Aschim, Karl E. 1926 - 2018
ASCHIM, BISHOP, BEHRENS
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:38
Karl E. Aschim, age 91, of Decorah, Iowa, died Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah.
Memorial Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 16, 2018 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Dave Sorenson and Rev. Brenda Crossfield officiating. Burial will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah, at a later date, with Full Military Honors by Decorah’s Veterans and Military Organizations, and U.S. Army personnel.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Friday, one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church.
Karl Edgar Aschim was born on March 21, 1926, in Glenwood Township, rural Decorah, Iowa, the son of Hans and Marie (Nelson) Aschim. He was one of ten children. He was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. He attended country school and graduated from Decorah High School in 1945. Karl entered the U.S. Army in November 1945. He went to Airborne School, becoming a paratrooper and eventually an instructor. He was honorably discharged in May 1947. Karl then attended Luther College majoring in business administration, management, and economics, graduating in 1951.
Karl met Carol Carlson in 1950 while visiting his sister Lucy at Drake College in Des Moines. Lucy, her roommate, introduced them and they were married in June of 1952. They were blessed with three children, Kurt, Alison and Karin and married for over 36 years until she passed away from cancer in 1988. Karl married Sylvia Fischer in October of 1989, and enjoyed 28 years of marriage.
Karl held many jobs in his life. His first job was at Standard Oil where he worked as a salesman. He then moved on to Swift & Co. for seven years, managing a team of salesmen that sold ice cream. Carol and Karl turned down a promotion with Swift deciding to move back to Decorah where he worked for his father-in-law with the Fred Carlson Co. Karl eventually chose to work for the New York Life Insurance Company. He enjoyed a career with them for thirty years. He was in the top 1% of salesmen of the company and was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table Insurance Group for 25 years. Karl was very proud of his work at New York Life and liked meeting people.
Karl was very involved in his community. He was President of several organizations, including Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Nordic Fest, Nor-ski Ski Club and Quarterback Club. He was a member of the American Legion, Lions Club, Jaycees, Oneota Golf and Country Club, South Winneshiek Golf Club, and Jackson Heights Golf Club. He was a member of Decorah Lutheran Church.
Karl became a resident of the Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home in April of 2017.
He was preceded death by his parents Hans and Marie Aschim, his first wife Carol on December 9, 1988; four brothers: Albert, Henry, Lester, and Harold; and five sisters: Thelma Dresselhaus, Anna Olson, Palma Zidlicky, Lucille Sacquitne, and Agnes Winger.
Karl is survived by his wife Sylvia; his three children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Kurt (Martha) Aschim of Marinette, WI; their three children: Ellen (Josue) Trelles of Goteborg, Sweden, Annie (Read) McKendree of Westerly, RI and Hans (Amanda Yogendran) Aschim of Brooklyn, NY; grandchildren: Alejandro, Carl Marco, and Stella Trelles of Goteborg, Sweden; Alison (Kent) Bishop of Decorah; their four children: Emily (Kyle) Cokeley, and daughter Caroline of Des Moines, IA, Sara Bishop of Des Moines, Julia Bishop of Decorah and Alex Bishop of Roseville, MN; and Karin Behrens of Big Lake, MN; her two sons Andrew and Tyler Behrens of St. Michael, MN; and by two step-children, Christine Smith (Modie Katz) of El Dorado, CA and Kirk Smith of San Francisco, CA.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to The Decorah Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund, c/o Winneshiek County Community Foundation, 3117 Greenhill Circle, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 (www.winneshiekccf.org), Decorah Viking Athletic Booster Club, (DVABC), P.O. Box 293, Decorah, IA 52101 or the memorial of your choice.
Our heartfelt thanks go to his many friends, the staffs of Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home and WMC Hospice.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Submitted by Martha Aschim
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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