Leo Ahrendsen

LEO AHRENDSEN

Mechanicsville

Leo Ahrendsen, 87, of Mechanicsville, formerly of Olin, passed away Saturday, June 10, 2017, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be held at from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, at Lahey Funeral in Olin with a Masonic service at

7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 15, at Community Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Mayflower Cemetery in Oxford Junction.

Leo was born Nov. 4, 1929, on the family farm in rural Clarence to Arthur and Mathilde (Carstensen) Ahrendsen. He graduated from Wyoming High School in 1947. Leo married Virginia Marie Foy on May 14, 1950, in Cedar Falls. Leo and Virginia farmed west of Wyoming until 1962. They then moved to Clarence and purchased the family farm which is now a century farm. They moved ,to Olin in 1984. Virginia died June 5, 1988. He married JoAnn (Thumma) Pearson on April 3, 1993.

Leo was a member of the Olin Masonic Lodge No. 226. He served the Olin Historical Society and was on the board of Citizens State Bank for 35 years, as chairman for 18 years. He served 18 years on the Clarence Telephone board and 12 years on the Olin School board.

Leo enjoyed playing cards, traveling, bowling, cattle buying trips, reading history and operating the combine. He was an avid Hawkeye and Cubs fan. Leo was a member of Olin Community Methodist Church, where he held various leadership roles.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, JoAnn; five children, Marcia (Warren) Nielsen of Bondurant, Kathy (Larry) Houstman of Tipton, Sandra (Rick) Less of Swisher, Lynn (Shelly) Ahrendsen of Clarence and Alan (Michelle) Ahrendsen of Anamosa; 10 grandchildren, Josh (Liz) Nielsen, Jacob (Carol) Nielsen, Aaryn (Chad) Bennett, Nathan Houstman, Kevin (Elizabeth) Houstman, Zach (Morgan) Less, Jace (Brittany) Ahrendsen, Becca Ahrendsen, Emelie Ahrendsen and Jaden Meyer; seven great-grandchildren, William and Ruth Nielsen, Lydia and Camden Bennett, Ethan and Lucas Houstman and Hudson Less; two expected great-grandchildren; three stepchildren, Cynthia (Larry) Platner, Dennis (Tracy) Pearson and Craig (Dorena Crock) Pearson; nine step-grandchildren; 11 step-great-grandchildren, with two more expected; and two brothers-in-law, Jim Foy and George Foy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Virginia; sister, Janice; and brother, Lyle.

Online memorials may be left for the family at www.laheys.com. Memorials will be distributed at the families discretion.