Rudolph Alva HEFTE 1909-2000

HEFTE, KAMBO, LEMKE, MIDDLETON, WILKERSON, MCKNIGHT, HOWELL, FOX, HANSON, NERHUS, WOOGE, MITCHELL

Posted By: Bobbie Knudsen (email)
Date: 1/29/2009 at 19:28:17

Mason City Globe-Gazette
March 7, 2000, Tuesday

RUDOLPH A. HEFTE

BRITT-Rudolph A. Hefte, 91, of Britt, passed away Sunday (March 5, 2000) at the Westview Care Center in Britt.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Ewing Funeral Chapel in Britt, with Mr. Glen Bandel officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery, with military graveside services conducted by the V.F.W. and The Britt American Legion Post.

Rudolph Alva Hefte was born on a farm near Goodell on Feb. 20, 1909, the son of Austin A. and Johannah (Kambo) Hefte. He attended rural schools, graduating from the 8th grade at Orthel #2. Since he was one of the older of 10 children, his parents needed his help on the farm so they promised him a car when he was 21 if he would stay at home and help. Later he and his dad built a school bus and he started driving what was probably the first motorized school bus route in the county. Listening to his student passengers and his siblings talk about school activities, he realized he was missing out on an education, so in 1931 he enrolled in the Crystal Lake High School using the proceeds from his school bus route to pay tuition, as he was over 21 years of age. His graduating class of 1935 honored him by electing him class president and he also was awarded a citizenship medal. He went on to attend Britt Junior College, graduating in 1937.

On Aug. 27, 1941, Rudy was united in marriage to Marjorie Lemke, of Klemme. Except for the three years he served in the Medical Detachment of the United States Army Air Force, mostly spent in Amarillo, Texas, they have lived their 58 years together in Britt.

For 35 years he owned and operated his own service station. This was back in the days when gasoline was six gallons for $1 and service meant you washed the windshield, checked the oil and radiator, checked the air in the tires and filled the gas tank for every customer. He will always be especially remembered by his customers for his honesty and fairness to all.

He was also a substitute rural mail carrier for 32 years, becoming a full-time carrier in 1975. After his retirement in 1979, and before suffering a stroke in 1996, he became an ardent golfer and an avid fisherman. His greatest delight was sharing his bait, his equipment and his knowledge of "how to catch the big ones" with anyone willing to fish beside him. He also especially enjoyed the fellowship of his brothers in Protection Lodge #611 I.O.O.F.

The devotion of his family and grandchildren was very special to him. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; two daughters, Marlys Hefte, of Des Moines and Rosemary Middleton, of Belmond; one son, Dorance and his wife, Connie, of Dows; five grandchildren, Victoria Wilkerson and her husband, Lee, of Arvada, Colo., Richard Middleton and his wife, Sue, of Lakewood, Colo., Kimberly McKnight and her husband, Scott, of Davenport, Meghan Howell and her husband, Chad, also of Davenport and Andrew Hefte, of Dows; three great-grandsons, Nikolas McKnight and Tyler and Alexander Howell; three sisters, Adelaid Fox, of Britt, Irene Hanson, of Lincoln, Neb. and Tudy Nerhus, of Windom, Minn.; and two brothers, Kenneth Hefte of Marionville, Mo. and Vern Hefte of Mesa, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Johannes, Arnold and Calvin; and two sisters, Grace Wooge and Hazel Mitchell.