Galen Rex Freel (2013)
FREEL, BIETZELL, JOHNSON, LONG, BIRCHMIER, OWEN, HEROLD
Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 6/15/2013 at 22:22:26
Des Moines Register Des Moines, Iowa
June 15, 2013Galen Rex Freel, Ankeny Formerly of Elkhart
Galen Rex Freel passed away June 13, 2013, at the age of 92 at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Galen was born October 9, 1920, in Pleasantville, Iowa, to Rex and Mary (Beitzell) Freel.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 17, 2013, at Elkhart Christian Church, with burial to follow at Hopeville cemetery. A visitation will be held Sunday evening, June 16, from 5 to 7 p.m., also at the church.
Galen graduated from Pleasantville High School in 1939 and served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. He was honored to be able to go on the WWII Honor Flight to Washington, DC in November, 2009.
Galen and his wife, Bonnie, were married June 8, 1947, and were married 65 years until Bonnie's death March 20, 2013. They lived in Truro and Pleasantville before moving to Elkhart in 1954. In January, Galen and Bonnie moved from their home in Elkhart to Vintage Hills at Prairie Trail Retirement Community in Ankeny.
During his lifetime, Galen was a mechanic, telephone lineman, and then worked as a machinist in Experimental at John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny for 25½ years. He retired from John Deere in 1982.
Galen was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge and was a long-time member of Elkhart Christian Church.
Survivors include daughter Marva (Allen) Johnson; grandchildren Marci (Mark) Long, Marti (Mark) Birchmier, Robert Owen, Jeffrey (Lisa) Owen; step-granddaughters Teresa (Steve) Herold and Tracey (Rick) Johnson, and 15 great grandchildren. Galen is also survived by his brother, Daryl (Delores) Freel of Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
Memorials may be made to Elkhart Christian Church.
Online at www.memorialservicesofiowa.com
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