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Gayle Henry Ahrendsen
GAYLE HENRY AHRENDSEN
Oxford Junction
Gayle Henry Ahrendsen, 91, passed away on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, at the Anamosa Care Center.
He was born and raised in rural Oxford Junction, Iowa, the youngest of four sons of August and Irma (Nissen) Ahrendsen. He attended rural school and Olin Consolidated School, graduating in 1945. He attended the University of Iowa for a semester. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1946, stationed at Port Chicago, Calif., and was discharged in 1948. He began farming on the family farm in 1949.
Gayle married Donna Christensen in Oxford Junction in 1950. They had three sons. Donna passed away in 1997. He married Pauline Twachtmann of Bella Vista, Ark., in 2000. They resided on the family farm until they retired. They moved to Monticello and lived there until they went to assisted living in Marion, where they stayed until their passing.
In his youth, Gayle was an accomplished baseball player. In later years, he liked golfing. He enjoyed farming and feeding Black Angus cattle, shipping the cattle to Union Stock Yards in Chicago until it closed. He was VP of the Jones County Beef Board and member of the Jones County Farm Bureau, ASCS Board, Olin American Legion and St. Mark's Lutheran Church.
He is survived by three sons; Mark (Cathy) of Chapel Hill, N.C., Monte (Margo) of Oxford Junction and Bruce (Jolene) of Fayetteville, Ark.; 10 grandsons; two great-granddaughters; two great-grandsons; brother, Lowell (Wanda); 10 nephews and nieces; Pauline's children, Pamela (Ron) Pickup, Dona Swindle, Teresa Medinger, Ted (Linda) Twachtmann, Tamara (Nathan) Schwab and Deb Twachtmann.
He was preceded in death by his parents, August and Irma; and brothers, Merlin (Jeanne) and Norman (Marge); and Pauline's son, Todd Twachtmann.
His funeral service will be held Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at Lahey and Dawson Funeral Home in Olin, Iowa, with an hour visitation before the service. A visitation will be on Monday, Dec. 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lahey and Dawson Funeral Home. Burial will be held at the Olin Cemetery with military honors.
Memorials may be directed to Olin Friends, Emergency Services or Camp Courageous.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.laheys.com.
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