Josiah R. Updegraff (2011)

UPDEGRAFF, CRAMPTON, COULON, GEE, MCBROOM, ROBINSON, HERNANDEZ, PFANNEBECKER, STEFFEN

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 2/10/2011 at 20:56:07

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
February 10, 2011

Josiah R. Updegraff, Truro, Iowa

Josiah R. Updegraff, "Joe" age 67, of Truro, Iowa, formerly of Sigourney, passed away Friday, February 4, 2011, in Yellville, Arkansas. Joe was born December 23, 1943, in Iowa City, Iowa, to Curtis and Viola (Crampton) Updegraff.

He graduated from Sigourney High School and served in the National Guard. Joe married Gretchen Coulon in 1968 in What Cheer, Iowa. In 1976, he married Jennifer Gee in Newton County, Arkansas. Joe then married Neta McBroom in 1996 in Nashua, Iowa. He lived in Iowa and Arkansas most of his life, working all over the country as a stonemason and sculptor. As a master mason his abilities included architectural and sculptural carving, wet and dry masonry, cutting, installation and fabrication. He worked with internationally-renowned environmental sculptor Andy Goldsworthy on several projects, including Three Cairns at the Des Moines Art Center, Stone River at Stanford University and River at The Aspen Institute in Colorado. Joe also did many restoration and residential projects throughout the U.S. He was a member of the Indiana Stone Carvers Symposium and the NWSSA. Joe loved the outdoors, canoeing, riding bikes and all of nature.

Survivors include his wife: Neta Updegraff of Des Moines; five children: Josiah A. Updegraff of Oskaloosa, Mary Elizabeth (Mike) Robinson of Webster, WI, Madeleine (David) Hernandez of Albuquerque, NM, Noah (Jaime) Updegraff of Fayetteville, AR and Hans Updegraff of Eldora, CO; six grandchildren and one on the way; four brothers: John (Nell) of Independence, KS, Ambrose (Ramona) of Redington Beach, FL, James of Arvada, CO and Curtis (Mary) of Solon; four sisters: Dolores (Kenneth) Pfannebecker of Sigourney, Rosalind Updegraff of Cedar Falls, Mary (Roger) Steffen of Guernsey and Rebecca (John) Updegraff of Whitefish Bay, WI; several nieces and nephews, many friends, and his beloved dog, Toby. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters: Rachel and Hannah, and brothers: Nathan and David.

Funeral 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 11, 2011, at Powell Funeral Home in Sigourney. Burial at Pleasant Grove Cemetery. Visitation 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, February 10 at the funeral home, where the family will be present from 4 to 7 p.m. A memorial fund has been established for the family. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

Transcriber's Note: Josiah R. Updegraff made the arch marking the entryway to Monumental Park in Winterset, and he made the limestone tribute marking the original location of the home of pioneers Caleb and Ruth Clark at 704 S. 8th Avenue in Winterset, Iowa, in October, 2009.