LENTH, Edison A. 1917-2004

LENTH, SCHOCH, HOCHHAUS, MARSTON, REITAN, NELSON, KOHLER, MONLUX

Posted By: D Cunningham (email)
Date: 3/9/2020 at 10:51:48

Edison A. Lenth, 87, of Waukon, passed away Tuesday, January 27, 2004, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, January 31 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, with Rev. Richard N. Eick officiating. Burial with military graveside rites was in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon was in charge of arrangements.

Edison Arthur Lenth was born January 24, 1917, in Elkader, Iowa the son of George and Ella (Schoch) Lenth. Both of his parents died before Ed was three years old, and he was raised by his aunt, Louise Schoch, and his aunt and uncle, Rose and William Monlux, on a farm near Gunder in Clayton County, Iowa. He graduated from Elkader High School and Elkader Junior College.

On September 10, 1940, he married Dorothee Hochhaus, also of Elkader. In 1944 Ed joined the US Navy and served in the Pacific for two years during World War II, spending much of the time as a radarman on the USS LSM217. During this time Dorothee stayed home and operated a beauty parlor and cared for their two young children. Ed and Dorothee sucessfully ran a dairy farm south of Waukon from 1947 to 1959, after which they built and managed the local bowling alley in Waukon. Following that, Ed was a rural mail carrier and worked for many years as a laboratory technician at the Waukon Coop Creamery. In his later years he worked as a groundskeeper at the Waukon Golf and Country Club.

His lifelong passions were centered around the outdoors and sports activities. In his younger days he was an avid baseball player, was skilled at pool and billiards, and he had a special knack for pitching horseshoes, which ultimately led to his interest in and success at bowling. Ed was a champion bowler (Iowa State Match Game champion in both 1947 and 1948) and was later elected to the Iowa Bowling Hall of Fame. Hunting, trapping, and fishing were also very high on his list of interests, and he had many, many fond memories of special times with his hunting and fishing friends. He also enjoyed golfing and playing cards.

Ed was a very dedicated gardener, and his large vegetable garden was his pride and joy for many years. He loved to grow produce - for his own use, for his family's use, and in many cases, to give away to someone in need. Sweet corn and potatoes were his specialties. Only in the past year or two did failing health force him to cut back dramatically on his garden acreage.

He was a long-time, active member of Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, where he formerly served on the council and as a regular usher.

He is survived by daughter Dianne Marston of Westford, Mass., and Carol (Ron) Reitan of Stillwater, Minn.; sons Edward (Mary) Lenth of Lake Elmo, Minn., and Larry (Karen) Lenth of Waterloo, Iowa.; eight grandchildren, Andrea Nelson, Gretchen Marston, Laura Lenth, Lindsay Lenth, Nicole Reitan, Nicholas Lenth, Brittany Lenth, and Amber Kohler; and two great-grandchildren, Jillian and Jackson Nelson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife Dorothee who died in 1985; and a brother, Lawrence Lenth.

Honorary casketbearers were Charles and Donald Bahr. Casketbearers were Don Angel, Don Haler, Randy Nordheim, Gordon Hansmeier, Wayne Martin, and Walt Wedo.