Greedy, David Floyd 1933-2010
GREEDY, NEWTON, LANE, TODD, KNUTSON, MADDUX, SCOTT
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/3/2012 at 12:55:44
David F. Greedy, age 77, of Decorah, IA, died Sunday morning, July 4, 2010 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, MN.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, July 8, 2010 at First United Methodist Church in Decorah with Rev. John Caldwell officiating. Burial will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah with full military honors.
Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Wednesday, July 7 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Thursday one hour before the service at the church.
David Floyd Greedy was born January 24, 1933 in Hamburg, Iowa, the son of Floyd Amer and Clara Marguerite (Newton) Greedy. He grew up on the farm in Sidney, IA with his parents, two brothers, Richard and Delbert and sister Harriette. Dave started listening to opera on the family radio at the early age of 4 and began singing in church at an early age with his mother accompanying him. He graduated from Sidney High School with the class of 1950.
Dave attended Tarkio College in Tarkio, MO. He was drafted into U.S. Army in May 1953 before his senior year. He earned the rank of Private First Class and served with the 50th Ordnance Ammunition Company in Germany. He received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal, and was honorably discharged in April 1955. When he returned, he finished his senior year of college graduating in 1956 with a B.A. in Voice and Music Education.
Dave was united in marriage to Bette Lane on August 26, 1956 in the Chapel at Tarkio College. To this union two daughters were born: Heather and Holly. Dave and Bette moved to Rochester, New York where David attended the Eastman School of Music graduating with an M.M. degree. After graduating, Dave got a job teaching music for grades 1-12 in Story City, IA for two years. Dave and Bette then moved to Spencer, IA for a year, and they moved back to Story City and taught there for four more years. He was encouraged to apply for a teaching position at Luther College by his Pastor in Story City, George Strum. David interviewed with Weston Noble and was offered the job. They moved to Decorah in 1965 where Dave taught vocal music for 43 years. While at Luther he focused on private voice and opera. Dave founded both the Dorian Opera Workshop and the Dorian Opera Theater. Dave retired from teaching in May 1998. He then continued as Professor Emeritus teaching private voice for several more years. Dave loved to teach and loved his students. Dave was an Honorary Director of the Luren Singing Society, having directed that chorus from 1967-1975. He led them on two concert tours of Norway in 1969 and 1972. Several years later Dave returned to sing with the chorus. Dave also directed the senior choir at Decorah Lutheran Church for many years. Dave and Bette are now members of First United Methodist Church.
Dave was also active in the New Minowa Players. He directed and acted in numerous musicals and plays, including: directing the first NMP production in 1975 of Little Mary Sunshine in the barn theatre. He also directed The Sound of Music, starred in Mouse Trap, Snoopy where his was renowned for his dancing abilities on top of the “dog house”. Dave was the director or acting in many productions, too numerous to list. Dave and Bette starred together in two different productions of the musical “I DO, I DO”, one at Luther College and the second for the New Minowa Players. Dave also starred in “The Love of Three Oranges” at The University of Iowa while on Sabbatical from Luther and of course he starred in many productions at Luther College.
Following retirement, Dave loved to go out with his friend Dave Hegg to spray farm barns! Dad said he loved visiting with the farmers and it brought him back to the beginning of his life on the farm. He also loved going out in his ratty old 4x4 Chevy truck much to the consternation and embarrassment of his family.
Dave ADORED his grandchildren and would tell anyone he met about them! He was very excited when Elizabeth decided to go to Luther and was disappointed he wouldn’t be teaching there when she attended. Dad/Grandpa had two special things he would do: The first was he always wanted them to hold his pinky finger whenever walking with him and the second was that when one of his daughters or grandchildren came through the door of the house he would open up his arms, wiggle his fingers and motion for you to come and give him a hug.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Clara Greedy; and his two brothers, Richard and Delbert Greedy.
Dave is survived by his wife Bette; two daughters: Heather Lynn Todd of Lincoln, NE and Holly (Brian) Knutson of Monroe, WI; six grandchildren: Amy (Cory) Maddux, Chris Todd, Zach Todd, Elizabeth Knutson, Hanna Knutson and Madeline Knutson; one sister, Harriette Scott of South Dakota; and two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Greedy of Sidney, IA and Mildred Greedy of Wenatchee, WA.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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