Lincoln, Wilbur W. 'Abe'

Wilbur W. “Abe” Lincoln, 84, of Hills, died Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, at Hills Atrium Village. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, with burial at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Abe's memory to Iowa City Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at

Abe was born Feb. 16, 1925, in rural Cedar County, Iowa, the son of Lloyd and Eva R. (Terhune) Lincoln. He grew up in the West Branch area, attending schools there. On April 27, 1947, he married Alice Justice. He later married Esther (Drake) Hemsted on Jan. 25, 1990, while wintering in Mission, Texas. For many years Abe worked for the John Nash Wholesale Co. here in Iowa City. In retirement he worked for a number of years at the Northrup Seed Co. in Lone Tree. He had always lived in the Iowa City/Lone Tree area, except when he and Esther wintered in Mission, Texas.

He was a longtime member of the Eagles Lodge, where he was president for a couple of years and where you would find him and Esther in the kitchen cooking for many of its members! He was a man who loved the outdoors, from his garden of vegetables and flowers, hunting, fishing, hunting mushrooms to making some of the best horseradish for family and friends. Abe loved to dance, play cards, and just be with others, never knowing a stranger!

His family includes his wife, Esther; daughters, Carolyn Kling of Quincy, Ill., Susan Lincoln (Keith Smith) of West Branch and Diane Hummel (Dana) of Tiffin; a son, Michael Lincoln (fiancee Michelle Price) of Newark, Mo.; five grandchildren, Matthew Kling, Alison Kling, Charity Nderi (Stan) and Mary Hummel (Amanda Bremberg) and Jacob Hummel (Danielle); five great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Delores Reynolds of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Ronald Hemsted (Evelyn) of Lone Tree; stepgrandchildren, David Hemsted, Karen Hemsted, Julie Reynolds, Marjorie Reynolds, Jeff Reynolds, Emily Hemsted, Jason Hemsted, Jess Runge, John Hemsted (Theresa Clung) and Mike Hemsted (Cassie); 16 stepgreat-grandchildren; and three sisters, Verlene Herman of West Branch, Ilene Frank of Burlington and Donna McIlrath (George) of Sycamore, Ill.

Abe was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Lloyd; sister, Lela; grandson, Mark Kling; son-in-law, Miran Kling; and stepson, Richard Hemsted.

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