Donald WESSELS

WESSELS, SPURGEON, DORR, BASENER, SCHRAGE, GUTMAN, BRASS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/5/2007 at 23:25:24

BELMOND — Donald Wessels, 61, of Belmond, died Sunday (Aug. 23, 1998) in Dryden, Ontario, Canada, while on a fishing trip. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Belmond, with Pastor Lowell Halvorson officiating. Interment will be in the Amsterdam Cemetery, Goodell. Visitation will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Tenold Funeral Home in Belmond, and one hour prior to services at the church. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy may direct them to the Donald Wessels Memorial Fund.

Donald Wessels was born May 26, 1937, in Avery Township, Hancock County, Iowa, the son of John and Waneta (Spurgeon) Wessels. He attended the Twin Lake Country School and graduated on May 25, 1951. On Oct. 9, 1954, Donald married Marlene Lois Dorr in Mason City, Iowa. He also began working for Mason City Brick and Tile in 1954, and the couple resided in Mason City. After one year, they moved to Nora Springs, Iowa, where Don worked for Borden's Ice Cream. In the Spring of 1957, Don began to work for Lester Muhlenbruck on his farm near Latimer, Iowa. He continued to work there until he started farming on his own. In the Spring of 1961, Don began farming on his own, and he and Marlene moved into their home farm, northwest of Goodell, where he farmed for the next 37 years. Don enjoyed hunting, fishing and trapping. He was a very large, strong man, but had a kind heart and loved to talk and spend time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Marlene Wessels, of Goodell, Iowa; two daughters, Donna Basener and her husband David, of Meservey, Iowa; and Linda Schrage and her husband Steve, of Clarion, Iowa; a son, John Wessels and his wife Tammy, of Kanawha, Iowa; grandchildren, Nicole Gutman and her husband Larry, of Marion, Iowa; Nathan, David Dan, and Danielle Basener, all of Meservey, Iowa; and Katie, Rachal, Cole and Heath Wessels, all of Kanawha, Iowa. Preceding him in death were his parents, Waneta and John; and a stepbrother, Russell Brass.

August 26, 1998
Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette