In the late 1960s, he and other community leaders helped jump-start the city's economy by drawing industry to Osceola. He was a founding member and long-time president of the Clarke County Development Corp, the group responsible for lining the city's stretch of Interstate 35 with such businesses as Jimmy Dean Meat Co., Furnas, McLander, and Paul Mueller Co.

Economic development was his passion. He was a co-chairman for Iowa's Golden Circle and toured neighboring states, pitching Iowa to prospective industries. "It all starts with a pay check" or "Even a blind hog gets an acorn once in awhile" were his standard opening lines.

Other involvements included teens as president of the Osceola Chamber of Commerce, the Osceola Rotary Club, the Iowa Turkey Federation, and the South Central Iowa Association of Realtors. He was also a recipient of the Osceola Community Service Award, and served on the legislative committee for the Iowa Association of Realtors.

Eddy's talents to sell Osceola were only matched by his ability to cook. Anyone who visited his house would leave full of biscuits and gravy, injected turkey or a beef tenderloin. He was named Iowa Cookout King in 1961.

When he wasn't cooking, he was giving his children a hard time, throwing ice cubes in their beds or cold water over the shower door. Quality time with Dad usually meant sitting in a duck blind or being pulled behind the speedboat.

Preceding Mr. Saylor in death were his father, Everett, and his brother, Gene. Survivors include his wife, Helen Saylor, of Osceola; daughters Christy Calvin and husband Fred Calvin of Creston, Pamela K. Hartung and husband Jeff Hartung of Des Moines; and Nicki Saylor of Kansas City, Mo.; sons Eddy E. Saylor and Rich Cuevas, both of Des Moines; his mother, Elizabeth Saylor, of Osceola; sister Mary Elaine Parry of Veimillion, S.D.; granddaughters Heidi Calvin, Riki Cuevas, Randi Cuevas; and grandson Kameron Hartung.

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Feb. 24, at the United Methodist Church, Osceola, with the Rev. L. Duane Churchman officiating. Organist Pennie Gonseth accompanied soloist Joy Tokheim as she sang "Memories" and "He Touched Me." Interment was in Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola Kale Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Casket bearers were Fred Wood, Orlin Moran, Bob Gorsuch, Gary Kimes, Lloyd Querrey, Randy Short, Bud Jones, and Ron Reed. Honorary casket bearers were Ken Baker, Bob Toland, Denis Kale, Earl Curtis, Clarence Scholl, Clayton Scott, Clifford Anderson, and Dick Overholzer.

Close friend Dr. Fred Wood who was vice president of that first CCDC Board said, "Saylor has had a hand in just about every major industrial expansion in Osceola. He encouraged Jimmy Dean officials to make a first visit to Osceola as a possible plant site. He was also deeply involved in the location of Furnas Electric to Clarke County, as well as the pending Argosy riverboat gaming complex on West Lake."

Fred remembers when he and Eddy attended the Racing and Gaming Commission meeting in Ames in that regard. The plan was to locate at the south end of the lake and the application was not approved because of the proximity of Burlington Northern tracks. Mr. Bill Grace approached them that day with a plan to locate on the north end, which was approved and the Lakeside Casino came to Osceola. It was an example of the effort expended to improve the area and get jobs for Osceola. "Jobs, jobs, jobs" was what it is all about, in Eddy's mind.

Saylor was elected president of the Iowa Turkey Federation in 1965, and was president of the Osceola Chamber of Commerce in 1978. That same year, Saylor received the Osceola Community Service Award, given to a local resident who has given to the community services above and beyond those related to the recipient's job.

"Eddy was an individual who was warm, who liked everybody," said former Osceola mayor and Iowa Assemblies, Inc. president Lyle Persels, who knew Saylor from high school. "He had extremely strong personal beliefs. He was not a compromiser; he knew what was right, and he was going to devote all his energy to doing what was right," Persels said. "I've never known a person who had his sense of community responsibility," he added.

Economic development aside, Saylor's commitments also included the Osceola Rotary Club and the South Central Iowa Association of Realtors. He served terms as president of both groups. He was also co-chair of Iowa's Golden Circle, and was a member of the Iowa Association of Realtors Legislative Committee.

A friend of the older generation noted Eddy had a lot of regard for people in general. "I am 82 years old, and you wouldn't think a young person would feel I had much to contribute; but he wasn't just considerate; he was interested in what I thought, and what I had to say. I've never known anybody that had more vision of what Osceola could be, and then worked so hard, and with such imagination, to bring it about," she said.

Nancy Siebert, the writer of the magazine, Spirit of Osceola, noted Eddy's promotion of the airport, which was a controversial issue. Eddie saw it as imperative to the growth of Osceola. Clarke County State Bank president, Ken Baker, said, "Eddy has the greatest capacity for living I have ever known. In his mind there was nothing we were incapable of accomplishing."

Few people leave the marks left by Eddy Saylor. There are evidences of his touch throughout the community and even the surrounding area. Shortly after his death, Sally and Frank Morlan had the following editorial in the Thursday, February 27, 1997, Osceola Tribune. It is quoted with a general permission given by Frank, to use whatever might be helpful providing credit was given:

Few communities are as fortunate as Osceola to have someone like E. Eddy Saylor. The countless things he did for the community, and the lives he touched, will be the legacy he leaves.

"Osceola and Clarke County's industrial development is an example of success, not only in Iowa but across the Midwest. Eddy was in the forefront for nearly 30 years, when Osceola changed from a declining rural southern Iowa farm community to a dynamic community with nearly 1,500 industrial jobs.

"No one person has been more responsible for that success story than Eddy. However, he knew that such development could not be the result of one person's effort. It needed everyone's participation. His and his wife Helen's real estate firm was involved in nearly every major industrial relocation. They did it without commission. "I'm just one of the volunteers," Eddy once described his role.

"But he was more than 'just one of the volunteers.' He was the worker, dreamer, and the chance-taker, with the unusual ability to inspire others around him to do the same. The Wall Street Journal once said Osceola's industrial development success was because of all the volunteers who worked so hard for the community and did not care who received the credit.

"A lot of that was because of Eddy. Sometimes he was behind the scenes encouraging and working; other times he was in the front row of groundbreaking ceremonies. In recent years, he realized the mortality of humans. He encouraged younger people to take over the responsibilities. He still helped, of course. Even to the end, he was involved in projects for the benefit of the community.

"He was much more than a community leader. To countless people, he was simply their friend. And he had many, because he could talk to a four-year-old or the Governor of Iowa with equal sincerity. His friends included members of Congress, governors, residents of Fortune 500 companies, kids at the county fair, and the clerk at the lumber yard.

"He was never a politician, but he and Helen hosted fund-raisers and put up yard signs for Republican candidates. Congressman Leonard Boswell, just as much a faithful Democrat, once said that he liked Eddy because of that loyalty. Eddy sold company presidents on Clarke County, then invited them back year after year to go pheasant hunting. He encouraged young people from the football field to the show ring at the county fair.

"While the community mourns its loss, we should not forget the loss Eddy's family is feeling. He was immensely proud of his family. In private conversations with friends, he delighted in telling about their accomplishments. We extend to them our deepest sympathy. -Sally and Frank Morlan

Return to main page for Recipes for Living 2011 by Fern Underwood

Last Revised February 1, 2015