Louie Jurgen Gehlsen

Louie Gehlsen

Visitation

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

After 4:00 PM

Ohde Funeral Home, Manning

Funeral Services

Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 11:00 AM

Zion Lutheran Church

Manning, Iowa

Officiating

Reverend Patrick R. Sparling

Music

Just As I Am Without One Plea?

 Amazing Grace?

What A Friend We Have In Jesus?

Congregation

How Great Thou Art?

Pastor Tim Schoepf, Soloist

Fern Jensen, Organist

Casket Bearers

Brett Gehlsen     Troy Gehlsen     Shawn Gehlsen

Loni Meier     Laurie Meier     Lisa Meier    

Ethan Deas     Ben Deas

Honorary Casket Bearer

Keith Lueders

Interment

Manning Cemetery

Manning, Iowa

   Louie Jurgen, son of Peter Dietrich and Pauline Amanda (Jahn) Gehlsen, was born February 13, 1923, on the family farm in Hayes Township, Crawford County, Iowa.

   Louie attended Westside Consolidated School and helped on his parents and many neighbors farms.

   On December 30, 1948, Louie was united in marriage with LaVonne Anna Marie Genzen with Rev. J. M. Ansorge presiding. The next year in June of 1949, Louie was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning.  Two daugthers were born to this union. The family lived and farmed on the Henry Frahm and August Rohwer farms. Louies German upbringing made him a hard worker and good farmer.  He sold prime beef and built the first livestock trailer in the area with a hydraulic lift.  He enjoyed inventing.

   Louie was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Manning.  He served on the ASCS committee for 20 years and as a Hayes Township Trustee for 30 years.  For 40 years, he was a member of the Hayes Township Cemetery board.  In 1939 Louie became a member of the Hayes Township Schuetzen Verein where he was active as a trustee and flag carrier for many years.

   In his spare time Louie enjoyed many years of polka dancing including ten years with the Lake View Polka Dots.  He enjoyed traveling, fishing and all nature.  He was especially happy enjoying the achievements of his grandchildren and entertaining them on the farm.

   Louie and LaVonne retired to Manning in 1999. He enjoyed his retirement, filling his time with his hobbies of woodworking, gardening and visiting with relatives and friends.

   Louie died Saturday, May 26, 2007, at Manning Regional Healthcare Center of complications from an aneurism suffered earlier that day. He was 84 years, 3 months and 13 days of age.

   Preceding Louie in death are his parents; two sisters and their husbands Florence Sanders (Hugo) and Melvina Meyer (Edward); two brothers Raymond Gehlsen and Leonard Gehlsen and two brothers-in-law Larry Hanson and Henry Stoffers.

   Louie is survived by his wife LaVonne Gehlsen of Manning; two daughters Lanice Lou Lani? Gehlsen Schoepf (Pastor Tim) of Waverly and Lou Ann Faith Deas of Omaha, NE;  five grandchildren: Loni Meier; Laurie Meier; Lisa Meier; Ethan Deas (Lana); and Ben Deas; great-grandchild Ciaran Deas; two brothers Reynold Gehlsen and wife Roseann of Denison and Ralph Gehlsen of Westside; three sisters: Blondina Stoffers of Carroll; Judy Joens (Lyle) of Manning and Sandra Hanson of Manilla; sister-in-law Lorraine Gehlsen of Ogden; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.