Elmer Gene VAN OSTEN

VAN OSTEN, WAGNER, ODONNELL, RUEHLOW, STOWELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/24/2011 at 13:54:14

March 10, 1930 --- January 6, 2011

MASON CITY, IA - Elmer G. "Pete" Van Osten, 80, of Mason City, passed away suddenly on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011, at the Heritage Care and Rehab Center in Mason City. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, with the Rev. Sid Bohls of St. Paul Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City where military honors will be conducted by members of the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association. The family requests that casual attire be worn. Visitation will be held Monday evening from 5 until 7 p.m. at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, with a Moose Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Elmer G. "Pete" Van Osten Memorial Fund.

Elmer Gene Van Osten was born on March 10, 1930, in rural Meservey to Harm and Anna (Wagner) Van Osten. As a boy he attended rural country schools until the eighth grade when he began to help his father on the family's farm. On September 12, 1951, Elmer was inducted into the United States Army where he honorably and faithfully served his country during the Korean War until his honorable discharge on September 11, 1953. In 1954 Elmer met and fell in love with his soul mate, Phyllis Ann O'Donnell, when they were set up on a blind date. The couple was married in August of 1954 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mason City and they enjoyed 45 years of marriage together until she passed away in 2000. For over 30 years Elmer devoted his workday to Lehigh Cement Company in Mason City where he was a heavy equipment operator and dynamite blaster. He retired from his position in 1992. Even in his retirement, Elmer still remained a handy man, able to fix almost anything that was broken. Although Elmer moved away from the family farm, his heart never left. His love for farming could be seen in the vegetable gardens that he planted yearly, until he was no longer able to do so. Elmer also enjoyed trout fishing and camping. He and Phyllis would travel all around Iowa and the surrounding states camping from site to site. Elmer always carried with him a great love for the outdoors. In his later years, Elmer enjoyed bird watching and loved being around his cat, Cuddles. Elmer had an outgoing nature and was always the first to make friends amongst a new group of people. He was an avid Minnesota Twins baseball fan and was known by his family for enjoying an occasional Bloody Mary. He was a member of the American Legion in Rockwell as well as a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose in Mason City.

Those grateful in sharing in Elmer's life are his children, Barb (Bill) Ruehlow, Mason City, Susan Van Osten, Mason City, and David (Lorna) Van Osten, Mason City; grandchildren, James (Krista) Ruehlow, Mark Ruehlow, Dylan Van Osten, and Sarah Van Osten; a great grandchild, Matthew Ruehlow; sister, Arlene (Russell) Stowell, Swaledale; his cat, Cuddles; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relative and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Phyllis in 2000; and son Robert Van Osten in 1998. Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. N.E., Mason City.

Mason City Globe Gazette -- Iowa
January 9, 2011