James Magdefrau 1923 - 2004

MAGDEFRAU, WYSE, KAUFMAN, KAUFFMAN, BEAR

Posted By: A.M.W. (email)
Date: 7/3/2005 at 20:54:04

James Brandt Magdefrau, 80 of Washington, formally of Wayland died Friday, March 19, 2004 at the United Presbyterian Home in Washington.
Funeral Services have been set for 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at the Wayland Mennonite Church with Gerry Klopfenstein and Pam Unruh officiating. Burial will be in the North Hill Cemetery. Visitation will begin at Noon Tuesday at the Beatty Funeral Home in Wayland with a Masonic and Eastern Star Service at 7:00 P.M. following the service family will receive friends till 9:00 P.M. Memorials in the name of James Magdefrau may be designated to the Shiners Hospital Transportation Fund, Hospice of Washington Co. or the United Presbyterian Home.

James was born August 24, 1923 in Wayland, Iowa the son of Albert B. and Leola (Wyse) Magdefrau. He attended school in the Wayland Consolidated School. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Arce Kaufman August 25, 1945 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, later he was united in marriage to Waunita Kauffman August 22, 1964 at the Methodist Church Chapel in Mt. Pleasant.

After school he spent four months in California working at Bowie Pie Co. upon returning to Wayland he worked at Zehr’s Standard. In 1943 he went to Waukegan, IL and worked at Abbott Laboratories and returned to Wayland later that year to manage Zehr’s Standard. In 1944 he leased and operated Jim’s Standard until December of 1945. In 1946 he enrolled at the Cedar Rapids Barber College and after graduation began working for Dutch’s Barber Shop in Jan. of 1947. From 1951 till 1953 he managed Kenny Farrier’s Barber Shop at Brighton while he served in the Korean Conflict. Returning to Wayland he purchased Dutch’s Barber Shop in 1953 and operated it until retiring.

He was a fifty year member of the Wayland Mennonite Church, Adoniram Lodge #120 AF&AM Wayland, Wayland Chapter #491 OES, Cyrus Chapter #13 RAM Washington, Bethlehem Commandary #45 KT Washington, Bethlehem #8 WSJ Iowa City, KAABA Shrine Temple Davenport, Zeredetha Council #21 R&SM Washington, Scottish Rite 32° KCCH Davenport and the Moose Lodge #1003 Mt. Pleasant. He was past president of the Shrine Club of Washington and Louisa County. He was a retired director of the Wayland State Bank, retired member of the Wayland Fire Department and retired board member of Way-Mar Housing Assoc.

Survivors include his daughter Sandra Bear and husband Kenneth of Slinas, CA grandchildren, Todd M. Bear of Los Angeles, CA and Kristin Bear Anderson and husband Jeffrey of Los Angeles, Ca.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Waunita April 19, 1999.