Earl Thelander
ONAWA, Iowa -- Earl Thelander, 80, of Onawa passed away Saturday,
Sept. 1, 2007, at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha from burns sustained
earlier in the week from a propane explosion at one of his rental
properties.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at First Christian Church in
Onawa. Graveside services will be at a later date. Visitation will
be 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a celebration of life service at 7
p.m., at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.
Earl was born May 9, 1927, in Arcadia, Neb., the son of Henry and
Amanda (Gestrine) Thelander. He grew up in Polk, Neb. He graduated
in Stromsburg, Neb., in 1944. After graduation, he went into the U.S.
Coast Guard. After his discharge, he began farming and farmed for
several years.
On Feb. 3, 1950, he married Berniece Obrist and to this union six
children were born. They lived and farmed in the Osceola area until
he began working for Mamco Manufacturing Company in Stromsburg. He
later transferred to Honeggars Manufacturing Company in Onawa. After
they closed, he went to work for Onawa Propane and in 1967, started
his own business, Thelander's Plumbing and Heating in Onawa. He was
blessed to have his entire family involved in the business.
On Dec. 30, 1982, he married Hope Ewing in Onawa. They lived in Onawa,
where he enjoyed doing yard work, gardening, watching the birds and
squirrels on his back deck and his "coffee time." The couple owned and operated Thelander's Softener Service and Thelander's
Rentals. They owned the Monona Hotel and the Park Hotel and many other
rental properties over the years.
He was a member of First Christian Church of Onawa and helped with
Boy Scouts, when his sons were younger. He enjoyed spending time with
his family and was also loved by the entire community. He will be
greatly missed by everyone.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Hope Thelander of Onawa; six
children, Doug Thelander of Castana, Iowa, Byron (Sharon) Thelander
of Onawa, Vicki (Otis) Gray of Onawa, Cindy (Doug) Miller of Sioux
City, Gaylen (Ruthie) Thelander of Madera, Calif., and Brad Thelander
of Sergeant Bluff; five stepchildren, Kim (Jon) Berens, Jody (Dennis
Ryan) Ewing, Lori (Steve) Mathes, Kysa Ewing and Brett (Deb) Ewing,
all of Onawa; 22 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; four sisters,
Betty (Clarence) Nielsen of Stromsburg, Neb., Darlene Gordon of York,
Neb., Jean Twarling of Sidney, Neb., and Wanda (DeLano) Ahlquist of
Loveland, Colo.; three brothers, Doyle (Gina) Thelander of Lincoln,
Neb., Darwin (Sarah) Thelander of Peel, Ark., and Dean (Ginger) Thelander
of Harrison, Ark.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Bobby Gray; his
father-in-law, Raymond Archer; a sister-in-law, June Ooten; and three
brothers-in-law, Hal Gordon, Glenn Twarling and Dan VanWinkel.
