Hurbert W. "Herb" Randels (2013)
RANDELS, SEXTON, CARSON, ROTH, OLIVIER, DAHM
Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 8/23/2013 at 23:02:36
Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
August 20, 2013Hubert W. "Herb" Randels, Altoona
Hubert W. Randels passed away on August 17, 2013 at Taylor House in Des Moines. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, August 22, 2013 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 600 6th Avenue in Des Moines, with his interment being held at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday at Hamilton's Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th Street SW in Altoona.
Herb, as he was known to his friends, was born October 13, 1929 in New London, Iowa. He was the middle son of the Rev. Ivo G. Randels and Flo Aleta Randels, both deceased. His first wife, Doris, passed away in 1997 after 45 plus years of marriage. He is survived by his present wife and best friend, Marge Sexton-Randels; his two brothers, Wendell (Phyllis) and Paul (Marilyn) Randels; two children, John Randels and Linda (Craig) Carson; three grandchildren, Zachary Roth, Joshua Roth and Cheyenne Randels; six stepchildren, Lori Olivier, Charles Sexton, Brett Sexton, Mark Sexton, Sheryl Dahm and Craig Sexton, as well as their children and grandchildren.
His father was a minister in the Christian Church and the family moved several times in his early years, living in Truro, Iowa; Lenox, Iowa; Harrison, Arkansas; Marshall, Arkansas; Engelwood, Colorado; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Des Moines, Iowa; and graduating from high school in Oakland, Iowa.
He was active in sports in high school, lettering in football, basketball and baseball. His love of sports followed him all the days of his life. He was an avid Hawkeye fan.
For many years he managed and played fast pitch softball sponsored by his local union, CWA 7102, and also managed a little league baseball team in the Fairgrounds Little League. He went to work as a lineman for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1950. A year later, he went off to war in the Korean Conflict in the United States Air Force.
His brothers and father served their country in several wars as well. His father served in World War I in France and W.W.II in Italy as a chaplain. His younger brother was a Navy Doctor, serving two tours in Vietnam, and his older brother, Wendell, served in the Navy in the Pacific in W.W.II and was recalled in the Korean War. His family was duty-bound to serve their country.
Herb's career took a different path in the early '60s, when he was elected president of CWA 7102, the Union that represented Northwestern Bell Telephone employees in Des Moines and the surrounding areas. He served as local president until promoted to International Representative with the International Union in 1972, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1992.
He served his fellow man in many capacities as a representative of his union. He was a past member of the following organizations: Polk County Health Planning Council, Goodwill Industries Board of Directors, United Way of Greater Des Moines Board of Directors, Chairman of Industrial Relations Research Association, 1st Vice President of Blue Shield Board of Directors, board member of Polk County Federation of Labor - AFL-CIO, board member of Iowa Employment Security Commission, Telco Credit Union Board of Directors, 9-year board member and past president of Saydel School District Board of Directors, O.S.H.A. Commissioner appointed by Gov. Robert Ray and reappointed by Gov. Branstad, member of American Legion Post #682, Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, active member and elder of St. John's Lutheran Church, and active in local and national politics serving as a co-chairman in one of Tom Miller's campaign for Iowa Attorney General, County Chairman for Robert Fulton's campaign for Governor, was a delegate to the Democratic Party National Convention in 1972 and was active in local city and county politics for many years.
At the end of the day it was safe to say he served and loved his God, community, state and country. The motto he strived to live by was a line from a Robert Frost poem, "For I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep." This line was framed and hung on his office wall. Needless to say, he led a very active life until his retirement.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, Saydel Athletic Boosters or the American Lung Association in loving memory of Herb. Condolences for the family may be offered online at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com .
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