Edwin Cahail Seitz 1918-2011

CAHAIL, SEITZ, PETTY, CONGDON, ABRISZ, ROGERSON, ROE, WOODYARD, ROGERSON, TUTTLE

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 12/23/2011 at 13:31:12

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa December 14, 2011)

SEITZ, Edwin Cahail (Bud), 93, of Garden Grove, Iowa, died on Thursday, December 8, 2011 in Corydon, Iowa. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 12, 2011 at the Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, with Pastor Dale O'Connell officiating. Burial was in the Garden Grove Cemetery, Garden Grove, Iowa.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa December 14, 2011)

EDWIN CAHAIL "BUD" SEITZ ... Edwin Cahail Seitz, known as Bud, died in Corydon, Iowa on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at the age of 93 years. He was born May 6, 1918, the only child of Harry Edwin and Bessie Eva [Cahail] Seitz in their farm home one and a half miles east of Garden Grove, Iowa.

Bud was baptized into the Methodist Episcopal Church in Garden Grove on December 19, 1920. He attended Garden Grove School graduating in 1934. He enrolled in the University of Iowa that year, majoring in pre-med. After two years funds for college were depleted, so Bud hitchhiked and jumped freight trains to make his way to California where he spent a year working. Bud returned to Iowa in 1938. He married Neva Bernice Petty on November 24, 1938 at Leon, Iowa. Bud and Neva moved to Burlington, Iowa in 1941, where they both worked in the Burlington Ordnance Plant making ammunition for the war. Bud was severely injured in an explosion at the plant that killed several others on December 11, 2941. He eventually lost the sight in his right eye from that explosion. Bud enlisted into the United States Navy on May 22, 1944. He was stationed on the destroyer, USS Henry Trucker, during World War II serving as Radar Man Second Class until the end of the war when he was honorably discharged. Bud returned to farming, renting a farm that bordered his father's farm east of Garden Grove. In 1951, Bud was appointed Postmaster of Garden Grove. He then moved his family to an acreage in Garden Grove where he and Neva raised their four children, Sharon Sue born September 11, 1940, Mary Lou born February 26, 1944, Suzanne Lea born May 26, 1948, and Robert Edwin born October 2, 1950. After serving several years as postmaster, Bud filled a vacant position as rural letter carrier until his retirement on December 26, 1984.

Through the years, Bud served as high school basketball referee, Garden Grove School Board member, and as a Garden Grove City Councilman for 20 years. He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge since 1948. He was Past Master of the Temple Lodge # 170 of Garden Grove. He was a member of the American Legion Post 450 of Garden Grove and a Shriner. Bud also helped with the Boy Scout Troops in Garden Grove and Humeston, and was a past member of the Garden Grove Volunteer Fire Department. Bud enjoyed playing cards, especially Cribbage. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, camping, traveling, and community service. He loved to socialize with family and friends. Bud continued to live at his home in Garden Grove until the spring of 2008, when his health dictated that he needed an assisted living facility, shortly after he moved into Murphy's Place in Corydon, Iowa. On August 11, 2009, Bud was a member of the Iowa Honor Flight. This flight honored WWII veterans by flying them to Washington DC to tour the veteran memorials. In September 2011, Bud moved into the Corydon Care Facility due to the severe limitations in his physical abilities. Although physical strength failed him in later years having lost half of his colon to cancer, both knees to replacements, and a broken hip, his mind remained very sharp. Bud loved Christmas time and always was generous with gifts to the family. He never forgot family birthdays and always tried to make it to all family gatherings. He dearly loved his last dog, Megan. Bud's biggest disappointment in life was not having any siblings. He felt "no one should have to go through life without any brothers or sisters."

Bud was preceded in death by his mother Bessie Congdon, stepfather John Congdon, father Ed Seitz, stepmother Dorothy Seitz, his wife of 62 years, Neva, who died May 24, 2001, an infant son who died at birth on September 15, 1939, and daughter Sharon Abriz Rogerson, who died on November 14, 2008. He is survived by his children, Mary Lou Roe and husband Gerald of Humeston, Iowa, Suzanne Woodyard and husband Steve of Altoona, Iowa, and Robert Seitz and wife Marlene of Shelby, Iowa; son-in-law Joe Rogerson of Pinehurst, Texas; sisters-in-law Mary Tuttle of Promise City, Iowa and Marie Petty of Wyoming; 15 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; six great, great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and many friends.