James 'Dick' Blodgett

BLODGETT, PHILLIPS, BURTLOW, STALEY, HARTSOCK, DICKESS, VARNELL, MILLS, JOHNSON, NELSON, WHITE, SANDOVAL, BURRESS, COX, MILLER, WHEELER, LESIAK, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, VAN AUKEN, KREBS, SLY, SATTLER

Posted By: Connie Street, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/9/2003 at 17:36:55

James 'Dick' Blodgett

FREDONIA, Iowa - James "Dick" Russell Blodgett, 68, Columbus Junction, died Saturday, Sept. 6, 2003, at Mercy Hospital, Iowa City.

Services are 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Stacy-Lewis Funeral Home, Columbus Junction. The Rev. Donald Bundy will officiate. Pallbearers are Tom Blodgett, Ken Blodgett, Kirk Blodgett, Craig Blodgett, Pat Blodgett, Steve Blodgett and Thad Blodgett. Honorary pallbearers are Josh Phillips, Russell Blodgett, Ronald Blodgett, Sean Burtlow, Tommy Staley, Cody Hartsock, John Burtlow Jr., James Dickess, Austin Varnell, Traven Mills, Marty Johnson, Jim Dickess, Nathaniel Mills, Phil Nelson, Gary White, Jose Sandoval and Lee Burress. Burial will be at the Columbus City Cemetery.

Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the funeral home. A memorial has been established.

Mr. Blodgett was born April 4, 1935, in Wapello, the son of James O. and Allice L. (Cox) Blodgett. He married Carol June Miller April 5, 1952. He later married Rebecca Wheeler July 1, 1989, at Pleasant Grove Community Church, Columbus Junction.

He was employed at the Rath Meat Packing Co., Columbus Junction, for more than 21 years. He was the mayor of Fredonia since 1998. He also worked at Colonial Manor; retired from WalMart after 10 years of service; and farmed for many years. He was a two term past president of the Columbus Junction Lion's Club. He enjoyed square dancing, working with wood, deer hunting and loved his children and grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Rebecca; a son, Bruce Blodgett and wife Lynn of Columbus Junction; eight daughters, Bonnie White and husband Gary of Ainsworth, Jayne Johnson and husband Marty of Wapello, Judy Lesiak of Kansas City, Loretta Burress and husband Lee of Columbus Junction, Ladonna Hartsock of Wapello, Melissa Dickess and husband Jim of Tiffin, April Sandoval and husband Jose and Heather Mills and husband Nathaniel, all of Muscatine; three sisters, Mary Morgan of Morning Sun, Twyla Williams and husband James of Cedar Rapids and Betty Van Auken and husband Jim of Columbus Junction; two sisters-in-law, Catherine Blodgett of Central City, Neb., and Delores Blodgett of Silvis, Ill.; 26 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Charles, Keith and Phillip; a sister, Doris Krebs; and two grandchildren, Lawrence Sly and Louis Sattler Jr.