap's
failing health, they moved to the Klemme Apartments
in 2004. This past May he entered the Kanawha
Community Home.
Cap was preceded in death by his parents; brothers,
Cecil, Irvine (Bodie), Alvin (Joe) and Paul; and
sisters, Dorothy Nieman and June Nieman.
Survivors include
his wife; daughters, Janice (Gene) Ross of Johnston,
Judy (Daniel) Bauman of Goodell and Karen (Kevin)
Boyce of Peoria, Arizona; grandsons, Shawn (Caryn)
Bauman and Mark Bauman of Wyoming, Michigan;
granddaughter, Samantha Boyce of Peoria, Arizona;
great-grandsons, Trevor, Zakary, Jayson (Shawn) and
Hunter (Mark) Bauman; and step-great-granddaughter,
Lexi (Mark) Wolf.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Wayne
Plagge
July 1, 2008
Wayne L. Plagge, 73, of Latimer, died on Monday,
June 23, 2008, at the Mercy Medical Center in Mason
City.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, June 26, at
the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Latimer, with burial
in the church cemetery.
Wayne Louis, son
of Louis and Louise (Imerman) Plagge, was born on
August 24, 1934, three miles north of Latimer. He
lived on that Century Farm until 2001 when he moved
into town. Wayne and Evonne Freie were married on
February 4, 1956.
Wayne was preceded
in death by his parents; and his brother, LaVerne.
Wayne is survived
by his wife; daughter, Jolene Rodemeyer of Latimer;
son, Jaylen (Brenda) Plagge of Grimes; four
grandsons; one great-grandson; brother, Herbert
Plagge of Latimer; and sisters, Lorena (Don) Koch of
Latimer and Elaine (Don) Reinke of Geneva.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Lloyd
Fuller
July 1, 2008
Lloyd B. Fuller, 89, of Belmond, died on Sunday,
June 29, 2008, at the Belmond Health Care Center.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 2,
at 10:30 a.m., at the Belmond United Methodist
Church, with Pastor Mike Druhl officiating. Military
rites will be provided at the church and burial will
be in the Berlin Cemetery, Jackson Township, at
rural Owasa at 2:00 p.m. Visitation was held on
Tuesday evening at the Dugger Funeral Home and will
continue one hour prior to the services at the
church on Wednesday.
Lloyd Benjamin,
the son of Benjamin Star and Myrtle (Shaner) Fuller,
was born on March 25, 1919 near Owasa. Lloyd
attended country schools, often by way of a
horse-drawn sleigh on a winter's day. When he was
ten the family moved to Bradford, and Lloyd
graduated from the Iowa Falls High School in 1936.
The family then moved to Popejoy where Lloyd farmed
with his father.
Lloyd served in
the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, including 18 months
in Hawaii. He married Marian Boyington of Bradford
on June 13, 1944 in California.
Following Lloyd's
discharge from the service he and Marian moved to
Alden, and soon, Belmond to continue farming. Lloyd
and Marian farmed for 35 years with Lloyd retiring
in 1984. Then they took on a new adventure,
delivering Winnebago motor homes. This took Lloyd to
almost every state in the continental United States.
Lloyd had many
interests, but his family was the highlight of his
life. He and Marian have great memories of their
time spent on the dance floor, whether it was square
dancing or ballroom dancing. Lloyd enjoyed fishing
in the spring and summer, and ice fishing in the
winter. He and Marian also found enjoyment in
camping with their family and friends. His children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember
Lloyd for his determination and patience teaching
them to water ski, play cards, fish, and other
activities.
He was an active
member of the United Methodist Church and the Odd
Fellows Lodge.
He was preceded in
death by his parents; and sister, Eva.
Lloyd is survived
by his wife; daughters, Rochelle (Ron) Hook of
Sibley, Sharon (Bob) Crane of Smith Mountain Lake,
Virginia and Janell (Richard) Ringuette of Richmond,
Virginia; son, Ben (Kathy) Fuller of Bondurant;
grandchildren, Kristine and Gregg Sherrard, Jennifer
and Joel Johnson, Sheri and Mike Kilbey, Stacey and
Michael Couch, and Jon Ringuette, Stefanie and Ryan
Fuller; great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Matthew and
Joshua Sherrard, Caleb, Grace, Nathan and Luke
Johnson, Nicholas and Zachary Couch and Markos,
Julia and Matthew Kilbey.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
|
Donna Wessels
July 15, 2008
Donna L. Wessels, 74, died on Sunday, June 29, 2008,
at her home in Sunset, Washington. An inurnment was
held on Sunday, July 6, at the Saint John Cemetery.
