Dugan Robert Ersland (1943-2014)

ERSLAND, HOCKMAN, NERVIG, LYTTLE, SPORRER, MURPHY

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 6/15/2014 at 19:22:18

From Bacon Funeral Home & Crematory obituary, Nevada and Maxwell, Story County, Iowa:

Dugan Robert Ersland, 70, of Ames, Iowa, passed away peacefully from C.O.P.D., Thursday, May 22, 2014, at the Israel Family Hospice House with loving family and friends by his side.

Dugan was born in Ames, Iowa on June 28, 1943, to Lester Sanford and Alice Maxine (Hockman) Ersland. Like both parents, he graduated from Ames High School. He married Doreen Nervig and they had two children, Eric Jon in 1963 and Lisa Michelle in 1965.

Dugan was drafted into the Army and served as an infantryman in Vietnam from 1968-1969. He chose to stay in the Army following Vietnam. He had many rewarding experiences including traveling to every Army base in the world. He became a Drill Instructor and an Airborne Instructor. He lived in Germany, Washington, D.C., California, Colorado and Georgia. When he left the Army, he came back to Iowa to live and work in Nevada. He worked for many years at Almaco and retired from there in 2005 as a Welding Instructor. He valued his time and the people he worked with immensely.
Dugan had many longtime friends and made new friends easily. He had a close group of friends from High School and some from Junior High that maintained close contact and were priceless to him.

Among the many roles he played in his life, his favorite was “Grandpa.” He cherished his grandchildren, Orson, Sean, Aaron, Erica and his “adopted” grandchildren, Megan, Mallory and Mollie.

In the past several years Dugan had the opportunity to live like the song says, “love deeper, speak sweeter, read the Good Book, and take a good, long hard look at what he’d do if he could do it all over again.” One of the things he said he would do, is go to school and become a teacher because he really enjoyed learning and helping others learn. Those who knew him would all agree that he was already one of the greatest teachers they’d ever had.

He will be missed greatly by his family and friends. He leaves behind his brother, Anthony of Fort Worth, Texas; his son, Eric of Williston, North Dakota; his daughter, Lisa Ersland (Jeff Drawbond) of Ames, Iowa; his grandchildren: Orson (Nicki) Lyttle of Mindenhall AFB, Sean (Nicole) Sporrer of Osceola, Wisconsin, Aaron Sporrer of USAFA, Colorado, Erica (Brittney) Sporrer of Ames, Iowa; Megan, Mollie and Mallory Murphy of Ames, Iowa and their mother, Nena. He was only months away from having two great-grandchildren. He will also be missed by his faithful companion, Slater.

Dugan was preceded in death by his father, Lester Sanford Ersland, who died in World War II and is interred at the US Military Cemetery at Florence, Italy; and his mother, Alice Maxine “Mickey” Ersland.

Dugan and his family would like to give many thanks to the amazing people of Homeward Hospice and the Israel Family Hospice House. Especially Marty, Robin, and the “Spice Girls” all of whom helped him in countless ways to enjoy comfort, peace and laughter in the final years, months and days of his life. Please make donations to Homeward Hospice and the Israel Family Hospice House. Also, please stop smoking or help a loved one stop smoking. It takes years out of your life and most important, life out of your years.

According to Dugan’s wishes, he will be cremated at Bacon Funeral Home in Nevada. A Celebration of Life and Memorial Picnic is planned for June 28th at 1 PM at the Home of his daughter at 4790 215th Street in Ames, Iowa. Condolences may be sent to the family at that address.

http://baconfuneralhomes.com/
 

Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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