BACKHAUS, Harry F. 1915-2007

BACKHAUS

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 11/25/2007 at 16:30:40

Harry Frederick Backhaus, 92, of 801 Ninth St. N., Apt. 31, Northwood, Iowa, died Nov. 16, 2007 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, Iowa.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Bethel United Methodist Church in Manly, Iowa. Burial was in the Manly Cemetery.

Harry Frederick Backhaus was born on Jan. 30, 1915, on a farm four miles west of Manly, the son of John and Anna (Mueller) Backhaus, the fifth child of five.

Harry was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church in Manly. He attended and received his education in rural Danville Township school system. After attending school he worked on the family farm and took over the operation of it in 1939.

Harry was united in marriage to Ruth Craig on Aug. 12, 1940, at St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church, Manly, by the Rev. Paul Wuebben. After their marriage, they together farmed and lived on the same farm Harry was born on. They were blessed with three children, Glen (deceased), Roger and Donna Mae.

In January 1979, they moved into their newly built home in Manly. He continued to help his son, Roger, on the farm for several years. He formerly served on the Manly Cooperative Elevator Board, on the church council, and as president of St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church.

In March 2003, Harry and Ruth sold their home in Manly and moved to Maple Court Apartments in Northwood.

Harry was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Manly.

He loved his life as a farmer and was proud when the farm became a century farm in 1990. He enjoyed the outdoors, rides in the country, watching old westerns on TV, and visiting with neighbors. He and Ruth enjoyed many motor coach tours together. His main love was his family and spending time with them.

Left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 67 years, Ruth Backhaus of Northwood; son, Roger Backhaus and his wife, Donna, of Manly, Donna Mae Tyrrell and her husband, O’Brien, of Northwood; four grandchildren, Connie Moretz and her husband, Paul, of Manly, Craig Backhaus and his wife, Lisa, of Clear Lake, Timothy Dellit and his wife, Jacqueline Vuky, of Seattle, Wash., and Kristen Tyrrell and her fiancé, Mike Bambrick, of Austin, Minn.; seven great-grandchildren, Paige, McKenna and Carter Backhaus, Matthew Moretz, Emilie, Anna and Elisabeth Dellit; three stepgrandchildren, Natalie, Andrea and Stefani Moretz. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Mildred Backhaus and Dorothy Schulte, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

An infant son, Glen Alan; his parents; three brothers, Arno, Alto and Harlan Backhaus; a sister, Laura Meyer; sisters-in-law, Velma Backhaus and Alma Backhaus; and two brothers-in-law, Albert Meyer and Truman Schulte, preceded him in death.

Reference: Mason City Globe Gazette, Nov. 18, 2007