John O. Mecklenburg

MECKLENBURG, GOODWIN

Posted By: David L. Skipton (email)
Date: 6/15/2010 at 13:34:05

Source: LCHS

John O. Mecklenburg, 74, of Fort Dodge died September 28 at Trinity Regional Hospital following a lengthy illness.

Survivors include his wife, Marie; son, Maurice Joel, Danville, Calif.; daughter, Mary Goodwin, Bloomington, Ill.; four grandchildren.

John Mecklenburg was born in Morning Sun and attended schools there. He graduated from Burlington Junior College and Iowa State Teacher's College. In 1951 he earned a Master's degree from the University of Iowa.

He served six years in the Air Force, including during World War II. He returned to Iowa and married Marie Boysen in 1946 in Cairo. The couple lived in various Iowa Communities-Wheatland, Washington, Calamus and Louisa County- as he pursued his educational career.

He moved to Fort Dodge in 1957 to serve as the Webster County Superintendent of schools and retired in May 1975 after 18 years of service to the schools.

Under his leadership, classes for the trainable mentally retarded were promoted as one of his chief concerns. He also promoted the establishment of area community colleges throughout the state and was instrumental in development of Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.

Among the many organizations in which he was active, he was the 1970 president of the Iowa Association of County Superintendents and a chairman of the Karl King Scholarship Committee in Fort Dodge. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Fort Dodge and former president of the Salvation Army board.

Services were held October 2 at Gunderson Funeral Home in Fort Dodge with Rev. Carrol Usher officiating.

A private family graveside service for the cremated remains will be held Saturday October 12 in Wapello. Rev. Ed Phillgreen will officiate.

The family will meet with area friends 2 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall of St. Pauls Lutheran Church, for refreshments and visiting.