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McMickle, Edsel R.
Edsel R. McMickle, 87, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital from pneumonia. Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Services will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the church. Burial will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, with military and fire department honors. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Edsel Roy McMickle was born Dec. 17, 1925, to John L. and Louie Wymore McMickle in North English, Iowa. Edsel proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Edsel was a career firefighter of 40 years. He was appointed as Cedar Rapids Fire Chief in 1971. He retired in March 1991. He was married to Virginia Brown; they later divorced. He was united in marriage to Barbara Eastland on Jan. 7, 1989, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
Edsel was a member of First Lutheran Church, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Iowa Fire Chiefs Association, Iowa Association of Professional Fire Chiefs and the American Legion. He loved radios, fixing anything, golfing, and following the stock market, but most of all he loved his family.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, Virnette (Bruce) Hamilton of New Milford, Conn., and Allen (Caroline) McMickle of South Fallsburg, N.Y.; brother, Elbert (Phyllis) McMickle of Cedar Rapids; four grandchildren, Elizabeth (Matthew Barrett) Hamilton, Jennifer (Brett Boskiewicz) Hamilton, Jacqueline (Graeme McGinley) Hamilton and Celeste McMickle; and nine great-grandchildren, Fiona, Tess, Una, Harrison, Charles, Bruce, Phineas, Evelyn and Hannah.
Edsel was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and three sisters.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church or St. Luke's In-Hospital Hospice Unit.
A special thank you to the caring staff and volunteers at St. Luke's In-Hospital Hospice Unit.
Please leave an online condolence for the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.
Published April 11, 2013 in The Gazette
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