Utesch, Earl 1923-1997
UTESCH, SPENUS, CALHOON
Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 8/22/2007 at 19:14:09
EARL UTESCH
Earl Utesch, 74, of LeMars, died Thursday, Dec. 11. 1997, at Floyd Valley Hospital in LeMars.
Earl George Lee Utesch was born May 13, 1923, on the family farm southwest of Brunsville, the son of Bert and Lena (Spenus) Utesch. He attended country school in Lincoln Township and later attended Merrill High School.
He served his country in the United States Army during World War II. On Oct. 25, 1945, he married Dorothy Calhoon at St. James Catholic Church in LeMars. Earl and his mother-in-law, Nora Calhoon, operated the Westside Café in LeMars for 12 years. In 1952, he began work with McCormack Distributing Company in LeMars. In 1961 Earl and Vince Engle purchased and continued to operate the business until his retirement in 1978.
Mr. Utesch had also attended Brockelman Auctioneering School in Sioux City in 1948. He worked with Oostenink Auction and Realty in LeMars for several years.
He enjoyed collecting antiques. He was known for his collection of antique cars and tractors and even a 1929 fire engine. He just recently finished restoring a 1954 Pontiac, which was identical to the first new care he and Dorothy purchased. There was seldom a parade in LeMars in which Earl did not have a car entered.
Mr. Utesch had worked many years on the Plymouth County Fair Board to help promote Plymouth County. He was honored by the LeMars Area Chamber of Commerce as Citizen of the Year in 1991.
He was instrumental in establishing Christmas Pioneer Village at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Dan Utesch and his wife, Donna, of Akron, and Terry Utesch and his friend, Mary Reynolds, of LeMars; a daughter and son-in-law, Diana and Dennis Bixenman of LeMars; two sisters, Esther Oetken of LeMars, and Vera Dotson and her husband, Otis, of Germantown, Ohio; a brother and sister-in-law, Harold “Doc” and Marian Utesch of Oyens; seven grandchildren, Scott Bixenman and his wife, Susan, of LeMars, Lisa Peters and her husband, Mike of Crescent, Wesley Reynolds of Ames, Rob Bixenman and his fiancé, Janelle Scholten, of LeMars, Pam Anderson and her husband, Kevin, of Vermillion, S.D., Jamie Bixenman, of Iowa City, and Neal Utesch of Akron; four great-grandchildren, Ashley and Ryan Peters and Elizabeth and Emma Bixenman; several nieces and nephews; and special friends, Howard and Minnie Knudsen of LeMars.
He was preceded in death by a son, Jack in 1957; a granddaughter, Shannon Bixenman in 1971; his parents; three sisters, Evelyn Wilken, Caroline Aldrich and a sister in infancy; and two brothers, Fred and Walter Utesch.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, rural Merrill, with the Rev. Richard Steffen and Rev. Robert Grupp officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Memory Gardens Cemetery, LeMars, with graveside military honors conducted by Wasmer American Legion Post 241 of LeMars. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today (Friday) with the family present from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in LeMars.
Pallbearers will be Scott Bixenman, Neal Utesch, Wesley Reynolds, Mike Peters, and Kevin Anderson.
~source: LeMars Sentinel
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