Floyd A. Pace (2011)

PACE, MITCHELL, SORBE

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 9/19/2011 at 22:39:19

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
September 16, 2011

Floyd A. Pace, Alta

Floyd A Pace, age 86, of Alta, passed away on Monday, September 12, 2011 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center of Storm Lake. A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Aurelia with the Rev. Bruce L Rapp officiating. Burial will be at the Woodlawn Cemetery of Alta with military rites conducted by the VFW Post #6172 of Alta. A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 6 to 8 p.m. with a Masonic Service at 8 p.m. at the Nicklas D Jensen Funeral Home of Alta. The Nicklas D Jensen Funeral Home of Alta is in charge of arrangements.

Floyd was born to George and Maude Pace on April 19th, 1925 in Zion, Iowa, Floyd was one of 6 boys in the farming family. Floyd graduated from North High School in Des Moines in 1942. He enlisted in the Coast Guard and served as a radioman in the Aleutian Islands.

On May 26, 1944, he married Betty Maxine Mitchell and together they had two children, Michael Dennis and Kathleen Marie. Floyd was graduated from Drake University in Des Moines with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He received his Master's degree and Ph.D. in Education from Iowa State University in Ames.

Floyd began his teaching career in Surprise, Nebraska, where he acted as Principal, Superintendent, Coach, and taught all the junior high and high school classes. And he drove the school bus.

In 1952, Floyd moved his family to Winterset, Iowa, where he taught English, Spanish and American Literature. After five years, they moved to Norwalk, Iowa, and Floyd taught French and Spanish at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines.

In 1962, he taught romance languages at Iowa State University, and coordinated new language laboratories. It was at ISU that he published a Spanish textbook.

His last stop in the field of education began in 1969 at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he chaired the Humanities Department and taught French and Spanish. One of his proudest accomplishments was co-founding the Gingerbread House, a non-profit daycare center, which at the time was the largest childcare center of its kind in Iowa. Floyd loved singing French and Spanish songs for the children with his guitar.

Some of his fondest memories were of trips Betty and he made together. They toured the US, Peru, Mexico, Canada and China. He loved reading, music, learning, teaching, the underdog and, most of all, his family.

Floyd was a long-time member of the Kiwanis, the Masons, the First Congregational Church, along with language clubs for students, and for some thirty years acted as lay pastor for many small churches throughout Northwest Iowa.

Floyd is survived by his wife of 67 years Betty; his son Michael (Gail), their son Nick (Roxanne) and children Sienna and Adison; daughter Kathleen Sorbe (Mark) and their children Tim (Kari) and their children John and Peter, Mike, Nick (Calli) and Adam. Also surviving are: twin brother Lloyd and wife Arlene, older brother Paul and wife Lota, and younger brother Cecil and wife Donna and their children and grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the Dr. Floyd A. Pace scholarship fund for aspiring students of modern languages attending Buena Vista University. Please send to 902 Lakeshore Dr., Storm Lake, Iowa 50588.

Gravestone Photo
 

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