Siegling, Lee

Lee Siegling, 89, of Oasis, died at his home Monday, June 4, 2012, following a heart attack. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until services on Saturday at the funeral home, with cookies and ice cream served following the services.

Lee was born Dec. 15, 1922, in rural Iowa City, the son of Nelson Frederick and Della Ruth Stover Siegling. He graduated from University High School in 1941. He played quarterback on the U-High team while in high school. Lee served in the U.S. Army from 1945-1947. On June 28, 1951, Lee married Blanche Lovetinsky in Iowa City. He and Blanche enjoyed dancing and square dancing for many years. He worked as a carpenter, helping his father as he was growing up and continued until Blanche's father passed away. He then drove out to the Oasis farm each day. When Blanche's mother passed away, the family moved to the Oasis farm in 1974.

Lee was Johnson County Farm Bureau president from 1975-77, and at the same time, Blanche was Johnson County Farm Bureau Women's chairman.

They had an AFS student, Piergiulio Destefano, in 1983, and his brother Daniele the next year. They enjoyed a trip to Italy to visit the family the following year. They also enjoyed several trips to Alaska when daughter, Patricia lived there.

Lee loved ice cream and made homemade ice cream for every holiday gathering, wearing out three White Mountain freezers during his lifetime. He enjoyed John Wayne movies, like to read western books, and listen to Western music. In later years, he enjoyed cutting wood for the wood burning stove and in the summer he always had a nice garden. He also enjoyed walking on the Hoover Trail for many years.

Lee's family includes his wife, Blanche; two sons, Jim (Kathy) Siegling of Cedar Rapids and Scott (Anne Goetz) of West Branch; two daughters, Patricia (Hugh) Maher of West Branch and Janet (Larry) Thompson of Iowa City; grandchildren, Robin (Adam) Mangold of Marion, Angela (Tim) Hicks of Parker, Colo., Byungsuk Kim Siegling of Cedar Rapids and Chris Burnette, Pamela (Michael) Melchert and Jennifer Hernandez, all of Anchorage, Alaska; great-grandchildren, Matt Naslund and Parker Naslund of Parker, Colo., Alessondra Hernandez, Noel Hernandez, Angelena Hernandez, Maggie Wallace, Cailin Wallace, Benjamin Lee Wallace, Ashley Burnette and Marissa Burnette, all of Anchorage, Alaska, Alex Siegling of Buffalo, N.Y., Max Siegling of New York, N.Y., and Araminta Siegling of West Branch.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Elmer and Ray Siegling; and sisters, Gertrude Norris, Ruth Kesselring, Rita Auge and Adelyn Campbell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in his memory to the West Branch First Responders or the American Heart Association.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web at www.gayandciha.com.

Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Lee's family and his services.

Published June 7, 2012 in The Gazette