Edward J. Engstrom

 

Edward J. Engstrom, 92, of Kanawha passed away Thursday, March 3, 2011, at the Kanawha Community Home in Kanawha.

Funeral services for Edward Engstrom will be Saturday, March 5, at 2:00 pm at the Kanawha Lutheran Church with Pastor Geoffrey White officiating.  Burial will be at Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 4, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Ewing Funeral Home in Kanawha and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Edward Justus Engstrom was born on March 25, 1918 in Kanawha, Iowa to Elmer and Cora (Heckerson) Engstrom.  He graduated from Kanawha High School in 1935 and from Iowa State University in 1939 with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy.

After graduation, Ed served in the Army 84th Cavalry in the European Theatre during World War II and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain in 1945.

On January 30, 1943, Ed was united in marriage to Bessie J. Nelson in Roland, Iowa.  The couple made their home on a farm southwest of Kanawha.  To this marriage, three children were born.  The couple continued to farm until Ed’s retirement at the age of 78, and they continued to live on the farm until November 2010.

Ed served on the boards of several farm organizations, including the Iowa Farm Authority, Farm Bureau, Experimental Farm, the Farmer’s Co-op, and served on the board of the REC, Kanawha School Board, and Kanawha Lutheran Church Board.  He also was named an Iowa Master Farmer by Wallace’s Farmer.

Ed was a lifelong member of Kanawha Lutheran Church, and served as president, treasurer, delegate, and as a Sunday school teacher for several years.

Ed’s hobbies included golfing, fishing, and traveling with his family.  Ed and Bessie visited 49 states and 6 continents.  He also took a great interest in the lives of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ed is survived by his wife of 68 years, Bessie Engstrom of Kanawha; daughter Mary Beth (John) Smith of Elk River, Minnesota; son John Engstrom of West Des Moines; daughter Sarah (Don) Abbas of Worthing, South Dakota; grandchildren David (Tracy) Smith, Mark (Kelly) Smith, Julie (Andrew) Larson, Matthew Abbas, and Stephanie Abbas; seven great-grandchildren; one sister Maurine Enge of Green Valley, Arizona.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Paul Engstrom.