Ardell Louis Persinger 1921-2012

WEBER PERSINGER KERR

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/9/2012 at 11:18:14

Sioux City Journal
July 03, 2012

Ardell Louis Persinger Sr., 91, of Whiting died Sunday, July 1, 2012, at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting.

A celebration of life service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at First Congregational Church, UCC in Whiting, with the Rev. Reva Karstens officiating. Following the service, there will be a military flag presentation by the American Legion Emery Johnson Post 481 of Whiting. Visitation will be 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Root Funeral Home in Onawa, Iowa.

Ardell was born on April 3, 1921, in Hornick, Iowa, the son of Everett and Gertrude (Weber) Persinger. He graduated from Smithland (Iowa) Consolidated School and Iowa State University in 1947 with a B.A. in agricultural education.

His university studies were interrupted in his last semester when he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served during World War II from 1943 to 1946. Ardell was a test pilot in the 10th Air Depot Repair Group in Kastl, Germany. His air depot repaired P-51 Mustang fighter planes that had been damaged in battle, and his role was to fly them to see if they were battle ready.

After finishing his flight training in the U.S., Ardell married Doris Lea Kerr on Dec. 17, 1944, at the Methodist Church in Vineland, N.J.

In 1947, he finished college and the family moved to Whiting, where Ardell taught agriculture to veterans. From 1950 on, he was a crop farmer growing primarily soybeans and corn along with experimental crops of sugar beets. He was known for adopting new and innovative farming methods. From 1956 to 1957, he was a Farmer’s Home Administration assistant county supervisor. In 1964, Ardell was one of six farmers who gathered in Des Moines to organize the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). From 1969 to 1983, Ardell took leave from farming and was an agent and then manager for Farm Bureau Insurance.

Ardell was heavily engaged in building and leading his community. He was a 59-year member of Whiting First Congregational Church, UCC. He served as treasurer, deacon, youth leader, and on many church committees including stewardship, fund raising, and remodeling. He was a Scoutmaster and was involved in many community development projects throughout the years. Ardell was a member of Alpha Gamma Row fraternity, a Mason, and a 65-year American Legion member.

During the war, Ardell loved to fly his P-51K, the Doris Lea. After he retired, he enjoyed farming in his yard with crops of vegetables, hostas, kalanchoes, geraniums, and various other plantings, including an array of trees. He was an avid bird watcher, waterer and feeder. Family was paramount to him, and he loved visiting and telling stories with all family members young and old.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Doris (Kerr) Persinger of Whiting; a daughter and her husband, Dianne and Philip R. Derr of Whiting; a son and his wife, Ardell Louis, Jr. and Mary Tabor of Washington, D.C.; five grandchildren, Christopher Persinger (Jessica) of Lee’s Summit, Mo., Katharyn (Derr) Lang (Ben) of Cohasset, Minn., Philip C. Derr of Addison, Ill., Sarah (Ryan Coyne) Hammerschlag of Chicago, Ill., and Benjamin Hammerschlag of New York City and Adelaide, Australia; five great-grandchildren, Jericho Persinger and Maddison Lorimor of Lee’s Summit, Tanner and Tailor Lang of Cohasset, and Lila Coyne of Chicago; two brothers, Gilbert (Bonnie) Persinger of Smithland, Iowa, and Richard (Nancy) Persinger of Arlington, Texas; two sisters, Macel Schneider of Denison, Iowa, and Irma Jean (Bruce) Wightman of White Bear Lake, Minn.; two sisters-in-law, Jerry Kloever of Bradenton, Fla., and Lois Jacobson (Loren) of Lee’s Summit; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Ival Persinger; a brother-in-law, Jack Kloever; a brother-in-law, John Schneider; a nephew, Randy Schneider; and a niece, Mary Badami.

Memorials may be directed to First Congregational Church, UCC of Whiting or the Whiting Public Library.

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