Rehder, Merlyn 1931-2010

REHDER, LANGE, DEAN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/30/2010 at 09:19:35

Rehder, Merlyn
Home Town: Hawarden, Iowa
Deceased Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Service: Friday, June 25, 2010
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Address: American Lutheran Church
1417 12th Street
Hawarden, Iowa

Obituary: Hawarden, Iowa, Merlyn Rehder, 78, of Hawarden, died Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at the Hawarden Community Hospital after being diagnosed with cancer only eleven days before.
Funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at the American Lutheran Church in Hawarden with Rev. Tom Van Engen and Rev. Lyndon Ruyter officiating. Burial will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery with military rites by the American Legion and VFW of Hawarden. Visitation will begin at noon Thursday, with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. followed by visitation with the family until 8:30 p.m. at the American Lutheran Church. Porter Funeral Home of Hawarden is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com.
Merlyn Albert Rehder was born August 22, 1931, in Sioux County, Iowa, northeast of Hawarden, the son of Albert and Frieda (Lange) Rehder. Merlyn was baptized and confirmed at Peace Lutheran Church, rural Sioux Center. Having accepted Jesus as his Savior, Merlyn experienced the hope and faith through the message of salvation promised in God's Word and by Jesus's death on the cross and His resurrection. He attended country school through eighth grade and Hawarden High School, graduating with the class of 49ers.
Merlyn worked on the family farm before and after being drafted by the U. S. Army in 1953 and released from active duty in 1955. He was a 1960 graduate of South Dakota State University with a major in agronomy-crops and continued graduate study in ag economics. While in college he was active in student government, College Young Republi
cans, and Lutheran Student Association. Through the years, he continued to keep the LSA group interacting through calls and gatherings.
Merlyn returned to Hawarden in 1964 and started with sales in investments and insurance. He was united in marriage to Phyllis Dean on July 12, 1969, at Humboldt, Iowa. Together they had one daughter, Teresa Deann. His passion was organic farming. His sharp memory recalled many historical facts and past weather conditions. Merlyn's community activities include being a charter member of Hawarden Kiwanis. He consistently received the Distinguished Secretary Award and served as Division 3 Lt. Governor one year in 1990. He was active in the Hawarden American Lutheran Church and served on church council. For more than forty years he was the Hawarden Republican Precinct Chairman and served as Sioux County Republican Chairman in the 1970's.
Surviving are Phyllis, his wife of forty years; daughter, Teresa and her husband Ken Roeloffs and their children, Joshua and Hannah of Lincoln, Nebraska; two brothers, George (Shirley) and Orville (Carol) all of Hawarden; two sisters, Diana Oldenkamp (Bob) of Hawarden and Rima Hartman (Ron) of Sioux City; uncle, Emil Lange (Jo) of Rock Valley; aunt, Elsie Lohman of Rock Rapids; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Merlyn was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Frieda Rehder; and sister-in-law, Mary Rehder.
Source: Porter Funeral Home obit.