ESSEN, Darrell J. 1918-2002

ESSEN, SPECHT, BLEEKER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/30/2016 at 21:27:56

Darrell J. Essen, 84, of Grundy Center, died Saturday, Oct. 26, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Oct. 29 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center. Burial followed at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center with full military honors provided by Grundy Center American Legion Post #349 and AMVETS 17.

Darrell was born September 1, 1918 in Marshalltown, the son of Claude and Bertha (Specht) Essen. He was raised in the Cresco area. On March 15, 1939, he was united in marriage to Arlene Rose Bleeker at her mother's house in Grundy Center. They moved to Grundy Center in the 1940s. He was a veteran of WWII serving with the U.S. Army from 1944-1946 being stationed in the Philippine Islands during some of that period. He worked for John Deere in Waterloo and during the 1950s also owned and operated Walter Phillips 66 Station for 7 years. He retired from John Deere in 1979 with 32 years of service. He was a member of Grundy Center American Legion Post #349. Darrell enjoyed spending time hunting and fishing.

Preceding Darrell in death were his parents; brother Kenneth; sisters Wanda Dewey and infant sister Ione Essen; and great-granddaughter Melisa Mathes.

Darrell is survived by his wife of 63 years, Arlene; daughters Judy (Herb) Wilson of Marshalltown, and Janet (Don) Dixon of Cedar Falls; and son Darrell D. "Dean" (Cheryl) Essen of Waterloo; sister Leona Stockdale of Waterloo; nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 31 October 2002, pg 3