Frank P. Lown 1917-1993

LOWN, RAUTERHUS, NADEN, FITZGERALD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/20/2011 at 14:37:04

Frank Lown
Estherville – Services for Frank P. Lown, 76, of Estherville, will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Estherville with Father Tom Nash officiating. Burial will be at St. Patrick’s Cemetery at Estherville with full military graveside rites by VFW Post 3388 and American Legion Post 91 of Estherville. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday with a Legion of Mary Rosary at 4 p.m. and a Parish Vigil Service Monday at 7:30 p.m., both at the Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville. He died December 4, 1993 at Holy Family Hospital in Estherville.

He was born April 25, 1917 in Castana, Ia., the son of Frank and Nora (Naden) Lown. He graduated from Castana High School in 1934. He later attended Iowa State University, graduating in 1946. On August 28, 1944, he was united in marriage to Mary Rauterhus in Mapleton, Ia. After graduating from ISU, the couple lived in Fort Dodge where he was the Assistant Extension Director for Webster County. The family moved to Estherville in 1947 and he was the Emmet County Extension Director until 1965. He received the Distinguished Service Award for Agriculture in 1963. He was employed by the Emmet County State Bank where he was a vice-president for Ag-lending until his retirement in 1985.

He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, piloting B-17 bombers in combat over Italy for 50 missions and later served as a flight instructor for the B-52.

He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, VFW Post 3388, the Elks Lodge and was active in scouting. He received the St. George Award in 1964 for outstanding contributions to the spiritual growth of Catholic Boy Scouts.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Lown of Estherville; four sons: Jim Lown, Birmingham, Ala., Don Lown of Milwaukee, Wis., Mike Lown of St. Jo, Texas and John Lown of Sioux Falls, S.D.; three daughters, Janet Buda, Rochester, Minn.; Jean Lown, St. Paul, Minn. and Marybeth Fitzgerald of Sioux Falls, S.D.; 17 grandchildren and one brother, Wendel Lown of Castana.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Robert. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, December 6, 1993)