Jack William HARDCASTLE

HARDCASTLE, CHRISTENSEN, ABBOTT, PETERSEN, ABBOTT-PETERSEN, SIEBENGA, MATTHES

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/28/2009 at 10:26:52

June 28, 2009
Fort Dodge Messenger, Iowa

Jack William Hardcastle, 69, of Fort Dodge, Ia., died Saturday morning, June 27, 2009 in Rochester, Minn., from complications of surgery. He was born Dec. 28, 1939, the son of John and Clara Hardcastle in Alta Vista, Ia. He attended school in Eagle Grove, Ia., and graduated in 1957 from high school. He attended junior college in Eagle Grove and majored in recreation and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1962.

Funeral services will be 1:30 PM Tuesday at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge with Rev. John Sersland officiating. Burial will be in the St. Olaf Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Monday at the Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge.

Jack was united in marriage with Shirley Ann Christensen on Feb. 11, 1962 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove, Ia. Jack and Shirley started their married life in Green Bay, Wis., where he was a recreation supervisor. They moved to Detroit where Jack was also a recreation Supervisor. He pursued his Masters degree at Wayne State University in Detroit. In 1967, they moved to Fort Dodge, Ia., where he was City Recreation Director from 1967-74 and was instrumental in the creation of the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sport Complex. Jack also worked for Hogan's Sporting Goods, Sport-a-Foot, Webster Health Care and Brown Supply. Jack was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge where he was very active in the church. He was involved in St. Olaf Oles, poetry club, council and was a Sunday school teacher, council and usher. He volunteered at Care Age in Fort Dodge reading poetry and doing activities with the residents. He also volunteered at the Prince of Peace Preschool in Fort Dodge where he sang, read and did activities with the children. Jack had many hobbies, including watching the Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball teams and the Minnesota Twins. His very favorite activity was attending all of the grandchildren's sporting activities: Nathan's baseball and basketball games, Molly's softball and basketball games, Kirsten's swim meets, Aaron's baseball and basketball games and Emily's soccer games. Other hobbies were fishing, woodworking, writing and reciting poetry, and being a good friend to all. When younger, Jack loved to make fishing trips up to the Boundary Waters with his cousins and friends. He had a great zest for life and loved to tell jokes.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley of Fort Dodge, sister, Barbara Abbott-Petersen of Forest City, Ia., two daughters, Debbie (Mark) Siebenga of Cedar Rapids, Jill (Marc) Matthes of Fort Dodge, one son, Kirk Hardcastle of Mason City, five grandchildren Kirsten Siebenga, Nathan and Molly Matthes and Aaron and Emily Hardcastle and several cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Clara Hardcastle. Memorials will be left to the discretion of the family.