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Derold Happel
DEROLD E. HAPPEL
Vinton
Derold E. Happel, 79, died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, at the Vinton Lutheran Home where he had been a resident since 2013. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton with the Rev. Stephen Preus officiating. Interment will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton. Friends may call from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday at the Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. Sixth St., Vinton.
A memorial fund has been established for the Vinton Lutheran Home or the Vinton Volunteer Fire Department.
Derold was born May 15, 1936, in Vinton, to Elmer A. and Mildred (Stevenson) Happel. He graduated from Vinton High School with the class of 1954 and attended Iowa State University for the short course in agriculture. On May 31, 1958, he was united in marriage to Brenda Hagerty at Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton.
Derold farmed in Benton County for 43 years. He was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church where he held many offices through the years. Derold was very active in the community, serving as a Taylor Township trustee, as chairman of the rural fire board and as a member of the Vinton Fire Advisory board and the Eden Mutual Insurance board. Derold and Brenda spent many summers with family and friends at their home at Holiday Lake and many winters in Sun City, Ariz. They hosted a 4th of July party at the farm for many years. Derold was a faithful Oliver tractor driver and was a member of the Oliver Hart-Parr Collectors.
He is survived by his wife, Brenda of Vinton; two sons, Rick (Dee) Happel and Doug Happel, all of Vinton; three grandchildren, Renee Happel of Hiawatha, Rebecca (Matt) Sturtz of Vinton and Michael Happel of Vinton; one stepgrandson, Jesse (Amy) Lennox of Marion; five great-grandchildren; three stepgreat-grandchildren; his brother, Vernon (Betty) Happel of Cedar Rapids; his sister-in-law, Lois (Perry) Ewins of Robins; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his mother and father-in-law.
Phillips Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneral
homes.com.
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