BIRDSELL, Leon Todd --- 1909-1965

TODD, BIRDSELL, MEYER, SMITHLING, MOON, CASE, RIDGWAY

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 7/30/2012 at 15:26:38

Leon Birdsell Dies Suddenly

Leon Todd Birdsell, 56, died Thursday night, Aug. 5, at 8:45 p.m. at the Postville hospital where he was taken at about 7:30 p.m. when he was stricken with a heart attack at his home.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon, Aug. 9, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran church with Rev. R. E. Langholz officiating.

The body lay in state at the church from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the services. A Masonic service was held at the Schultz Funeral home Sunday evening, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Burial was in the City cemetery.

Mr. Birdsell was born a son of Roy and Mae (Todd) Birdsell April 9, 1909 at Ossian. His parents died when he was about 4 years old, after which he was cared for by his grandmother, Mrs. Rachel Birdsell.

He received his education in the Frankville schools.

He was baptized July 3, 1921. In April of 1939 he was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. Paul Lutheran church in Postville.

He was married to Vella Meyer, June 22, 1933. They lived in Postville for a time, where Mr. Birdsell was a rural mail carrier and later worked in a clothing store.

In 1939 they moved to Monona, where he operated a clothing store for 18 years and later a restaurant. He also worked as a clerk in the Monona Post office, and at the time of his death was a bookkeeper at Drahn Implement Co.

He served Monona as mayor for 2 terms and was a member of the board of education for a like number of terms. He was also a member of the Kiwanis club and the Masonic lodge. He had been a member of St. Paul Ev. Lutheran church in Monona since 1939.

Preceding him in death were his parents, one sister, Mrs. Inez Smithling, and one brother, Leslie.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Keith (Mary) Moon of Rochester, Minn.; a son-in-law, Keith Moon; 2 sisters, Mrs. Lee (Esther) Case of Estherville and Mrs. Herb (Bessie) Ridgway of Dayton; and 2 grandchildren, Jeffery and Troy Moon.

Music at the services was provided by congregational singing. Mrs. George Heins was the organist.

Honorary pallbearers were John A. Lenth, Fred Wiedenmann, Erwin Drahn, Gaylord Oelke Sr., Ed Doerring, and Glen Crain.

Active casket bearers were Edward Cordes, Farley Henkes, Roger Fuelling, Stanton Sawvell, Ivon J. Schultz, Everett Drahn, Gilbert Rose and Harold Moon.

Postville, Iowa newspaper of the time clipping, hand dated 1965, from Dorothy Schave's obituary collection.