Final chapter of YBHA?

The traditional “launch” photo of Amy and her boys.

Tortured readers of the blog have come to expect quarterly updates from the Yeager Boys.

We refer to them as Yeager Boys Home Alone. Again, we are left without, and must fend for ourselves to eat, sleep and stay alive.

This edition comes a little later than the traditional launch of Saturday. Forgive us, we’ve been a little busy playing the distraction game. Amy did depart late Saturday for the Netherlands. But this time, we have some bigger things on the calendar that required experience.

Enter Grandma Honey.

Sunday was a big day at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ankeny. We were installing our new pastor for care and discipleship, Rev. Pam Schroeder. It was also her first Sunday with us on Des Moines Street and we were having an old-fashioned Lutheran potluck. For those of you not familiar, I’m sorry. They are one of the traditional church’s best events.

The call committee was responsible for throwing the party and since I was the chair of the group, I kind of needed to be there. Grandma Honey is no stranger to staying at church for a long time. The Yeager’s and Bergman’s shut down ALC in Jesup many Sunday’s, so this would have to be one of those days. Instead of keeping Johnny and Paul apart, it was Levi and Noah getting the attention.

The boys did pretty darn good at trying new foods, staying quiet and watching a Veggie Tales movie. Thank the Lord for all things on a DVD.

Shortly after putting the leftovers in the freezer, the Yeager’s loaded up and headed to Jefferson for a benefit for Team Ballard. My cousin Laura’s husband, Bob, is going through cancer treatments. The guest of honor was there, greeting people, giving us all hope as he deals with beating the terrible C word.

Grandma Honey with her youngest and oldest grandsons.

Grandma Honey was needed for one more day as Ankeny schools were called off for the day as teachers went through a development day.

After grandma was released from her sentence, the boys and I traveled around down, causing mayhem. So, back to normal.

Amy is on what is likely her last trip to the Netherlands, at least for a few years. She is transitioning into a different job with Uncle John. She’ll stay in the metro, but trips will now be to Germany and California as needed.

These weeks are fun, but as Levi told me more than once this week, “I miss mommy!” When he was a baby, he knew no different. Now he’s aware that mom is gone and the boys are home alone.

We will see what trouble we can cause in the final few days of this adventure.

Genetics are hard to overcome, YBHA returns

Noah, Amy and Levi following a morning reading session.

The picture of a smiling Amy and her two boys can mean only one thing, the “Yeager Boys are Home Alone” or YBHA for the newbies to the blog. If you’re looking for football posts, check back Thursday and Sunday night. That is when I will post the preview and the review of the next game.

Now, back to the family fun. This is the 8th installment of this series. What did we do in YBHAVII?

Momma is in Europe this week.

This time, she was able to delay her departure until Sunday, so that helped make the weekend go a bit smoother for all involved. As I loaded the boys for church, she loaded her vehicle for the airport.

My first adventure involved the diaper bag. Now that Levi is almost 2, the sudden need for diapers isn’t as great as much as the bag is required to carry snacks, drinks and distractions.

I checked the stock before launch and added a sippy cup of juice. I should have checked the lid a little closer. It was screwed on properly, but the removable insert was not flush with the lid and provided a great escape for the contents of the juice. I discovered my situation in the middle of the opening hymn that the cup did not runneth over, but out and into the contents of the bag. A spare t-shirt did most of the work of sopping up the mess, but the diapers remained dry. I’m not sure if they did their job or were just not in the path of the apple drip.

It didn’t matter, Levi wandered the church for most of the service.

We came home, had our naps. Ok, scratch that, Levi had a super nap while Noah played with Lego’s.

Levi and Noah take centerstage in the new Ankeny High School Auditorium.

After having to wake the sleeping wonder named Levi, the boys and I loaded up to go to school. Actually, we toured the new Ankeny High School.

It is quite the spectacle. We’ve watched the school go from dirt to opening as the site is on our way to Noah’s daycare. Now, it is open to the public and incredible. The gym will be a big upgrade over the old one and the auditorium is gorgeous.

Maybe someday I’ll see these two on this stage in front of a few folks.

They had fun touring the school, seeing the big kids’ lockers, classrooms (he recognized the Elmo in one of the room’s as the same from his classroom) and Mr. Poppen’s band room.

