Juhl, Lester (1924-2012)
JUHL, WILSON, BUHR, EVANS, JENSEN, JOHNSTON, DIDIER, ZLOTKOWSKI, JENSEN, REINHARDT, SCULTZ, DILLEMUTH, GIBBS
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 9/16/2012 at 10:06:51
Lester Juhl
March 27, 1924 - August 25, 2012Storm Lake, Iowa
Lester Duane Juhl, age 88, of Storm Lake, Iowa, died Saturday, August 25, 2012, at his home.
Lester was born on March 27, 1924, in Bremer County, Iowa, to a Danish immigrant, Anker Peterson Juhl, and Olive Mae Wilson Juhl. He grew up on the family farm between Plainfield and Waverly with his two brothers and two sisters. In 1941, he graduated from Waverly High School. Since his illness, all eight surviving WHS classmates have been in touch with him, their class president.
Lester met the love of his life, Norma Buhr, from Sumner, through the 4-H Club. After Les promised Norma’s father that he would change from the Methodist faith to Lutheran, they were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Buck Creek, on July 22, 1945. To this union, three daughters were born, and the Juhl family was often referred to as “Lester and his girls.”
In his early years, Lester was an award winning registered Holstein dairy farmer in Bremer County. A leading pioneer in 4-H and FFA, he was an active agricultural advocate for Farm Bureau.
In 1960, the family moved to Waverly where Les started a career as a Farm Bureau insurance agent. Within a year, he was promoted to Agency Manager of Palo Alto County and moved to Emmetsburg. From 1963-1975, he was the Farm Bureau Agency Manager of Buena Vista County in Storm Lake. Following that assignment, he opened his own independent agency, Juhl Insurance. A broker/real estate agent with Real Estate Specialists, he was recently honored for twenty years of dedicated service.
A leader wherever he lived, Lester could be counted on to volunteer and give generously to worthwhile endeavors. On the original building committee for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, he was a faithful and active member for almost fifty years. Wouldn’t his Lutheran father-in-law have been proud?
His ability to “fix anything” served Les well living in the red house on West 5th, the Juhl home for forty-three years. Always a farmer at heart, he had his produce farm in the alley where he grew vegetables along the fence line. Having decided six years ago, however, that he and Norma should down-size, he astounded her by purchasing their current home, fondly referred to as their growing old ‘Home Sweet Home.’ He also took great pride in caring for his yard and visiting with everyone that went by.
Les was always busy, working, playing, or fixing something. He loved driving to Lytton to visit with his farm insurance customers. The Lake Creek Country Club provided him with the opportunity to play many happy rounds of golf with his friends. He had two holes in one. With his sons-in-law, he went to golf tournaments all over the country including the Masters, the US Open and the Senior PGA. He liked bowling at Clemmies in Alta, and he and Norma loved playing bridge with their many friends. They both loved to travel and took great trips and cruises. Nevertheless, they enjoyed vacations to visit their daughters and their families the most. He always had a list of projects waiting for him that only “Poppa” would know how to do.
In October, Les began his battle with cancer which he fought with non-complaining determination. He continued on with his life with perseverance, taking care of his customers and playing a few hands of cards between radiation treatments. He always assured friends and family he was “just fine.” He never retired.
Les loved his family dearly and cherished all the special family times. By his example, he taught his family the importance of working hard, helping others, and being a loving spouse, good neighbor, and friend.
Family members left to remember him include Norma, his devoted wife of sixty-seven years; three daughters, Jane (Greg) Evans, of Columbia, South Carolina, Patricia (Tom) Jensen, Gold River, California, and Cynthia (Dan) Johnston, of Marble Falls, Texas; eight loving grandchildren, Amy (Keary) Didier, Emily (David) Zlotkowski, David, and Alex Jensen, and Sarah, Patrick, Mark (Katherine), and David Johnston; and five special great-grandchildren, Riley, Regan, and Caden Didier and Laurel and Lydia Zlotkowski.
Also surviving are his brothers, Ralph (Lavon) Juhl, of Waverly, and Arnold (Ruth) Juhl, of Cedar Rapids; his sister, Marjorie Reinhardt, of Waverly; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Helen Scultz, Carol (Patrick) Snyder, and Wilma Buhr, all of Sumner, Stella (Russell) Dillemuth, of Rockwell City, and Marian (Reese) Gibbs, of Marshalltown, as well as many nieces, nephews, and more than a host of friends and customers.
Lester was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, August and Martha Buhr; his sister, Dorothy Whitney; and his brothers-in law, Merwyn Whitney, Bob Reinhardt, and Allen Buhr.
We remember Lester D. Juhl as a man that had a life well lived.
Visitation: 4:00-7:00 p.m., August 29, 2012, at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake, Iowa. Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m., August 30, 2012, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Storm Lake, Iowa. Interment: August 30, 2012, at the Storm Lake Cemetery in Storm Lake, Iowa.
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