Ketelsen, Donald

Donald Ketelsen, 87, died Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 24, at the Center Junction Presbyterian Church. Pastor Jean Bruinsma will officiate at the services. Interment will be in the Oakwood Cemetery, Monticello. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

Surviving is his wife, Marilyn; four children, Dennis (Sandie) of Toddville, Ken of Onslow, Marcia (Vic) Kray of Monticello and Kris (Jeff) Weers of Scotch Grove; four grandchildren, Jeff and Abby Ketelsen, Mikinzie (Britt) Smith and Parker Kray; a great-grandson, Austin Smith; and two sisters-in-law, Ann Ketelsen-Lee of Cedar Rapids and Bobbie Hartong of Crystal River, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, John (Marge) Ketelsen and Dick Ketelsen; and a sister, Ruth Ann Glenn.

Donald Edward Ketelsen was born Sept. 17, 1925, on the family farm near Center Junction. He was the son of John and Fredda Lang Ketelsen. Don attended Pine Grove Country School and graduated from the Center Junction High School in 1943. Donald Ketelsen and Marilyn Yeisley were married Sept. 8, 1951, at her family home in Springville. They have made their home and raised their family on the Ketelsen family farm the past 61 years. Don started farming at age nine following the death of his father. He was very proud that it became a Century Farm in 1993. Don was still farming at the time of his death.

Don was an active member of the Center Junction community. He was a church trustee and elder, had been a 4-H Leader for the Center Junction Royal Rustlers, served on the rural fire board, the Center Junction Telephone Board and the Co-op Board for 28 years. He played on the Center Junction Town Basketball team when they played the Harlem Globetrotters. Don and Marilyn loved to go dancing, play cards and were members of the Diamond Dreamers Camper Club. Don's greatest loves in his life were his wife, his family and his farm.

Published in The Gazette May 22, 2013.