Levi, Noah and Maddox playing ball.

As per tradition, we usually invite a cousin over when Mom is away. Cousin Maddox came over for the evening. He’s between Noah and Levi in age. Mad Dog wanted to play some baseball, so we tried to get some tee-ball innings in before supper.

It was an adventure. Just getting a picture of the three ball players was challenging.

Levi is learning to swing, but Maddox is ready for play. He really can hit it. Noah is working on his patience in playing with his cousins. He is getting better at playing with the younger kids. You know, he’s so old now that he’s a kindergartener.

Brian, Mark, Barb, Lynda and Kent provide leadership in photo taking.

But back to the group picture. These three may not have any choice in how they can’t seem to pose together. They all come from the family tree that provides this photo as inspiration.

This picture was taken back in June as my cousin Erik’s wedding to Dana. I asked my father and his siblings to leave the reception hall for an unofficial family photo. Erik’s father, Mark is my dad’s brother. Brian, Barb and Lynda completed the picture.

In their defense, they did pose for a nice photo a few seconds later.

Back to the library

Noah and Levi play at the library's train table.

There’s an old joke in our house about Amy knowing where the library was at Wartburg and Paul only knowing where the library was while giving ambassador tours for the admission’s office.

That is very much the truth.

Those accounting/finance majors knew the library well. Communication Arts students, well, it was on the way to the athletic complex.

During our time in Bettendorf, we were very close to the library there. I would walk over for a few books.

When Noah could walk and get around a bit, we decided it was time to start exposing Noah to the library.

We used to make a journey to the Kirkendall Library for a break in the routine. We would go a lot in the winter to give a chance to get out of the house. Noah really liked playing with the train table. Maybe we would color or actually read a book, but mostly it was the train table.

During Levi‘s first year, we really didn’t go to the library. It wasn’t the place for a baby. But now, we’ll just bring him out to get his chance to play with the trains.

Tonight we made a trek to the library.

Levi was right at home.

He was really loud.

So, if you don’t have a silent trip to the Ankeny Library, chances are, we were the noise pollution. My apologies in advance.

Epic? Close. Season over? Not yet.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling's Amara Darboh celebrates what proved to be the game winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter during their Class 4A State Football semifinal game against Ankeny at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. Dowling came from behind to win 24-21. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

Sometimes, you have just let kids be kids and let them play.
If West Des Moines Dowling Catholic coach Tim Wilson knew that his big play receiver didn’t know the correct formation, he may have burned a time out late in the 4th quarter to make sure everyone was on the same page.

The Maroons were driving to the north end zone Friday night in the Class 4A semi-final against Ankeny. Amarah Darboh lined up on the right side of the formation. QB Connor Bravard saw him out there as the only receiver. Problem is, the Ankeny defense didn’t see Darboh. Bravard hurried to the line to snap the football, but by the time the defensive back got there, he did recover on the ‘out’, but on the ‘up’ route, Darboh dove for the pass and scored the go-ahead and winning touchdown for the Maroons.

KWKY analyst Dave Marcoulier saw that no one was on Darboh and that’s the only place we were looking during that call. We thought that was the way it was drawn up until Darboh spilled the beans to our sideline reporter Brian Morris in the postgame interview.

The Maroons rolled Ankeny 42-0 back on October 1st, but you knew that wouldn’t happen again. Not with Jerry Pezzetti still coaching. Ankeny had a score to settle with the Maroons.

Early on, neither team was scoring, including DCHS. The Maroons marched the opening kickoff down the field, but would have the 15-play drive stall out on a missed 28 yard field goal by Mac Chapman.

The Dowling defense forced a three and out with the Hawks only moving forward 2 yards on three plays. Then another sustained drive would end on 4th and 8 pass to give the Hawks the ball back on their own 28.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Ankeny's Austin Fischer celebrates a 72-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter that gave them a 7-0 lead over Dowling during the Class 4A State Football semifinals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

The Hawks started the drive with a penalty and were in the hole with 3rd and 10 when Joel Lanning found Austin Fischer for the pass and Fischer did the rest sprinting 72 yards for the first points of the game, 7-0 Ankeny to end the 1st Quarter.

