Seydel, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lyle G.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lyle G. Seydel, 84, a direct descendant of Johnson County pioneers, died Saturday, April 7, 2012, at Lantern Park Care Center in Coralville. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, with Father John Spiegel officiating. Burial, with military honors, will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City, where a parish vigil service will be held at 7p.m.

Lyle was born Jan. 20, 1928, in Windham, Iowa, the son of William and Nellie (Volk) Seydel. He was a 1946 graduate of St. Mary's High School. Lyle received his bachelor's degree in military science from the University of Omaha and his master's degree from Command General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Lyle retired from military service in the U, S, Army following 22 years of service to his country. He attained the rank of Lt. Colonel and in 2006 was awarded the Will J. Hayek award for his record of outstanding military and civilian service.His distinguished career reflected his adventurous spirit and commitment to his country.He entered the Army in November1948.

While in basic training he became involved with the U.S. Army boxing team, where he represented Fort Knox in the Golden Gloves tournament in Louisville, K. He then attended OCS at Fort Riley, Kan., and Parachute Jump School at Fort Bragg, N.C. In 1951, Lyle was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he married his hometown sweetheart, Carol Chopek.On deployment to Korea from early 1952 until late 1953, he commanded an anti aircraft battalion and served as a supply officer.After Korea, Lyle attended the Army language school and was sent to France, with his wife and young family, to serve as an Army interpreter from 1956-1959.

He returned to the United States and served as battalion commander in the NORAD air defense system and then returned to Europe to serve with the 7th Army Germany as commander of a heavy artillery battalion for three years.In 1964, he returned to the states and was stationed at Fort Sheridan with the 5th Army in Chicago and then the 9th Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kan. In 1967, he was deployed to Vietnam as Divarty S3 with the 9th Infantry Division.From 1968 until his retirement in 1969, Lyle served as the Inspector General at Rock Island Arsenal.

Medals awarded to Lyle G. Seydel include Senior Parachutist Badge; Korean Service Medal;Army Commendation Medal;Bronze Star;UN Service Medal;National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; and Legion of Merit Badge.

Upon his retirement, Lyle was hired as the first housing coordinator for the Iowa City Low and Elderly Housing Project. Under his management the program grew to include 417 units. The following developments were financed and constructed by HUD during Lyle's years as housing coordinator: Autumn Park for the Elderly, Capitol House for the Elderly, Hollywood Complex, Shamrock Place Complex and Pleasant Ridge.

Lyle's professional drive was matched with a strong commitment to his wife, Carol of 60 years and five children. While his children were growing, Lyle supported many of the institutions that shaped their lives.He served as leader and assistant leader for Boy Scout Troop 212 at St Mary's Church; Little League coach; on the council at St. Mary's Church;and as a board member on the Regina school board. The hobbies shared with his wife and children included traveling, camping, hunting and fishing.After the children were grown, Lyle and Carol continued to travel together in their mobile home.He loved to drive and navigated many highways and byways from Iowa to Alaska, to the northern reaches of Nova Scotia into Newfoundland, and through Central America into Guatemala.

His undying spirit of adventure lives on in his wife, Carol; and their five children and 10 grandchildren:the Rev. Ann (Rev. Bob) Molsberry of Westerville, Ohio and children, Ames (Amanda) Caitlin; Madonna (Howard) White of Iowa City and children, Brenna (Brad) Eldeen, Cassie Lynch, Max and Donovan Mikelson; Jennifer Seydel Ph.D. (Mark Heininger Ph.D.) of Madison, Wis.; Lee Seydel of Iowa City and children, Colton and Anna; Lyle (Liz) Seydel Jr. of West Branch and children, Will and Joseph; great-grandchildren, Everly, Anden and Hutch Eldeen and Molly Molsberry; and five siblings, Evelyn Jensen, Dale (Margaret) Seydel and Robert (Marlene) Seydel, all of Iowa City, Dorothy Long of South Dakota and Bonnie (William) Ball of Oxford.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents; one granddaughter, Michah; and seven siblings, Ed, Orville, Earl, Guy, Ivan, Don and Betty.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Lt. Col. (Ret) Lyle G. Seydel Memorial Fund for Veterans.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com

Published April 9, 2012 in The Gazette