ODE, Lester Raymond 1929-2000

NELSON, ODE, LOVEN, BROWN

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 9/1/2010 at 13:43:55

Decorah Journal, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000

Lester Ode

Lester Raymond Ode, 71, of Decorah died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000, at Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services were held Friday, Oct 27 at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church.

Burial was at Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery with full military rites by Helof-Holm V.F.W. Post No. 1977, Bernatz-Symonds American Legion Post No. 163 and D.A.V. Hamre-Gjesen Chapter No. 8.

Music was provided by Rev. Marion Miller on organ and Karen McClintock on flute. Congregational hymns included "Beautiful Savior," "On Eaglets Wings" and "Amazing Grace."

Lester Ode was born January 4, 1929 in Springfield Township, Winneshiek County, to Paul and Clara (Nelson) Ode. He was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church.

A 1948 graduate of Decorah High School, he served in the United States Army from 1951-53.

On April 30, 1955, he was united in marriage to Evelyn Loven at Zion Lutheran Church in Waterloo.

He worked at Rath Packing Company in Waterloo, then was a trucker in Decorah until he owned and operated Ode's Skelly Service Station and Wrecker Service in Decorah for 20 years. He worked in the office of New Concepts Pre-Mix in Decorah, then drove trucks for McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing in Dodge Center, Minn.

He was a member of First Lutheran Church, where he served as a trustee.

He helped form the Northeast Iowa Racing Association in 1964, and was a volunteer in the Decorah Fire Department, where he served as an
officer, retiring in Jan. 1985 after 27 years and 9 months of service. He also was a bus driver for the Decorah School District.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn, of Decorah; one son, Jeff (Candy) Ode, of Decorah; and one daughter, Debra Ode, of Coon Rapids, Minn.; two grandchildren, Jeremy and Bridget; one brother, Walter (Marvel) Ode, of Lanesboro, Minn.; and several nieces and nephews.

Lester Raymond Ode was preceded in death by his parents; one infant son, Randall Paul; one sister, Elsie Brown; and three brothers, Gus, Rudy and Hank Ode.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.