The Maroons would punt after 7 plays and all of sudden Maroon fans were wondering if they were re-living the semi-final against Marshalltown a year earlier.

Then the Hawks mounted a 80 yard drive which included a 3rd and 4th down conversion and two big runs by Carter Brandt, capped by Joel Lanning sneaking into the house to put Ankeny up 14-0 with 2:43 left in the 2nd Quarter.

Dowling faithful checked again to if it was 2009.

It is 2010.

Back came the Maroons. Dalton Parrott set the tone for the drive with a 23 yard carry. Connor Bravard also played lights out in this game, he really took command of this team. It looked like Parrott scored a 20 yard TD run, but he slowed up a step at the one and got popped by Matt Andriano, jarring the ball loose and Parrott to the UNI-Dome turf for about 4 minutes.

Connor Bravard would go up the middle on 4th and goal to get the Maroons on the board before half to cut the lead to 14-7.

Mac Chapman would shake the first missed FG with a 42 yarder to pull his team within 4.

Ankeny would miss a FG from 44 yards and the Maroons would take advantage with a 1 yd TD QB sneak by Connor Bravard. Dowling took their first lead of the game at 10:52 in the 4th Quarter. Maroons led 17-14 after the 10 plays, 80 yard drive.

Ankeny wasn’t done as a great play call on a reverse to Greg Raney and the Hawks were back in the lead with 6:35 left.

Big runs by Dalton Parrott got the Maroons to the 14 when Darboh was left uncovered and made another fantastic catch. Parrott topped the 1,000 yard rushing mark with a 17 carry, 128 yard night. Bravard also topped 1,000 yards rushing with his 136 yard game on 23 carries.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Dowling's Tyler Harmeyer, Tommy Miller and Caleb Thomson converge on Ankeny quarterback Joel Lanning in the second quarter during the Class 4A State Football semifinals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

The defense picked off a Lanning pass and converted a 4th and 1 to seal the win, 24-21.

WHO-TV13 reporter Shawn Terrell said in his 10p report this was probably the 2nd best high school football game he’d seen following last year’s Marshalltown game. I’d say this was the second best this season with the win over Valley in overtime.

This game did have a strong intensity on both sides of the ball. There appeared to be a few extra hits and words, but it was two great teams in a heavyweight bout. Following the game the two teams shared locker room space. For Dowling, the players couldn’t celebrate too much in front of the team they just sent to the sidelines.

Little things like that are forgiven when you win. Maybe a few too many plays east and west and not north and south. Just ask Marty Tirrell and John McDermott as the Ankeny fans were calling Marty after the game to complain. Our broadcast spot was 6 seats away and we could clearly hear the Mouth of The Midwest sounding off.

Dowling will return to the title game for the first time since 2001 on Friday against City High of Iowa City. The Little Hawks downed the Bettendorf Bulldogs 21-7.

For a look at more interviews from Dowling, check out the No, It’s Iowa blog by Jesse Gavin. Also, check out Romelle Slaughter’s view on the season on his blog as well. A big thanks to Romelle for his hard work this season in keeping us on the air and sounding good.

Kick off Friday is at 705. We’ll have the game on AM1150 KWKY in Des Moines. I’m Paul Yeager, we’ll see you next time.

Ankeny/Dowling Semi finals ‘live’ blog

Saturday AM Update:
I will tidy this up a bit today and then write the game recap. Great game between Ankeny and Dowling. A few stories to share from the locker room and the press box you’ll want to read about later today. Look for it tonight around 10p. We’re getting ready for another YBHA week. Regular readers of this blog know what that means. You’ve all been warned. -Paul

Thanks to Jesse Gavin of No, It’s Iowa blog and Mike Ferlazzo of the Iowa Sports Connection for joining us at halftime. Here’s Jesse’s post game interviews with Connor Bravard and Dalton Parrott. Then you can do a little study on the Little Hawks.

Greetings from the UNI-Dome. I’ll do what I can to keep this updated during the game. A preview lives here.

We’re only on AM1150 in Des Moines tonight, no Internet streaming is allowed by the IAHSAA.
We’ll have most of the in-game updates on http://www.Twitter.com/KWKYSports

Thanks.

