WALLBAUM, Ivan George 1912-2003

WALLBAUM, GETTAMEY, SHARP

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/4/2009 at 11:00:46

ROCKFORD, IOWA - Ivan G. Wallbaum, 91, of 105 4th St. NW, Rockford, died early Thursday morning (December 4, 2003) at Mercy Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church, 205 1st Ave. NW in Rockford with the Rev. Kenneth Kent officiating. Interment will take place in Riverside Cemetery, Rockford, with military graveside honors provided by the Walker-Graper Post 338.

The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Fullerton-Schumburg Funeral Home, 302 W. Main St. in Rockford and will continue at the church, one hour prior to the service on Tuesday.

Those wishing to extend memorials or expressions of sympathy may direct them to the Ivan G. Wallbaum Memorial Fund, in the care of his daughter, Joan Wicklund, 2797 N. 2nd St., North St. Paul, Minn 55109.

Ivan George Wallbaum was born June 4, 1912, in Charles City, Floyd county, Iowa, to George F. and Bessie M. (Gettamey) Wallbaum. He was the first child of four children born to his parents and attended and graduated from Rudd High School. During his youth, he assisted his parents on the family farm.

Following high school, Ivan was inducted into the United States Navy and served his country during World War II as a Seabee. After honorably and faithfully serving his country, Ivan was formally discharged from his military duties.

Ivan met his future wife, Merle Sharp at an ice cream social in Marble Rock and the couple married on October 5, 1943, in Rhode Island. Ivan and Merle enjoyed square dancing together, fishing and spending time at Sabre Lake in Minnesota. The couple became the proud parents of three children. Many memories were created while traveling on their family vacations. They visited most of the states in the U.S. and during their travels, Ivan's daughters recall that their father claimed to "never get lost," even though many times they actually knew that he was.

Ivan was a lifelong resident of the Rockford area and was employed for many years as a lead mechanic for Rockford Brick and Tile and also worked for Crowell Body Shop in Rockford.

Ivan took great pride in providing for his family and treasured visits from his daughters. Judy and Joan describe their father as strong-willed, very knowledgeable about many subjects, honest and a man of high integrity. Ivan had a passion for learning all he could about world affairs and geography.

Ivan will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his two daughters, Judy Roberts of Seattle, Wash., and Joan Wicklund and her husband, James of North St. Paul, Minn.; one sister, Lucile Andersen and her husband, Myron of Houston, Texas; and one brother, Willis Wallbaum and his wife Dorthea of Centerville, Ohio. He will also be sadly missed by his five grandchildren, Alan and Angela Roberts and Michael, Heather and Robert Wicklund and his three great-granchildren, Tiffany, Courtney and Brittany Roberts.

Preceding Ivan in death are his wife, Merle in 1971, his son, Alan Wicklund in 1955, his parents, George and Bessie Wallbaum and his sister, Ruth Mars.