GEBEL, Donald John "Don"
GEBEL, KOLBET, LUDWIG, SCHOLBROCK, SCHONEMAN, ODONNELL, OPAT-LUDWIG, GROVER, OPAT
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/3/2018 at 22:18:18
Obituary ~ Donald John "Don" Gebel
June 17, 1936 ~ December 15, 2014The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
December 18, 2014MASON CITY -- Donald J. Gebel, 78, of Mason City, died Monday, Dec. 15, 2014, at Mercy Medical Center–North Iowa.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, 2014, at Epiphany Parish St. Joseph Catholic Church, 302 Fifth St. S.E., with the Rev. Kenneth Gehling officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Association. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at St. Joseph Catholic Church with a Knights of Columbus rosary service at 6:30 p.m., followed by a scriptural wake service. Interment will take place in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to the Knights of Columbus Council 1006, 551 S. Taft Ave., Mason City, IA 50401, Epiphany Parish, or the Smile Train (www.smiletrain.org). Online condolences for the family may be expressed at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com.
Donald John Gebel was born June 17, 1936, in New Hampton, Iowa, the son of Louis and Marie (Kolbet) Gebel. He was raised on a farm near Alta Vista, Iowa. As a teenager he earned his Eagle Scout Award. In 1954, he graduated from St. Williams High School in Alta Vista. He continued his education at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa (two years) and Xavier Hospital in Dubuque specializing in X-Ray Technology. He then moved to Mason City where he worked as an X-Ray Tech. for St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. In 1959, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and proudly served his country until his honorable discharge in 1961.
Don was united in marriage to Marcella “Marcy” Ludwig on June 18, 1960, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Lourdes, Iowa. In 1964, Don became employed with Knights of Columbus Insurance, where he worked as an insurance agent for 39 years.
Don enjoyed spending time with his family -- especially his grandchildren and great-granddaughter. He also enjoyed gardening, fishing, traveling, cooking and bird feeding. He was a member of Epiphany Parish St. Joseph Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus (3rd and 4th degree), Moose Lodge, American Legion, Fraternal Insurance Congress (past president) and Life Underwriters. He was also a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, a founding member of the Newman Catholic Foundation in the 1970’s and an active volunteer at Visit Mason City.
Don is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marcy Gebel of Mason City; three children, John Gebel and wife Susan of Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Joe Gebel of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and LuAnn Scholbrock and husband Jim of Lake Mills, Iowa; six grandchildren: Jill Schoneman and husband Kyle of Garner, Iowa, Molly and Dana Gebel of Glen Ellyn, and Paul, Matt and Lauren Scholbrock of Lake Mills; one great-granddaughter, Berkley Schoneman; two brothers, Tom Gebel and wife Marian of New Hampton, and Dan Gebel and wife Dorothy of Clear Lake; one sister, Barbara O’Donnell and husband Jerry of Cresco, Iowa; and three sisters-in-law, Colleen Gebel of Charles City, Iowa, Dolores Opat-Ludwig of Clear Lake, and Jenny Grover of Elma, Iowa. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his father and mother-in-law, Matt and Genevieve Ludwig; one brother, Jim Gebel; and three brothers-in-law, Alphonsus Ludwig, Wesley Opat and Robert Grover.
Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-0924.
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2018
Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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