PAGEL, Bert 1909-1988

PAGEL, OLDENBURG, DOUD, RUHNKE, HENNING, FREDERICK

Posted By: Charm Ruhnke (email)
Date: 8/27/2006 at 20:54:07

Memorial Services Tuesday for Bert Pagel, 79

Memorial service for Bert Pagel, 79, is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10 at the Andrle and Creps Funeral Home in Eldora. Rev Gordon Watson will officiate. Mr. Pagel died on December 31, 1988 at Veterans Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Joe Granzow will be vocalist with Mrs. Harold Kulow as organist. Honorary basket bearers will be James Pagel, Dennis Pagel, Robert Henning, Stanley Granzow, Marvin Granzow and Marlyn McCormick. Interment will be in the Eldora Cemetery with military services provided by the Roll-Harless Post of the VFW and the Walter Sayer Post of the American Legion.

Bert W. Pagel was born January 14, 1909 near Radcliffe, the son of Berthold and Bertha Oldenburg Pagel. He was the youngest of 14 children. His early childhood was spent in West Concord, Minnesota and in 1918 returned to the Eldora vicinity. When only three years old his mother died and Bert was raised by his father and older sisters and brothers. As a young man he owned and operated several businesses in Eldora. In 1942, he was inducted into the U. S. Army and served as a medical corpsman assigned to the 753rd Tank Battalion. He saw action in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Italy and the siege of Monte Casino, Italy. He was honorably discharged in October 1945.

He was married to Gwenlynn Doud in October 1942. When Bert returned from active duty, Bert and Gwen made their home in Eldora. In 1948 they moved to Melbourne to be co-owners of the B & L Grill. In 1949, he joined the firm of Sieg-Marshalltown Company. As a salesman for Sieg's he covered many cities and towns in the central Iowa area. In 1961, the family moved to Marshalltown when Bert was named manager of Sieg-Marshalltown. At the time of his retirement in 1972 due to medical disability, Bert was manager of the Grinnell branch store as was also a sales representative serving central Iowa counties. In 1979, Bert and Gwen moved to their present home in Mesa, Arizona.

He was a charter and life member of the Roll-Harless Post #3974 of the V.F.W., Eldora; life member of the Walter Sayer Post #182 of the American Legion, Eldora; former member of the board of the Methodist Church in Melbourne; active in the Melbourne Community Club; Casa de Sol recreation center, Mesa, Arizona; and other community and church organizations.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Marilyn, from a former marriage; his parents, three sisters in infancy; brothers Frank and Harry; sisters Clara, Grace, Minnie and Alma.

He is survived by his wife Gwenlynn of Mesa' two sons and a daughter, Steven and Sida of Woodbridge, Va., David and Beverly of Des Moines, and Janis of Mesa; four grandchildren, Scot and Stanley of Woodbridge, Va., Jennifer and Kate of Des Moines. Also surviving are a brother Emil of Webster City, and three sisters, Lillie Ruhnke and Anna Henning both of Eldora, and Martha Frederick of West Concord, Mn.