Donna Lee, was born in Sunset, Washington on April
24, 1934, to Ruby Mills and John Clark. She was
raised in Sunset by her grandparents, Horace and
Leola Mills. She attended the Saint John High
School.
Donna married Airman Franklin D. Roths and moved to
Louisiana for a time, then to Iowa. They had three
children, Frank, Mike and Leanna Hergert. After
Franklin's death Donna married Bernard E. Wessels, a
native of Belmond. They moved to Sunset in 1973 and
had one additional child, Lisa.
Donna was a homemaker who enjoyed crocheting,
crafting and reading. She and Bernie loved to camp
and vacation in Iowa to visit family. Their shared
fondness for adventure and travel led them to move
to Prince of Wales Island in Alaska from 1986 to
1995. Many beloved memories were made there,
including whale watching, fishing and experiencing
life on a floating log camp.
Bernie died on August 17, 2002. Donna spent the
remainder of her days in the Sunset home they had
shared.
Survivors include children, Frank (Maryann) Roths of
Dallas, Texas, Mike (Shari) Roths of Sunset, Lea
(Gaylon) Hergert of St. John and Lisa (Tim)
Bluemenshein of St. John; eight grandchildren; seven
great-grandchildren; sister, Lenore Swope of
Ephrata, Washington; brother-in- law, Robert (Kathy)
Wessels; sister-in-law, Elaine Wessels; and nephew,
Duane (Barb) Wessels, all of Belmond.
©Belmond
Independent 2008
|
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Luther
Proeger
July 1, 2008
Luther W. Proeger, 87, of Belmond, died on Monday,
June 30, 2008, at the Belmond Medical Center,
following a battle with cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m., on
Wednesday, July 2, at the Belmond United Methodist
Church, with Rev. Michael Druhl officiating. Burial
will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Visitation was on
Tuesday evening at the Andrews Funeral Home and will
continue one hour prior to the services at church on
Wednesday. Those wishing to express their sympathies
may wish to consider the Belmond United Methodist
Church or the Wright County Hospice.
Luther Warren, the
son of Martin Luther and Olive Virginia (Hoffman)
Proeger, was born on March 20, 1921 in Le Grand,
Oregon. He moved with his family as his father
pursued his floral profession, eventually ending up
in Iowa. Luther served in the United States Army
during World WW II (1943-46) as a military police
officer and spent much of his time guarding POW
camps.
Luther married
Mary Catherine Whelan on July 29, 1945 at the
Belmond Methodist Parsonage. They raised their
children and farmed just southeast of Belmond for
many years. In addition to farming, Luther did some
carpentry and worked for many years as a custodian
at the Belmond High School and Parker Elementary.
His many years as a custodian cultivated numerous
friendships with the staff and students. There was
mutual admiration and respect for one another as
well as a time for teasing and a good laugh. Luther
retired in 1983.
Luther had many
interests, and his first love was his family. He
received great joy in spending time with his
daughters and his grand and great-grandchildren. He
enjoyed conversations with family and friends.
Luther had a green
thumb and could grow the most beautiful flowers,
especially orchids. He raised vegetables and fruits,
both in and out of his greenhouse. Luther also was
very proficient in the art of bonsai and enjoyed
woodworking, a specialty was making clocks.
Luther was a
charter member of the Belmond Jaycees, served on the
Belmond City Council, was a current member of the
Zoning Board of Adjustment, and was a longtime
member of the Belmond United Methodist Church. He
served many years as a Boy Scout leader and had
taken scouts on trips to Ely, Minnesota.
He was preceded in
death by his parents; and sister, Shirley Plagge.
Luther is survived
by his wife; his daughters, Kathy (Roger) Linderbaum
of Castalia and Barbara Gallaher of Newton; brother,
Linden (Carol) Proeger of Prophetstown, Illinois;
sister, Betty Conner of Alexandria, Louisiana;
grandchildren, Sara (Mike) Richardson, Mathew
(Hallie) Linderbaum, Seth (Jen) Gallaher and Jill
(Ron) Dehning; great-grandchildren, Harrison
Dehning, Ben Richardson, Hanna Dehning, Katie
Linderbaum, Betsy Richardson, Will Linderbaum and
Kate Gallaher.
©Belmond
Independent 2008 |
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a
document to
Hancock
County, Iowa

IAGenWeb
Hancock
Gravestone
Photo
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