Lettow, Elmer John William (1916-1999)

LETTOW, RUNGE, PICKERING, WYKLE, TYSTAHL, KRAUSE, RUBENDALL, KINNEY, BUSSERT, STENSLAND, BRINKMEYER

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Friday, November 19, 1999

Elmer John William Lettow, 83, Alden, died Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999 at his home. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Alden with Rev. Royce Rinehart officiating. Burial will be in the Buckeye Cemetery, Buckeye. Friends may call at the Surls Funeral Home in Alden from 3-8 p.m. Friday with the family present from 6:30-8 p.m.

Elmer John William Lettow, son of Otto and Anna Runge Lettow, was born April 20, 1916. He was educated in the Hardin County Rural Schools No. 7 and No. 9 in Buckeye Township. He graduated from Buckeye High School in 1935. He worked as a farm hand until his marriage to Mabel Pickering on Dec. 18, 1940 at Buckeye. The couple farmed in the Buckeye area for 47 years until Mrs. Lettow died in 1988. He continued to farm until 1996.

He was active in church and community activities. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Alden and served as financial secretary, trustee and on the board of education in St. Paul's Lutheran at Alden and Buckeye. He served as secretary and treasurer of the Buckeye Rural School Board and was president of the Hardin County Farmers Union. He was also active in the Democratic Party.

Survivors are his sons and daughters-in-law, Steve and Ona Mae Lettow, Buckeye, Mark and Linda Lettow of Roland, daughters and sons-in-law, Jane and Lowell Wykle, Radcliffe, Joan and Ron Tystahl of Radcliffe, Jeanette Krause of Radcliffe and Elizabeth and Don Rubendall of Alden; 13 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, sisters Arlene Kinney, Leona Bussert and Marjorie Stensland, and 13 nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents, wife, brothers Gustav, Marvin and Everett, sisters Luella and Vera (Patty) Brinkmeyer, son-in-law, Dennis Krause and grandson, Justin (JD) Krause.