Francis Albert AINGER

AINGER, DORENKAMP, MASON, GOEMAN, BEHRENDS, DEY, PETERSEN, BENTON, WILCOX

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/4/2007 at 21:14:42

Francis Ainger, 81, of Belmond, died Monday (Feb. 5, 2007) with his family by his side at the Belmond Health Care Center following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9, at the Belmond United Methodist Church with Pastor Mike Druhl officiating. Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Visitation for Francis Ainger will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane S. in Belmond.

Francis Albert, the son of Delbert and Sophia (Dorenkamp) Ainger, was born Jan. 15, 1926, in Belmond. He attended Belmond schools and began working at a young age to help support his family. On Oct. 13, 1946, he married Donna Mason of Clarion. Francis worked many jobs throughout his life. At age 14, he moved to Dows to work on a farm. He then worked at Greenlander's Lumber in Belmond, at General Mills, at Belmond Community Schools, and he retired from ACCO Seed/Cargill in 1986. While working full time, he also farmed northeast of Belmond. Francis was a self-taught carpenter, and in his spare time he built 18 houses in the Belmond area. He was a member of the Belmond United Methodist Church where he served for a time on the board of trustees. In his younger years, Francis enjoyed trapping and hunting. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed family vacations, many fishing trips to Minnesota, fishing his favorite spot along the Iowa River, playing cards, and meeting with the morning coffee group.

He is survived by his wife, Donna; children, John (Marcia) Ainger of Pepperell, Mass., Les (Barb) Ainger of Eagle Grove, Kathleen "Kate" (David) Goeman of Belmond, and Jeff (Jodi) Ainger of Belmond; grandchildren, John and Shawn Ainger, Aubrey (Nathan) Behrends, Anthony Ainger, Chad Goeman, Courtney (Tom) Dey, Ashley (Josh) Petersen, Steven Ainger and Jared Ainger; great-grandchildren, Sarah Ainger, Addyson Ainger, Noah and Amelia Behrends, and Quinton, Kanon and Easton Goeman; brother, Harold (Chie) Ainger, of Belmond; sister, Ruth Benton, of Phoenix, Ariz.; numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents; brother, Raymond; sister, Esther Wilcox; infant sister, Fannie; and a stillborn brother. Dugger Ewing Funeral Home.

Mason City Globe Gazette
2/6/2007