Warren Gregory HELD

HELD, CROSTON, TAYLOR, OHLSON, BURR, JENSEN, HASEK, HARRIS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/10/2010 at 13:28:57

CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Warren Held, 86, of Cherokee passed away Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, at the Cherokee Villa, Cherokee. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cherokee. The Rev. Magrey R. deVega will officiate. Burial will be at Liberty Cemetery in rural Meriden, Iowa, at a later date. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Greenwood Funeral Home in Cherokee.

Warren Gregory Held, the son of Benjamin and Viola (Croston) Held, was born April 4, 1923, in Hinton, Iowa. Warren, along with his siblings, spent their youth showing cattle and he was active in Plymouth County 4-H. The highlight of his 4-H career was showing the grand champion in showroom at the Chicago International Livestock Show in 1936. He graduated from Hinton High School in 1941, where he was a member of all sports teams. Warren attended Morningside College, where he earned letters in basketball and football. In 1942, he left school to help farm and then served in the military with the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Unit. He returned to Morningside in 1948 to play football for George Allen, who was in his first year as the school's head coach. When a line injury ended his football career, he coached junior varsity basketball at Morningside. He graduated in 1951.

On Sept. 13, 1952, Warren was united in marriage to Sharon Taylor in Goldfield, Iowa. To this union three children were born, Gregory, Holly and Heidi. Following their marriage, Warren began his career in radio broadcasting at KSCJ and later at KICD. The highlight of those years was announcing the Big Bands at the Roof Garden. In 1958, he joined the Ralston Purina Company as a salesman and in 1960, the Lundell Manufacturing Company in Cherokee. In 1982, he opened a short line machine company and traveled to several states. He was a salesman until his illness in 1998. That same year Warren was inducted into the Morningside M Club Hall of Fame. Warren enjoyed life to the fullest, always having a joke or two to share with friends. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Toastmasters, Kiwanis, and Cherokee Community Theatre. He enjoyed being in musicals and loved to sing and act. He was devoted to his large family of seven sisters and two brothers and their families. He also enjoyed attending the many activities of his children and grandchildren and was always proud of them. He loved to visit with people and enjoyed his years at the Villa making many new friends. He will be remembered by many as being Cherokee's Santa Claus for many years.

He is survived by his wife, Sherry Held of Cherokee; one son, Gregory (Diane) Held of Ashville, N.C.; two daughters, Holly (Tim) Ohlson of Meriden, Iowa, and Heidi Held of St. Paul, Minn.; grandchildren, Matt (Tina), Melenie, and Micaela Ohlson, and Ben (Kristy), Courtney (Josh), Rachel, Becca, and Larrisa Held; great-grandchildren, Lexi, Lucas, and Raeonna; sisters, Carol (Richard) Burr of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Joyce Jensen of Indianola, Iowa, Roberta Hasek of Sac City, Iowa, and Darlene (Dale) Harris of Sioux Falls, S.D.; sisters-in-law, Evie Held of Hinton, Iowa, and Charlotte Held of Sioux City; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Robert and Howard Held; and sisters, Emma, Hazel, and Lois.

Sioux City Journal, Iowa
January 9, 2010