MIELKE, Russell E. 1914-1995

MIELKE

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 11/25/2004 at 20:45:59

Russell E. Mielke, 81, of 1503 Third Ave. S., Northwood, died Saturday (Aug. 5, 1995) at Good Shepherd Health Center, Mason City. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at First Lutheran Church in Northwood. The Rev. Mark Bents and the Rev. Debi Hankins will officiate. Burial will be in the South Shellrock Cemetery, rural Northwood. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. today at Conner Colonial Chapel in Northwood. The family suggests that memorials be made in his name.

Russell was born Jan. 31, 1914, on the family farm in Grove Township, rural Northwood. He was the son of William Mielke and Bertha (nee) Buth Mielke. He attended Grove No. 4 Township School. He was baptized at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Myrtle, Minn., and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church, Northwood.

He was united in marriage with Opal Flatness on June 8, 1937, at First Lutheran Church, Northwood. The couple lived on the family farm until 1972, when they moved into Northwood. He was employed at Mason City Sugar Beet and Carroll George, Inc. in Northwood, and was a Northwood taxi driver from 1983-92.

Russell was a member of the Grove Township No. 4 School Board, Zion Lutheran Church Council and the Lutheran Retirement Home board. He also was active with the Men's Lutheran Brotherhood, Northwood Creamery Board and Worth County Farm Bureau. Russell was honored with Northwood's Outstanding Citizenship Award in 1984. He was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Northwood.

He is survived by his wife, Opal Mielke, of Northwood; a son, Duane Mielke and his wife, Jan, of Northwood; four daughters, Elaine Shepherd and her husband, Frank (Dick), of Des Moines, Ruth Anderl and her husband, Richard, of Norristown, Pa., Marilyn Nagle and her husband, John, of Northwood, and Lydia and Reid T. Elmer of Albert Lea, Minn.; a brother, George Mielke of Northwood; a niece, Donna (Hove) Bach and her husband, Gene, of West Dundee, Ill.; nine grandchildren,

Karen Shepherd, Cindy Shepherd, Chris Mielke and his wife, Patti, Jessica Mielke, Carrie Anderl, John M. Nagle, Michael Elmer, Sara Jo Elmer and Samantha Elmer; and two great-grandchildren, James Allen Shepherd and Shaun Richard Shepherd.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Clarice Hove; a nephew, David Hove; and a grandson, James Shepherd.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, 8/08/1995