Tentinger, Gordon 1924-2004

TENTINGER, HOSS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 11/2/2006 at 14:56:40

Gordon Tentinger, 79, of Le Mars, died Monday, Jan. 19, 2004, at his residence.

Gordon Francis Tentinger was born Aug. 4, 1924, in Le Mars, the son of R.J. and Anna (Hoss) Tentinger. He attended St. Joseph's Catholic School, graduating in 1942. He later attended Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., until he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on April 14, 1943. Gordon was later transferred to the infantry where he served overseas in the European Theater and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He received his honorable discharge on Nov. 14, 1945. He returned to Le Mars following the service.

On June 24, 1948, Gordon and Maureen Rose Haag were united in marriage at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton.

Gordon attended Western Union (Westmar) College in Le Mars for two years before he received his degree from the University of Iowa in business administration and accounting in 1949. The couple returned to Le Mars where Gordon began working with his father at Tentinger Insurance, Tax and Business Accounting and Farm Management.

He was an active member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and served on many boards and committees. He was also active with Gehlen Catholic Schools and its administration and served on the Calvary Cemetery Board. Gordon was a Plymouth County Justice of the Peace, served as mayor of Le Mars and director of Plymouth County Veterans' Affairs. He was a member of the World War II Last Man's Club and served as past commander of the Wasmer Post #241 of the American Legion. He enjoyed golfing and the family's lake home at Spirit Lake.

Survivors include his wife, Maureen of Le Mars; eight children: Susan Kalmbach and her husband, Charles and their children Theodore, Abigail, Nicholas and Andrew of Princeton, N.J., Jane Schmidt and her husband, Thomas, and their children Karen (Joshua) Hurrell, Phillip and Erik of Jacksonville, Fla., Lee Gruber and her husband, Richard, and their children Alexander and Lauren of Janesville, Wis., Kurt Tentinger and his wife, Lesli, and their children Rachel and Katharine of Bellaire, Texas, Michael Tentinger of Le Mars, A.J. Tentinger and his wife, Janelle, and their children Emily and Megan of Le Mars, David Tentinger and his wife, Lisa, and their children Tyler, Scott and Zachary of LaGrange, Ill., and Amy Faber and her husband, Thomas, and their children Noah and Tatum of Sydney, Australia.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother Wallace R. Tentinger.

Mass of Christian Burial will take be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. Andrew Hoffman officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home of Le Mars. A rosary service will be at 4 p.m. with a Scriptural prayer service at 7 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary at 8 p.m.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons.

Memorials may be directed to Gehlen Catholic Schools Endowment Fund.