• BTW, 7-7 Bettendorf and City High with 8:56 left in the 3rd Quarter. Great game.
• City High scores two 4th Quarter scores to pull ahead 21-7.
• Final from the UNI-Dome as City High advances to the championship game with a 21-7 win over Bettendorf. The Little Hawks play in the title game next Friday night at 730p at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. I did see KWQC’s Dan Pearson and the former TV6′r, now WQAD sports guy, Kory Kuffler in the house on Friday.
• 72 yard TD pass to Austin Fischer from Joel Lanning, 7-0 Ankeny. :07 1st Quarter.
• 1 yard TD run by Joel Lanning puts Ankeny up 14-0. 2:43 2nd Quarter. that capped a 11 play, 80 yard drive. Big plays a run by Carter Brandt.
• Connor Bravard on 4th and Goal from the one foot line scores to cut the lead in half, 14-7 Ankeny.
• 3rd Q: 42 yard FG by Mac Chapman. 14-10 Ankeny leads with 6:36 left in the 3rd Q.
• Dowling driving, but the 3rd quarter ends. Ball on Ankeny 11 to start the 4th Quarter. 14-10 Ankeny leads.
• 1 yd TD QB sneak by Connor Bravard, Dowling takes lead for the first time tonight at 10:52 in the 4th Quarter. Maroons lead 17-14. 10 plays, 80 yard drive.
• Ankeny counters with the reverse from 9 yards out, Greg Raney scores the TD, Hawks 21 Maroons 17.
• TD pass to Amarah Darboh for 14 yards TD. 5 plays, 64 yard drive for the Maroons. 24-21 Dowling leads. 4:21 left 4th Q.
• Dowling converts on 4th down to seal the game, 24-21. The Maroons back to the state title game for the first time since 2001. They will play City High at 730 in Cedar Falls.

Return trip for unfinished business

The UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Since about 7:15p on November 13th, 2009, underclassmen players of the West Des Moines Dowling Catholic football vowed to be on the same UNI-Dome turf a year later and take that final step to the championship game and win the title.

Gentlemen, your opportunity is here. What will you do with it?

There’s a team sharing the same route to the UNI-Dome from the CIML Central, the Ankeny Hawks.

The same Hawk team in name the Maroons clobbered back on October 1st, 42-0. That game featured a great performance by the Tom Wilson coached bunch.

The Maroons forced 4 turnovers, 2 on special teams and could do no wrong, while the Hawks struggled to move the football gaining only 76 yards rushing and 73 yards passing.

But things are different this time.

Ankeny had a chance to heal key players, fix what went wrong and beating a team for the second time in a season is always tough.

Sure, some of that is coach speak, but much of it true.

Coach Jerry Pezzetti told me earlier this week they know what mistakes they made the first time around. They know they have some holes to fix and they’ve addressed them. There’s also some new players in new positions, but in reality, Ankeny football has gone back to being Ankeny football, which means they are running it the ‘ole Ankeny way, misdirection.

Pezzetti is in his 49th year of coaching with a career record of 349-139-1. He’s won 289 games at Ankeny. Tom Wilson is in his 19th year as a head coach with the last 6 at Dowling Catholic. His career record is 149-51 and 58-11 wearing the Maroon and White.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Ankeny's Joel Lanning tries to elude Urbandale's Jordan Augustine in the first quarter during their Class 4A playoff game at Frerichs Filed in Urbandale Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register

Ankeny running back Rob Myers suffered an injury during the season and the post-season, but he’s back in the starting line up both on offense and defense. He’ll be the first one through with the speedy Carter Brandt right behind, and if those two don’t get the ball, look for QB Joel Lanning to keep the ball. Lanning has been the team’s leading rusher (Johnston 10-68 and Ottumwa 11-53) but had 19 carries against Urbandale with Carter Brandt getting 96 yards on 13 carries.

Also look for more carries by Joe Bredice, another senior pushed into double duty to get the job done.

Justin Hayworth/The Register Ankeny's Carter Brandt slips by Urbandale's Gabriel Moreno for a touchdown during their Class 4A playoff game at Frerichs Filed in Urbandale Friday night. (Justin Hayworth/The Des Moines Register)

One thing that is consistent in the Ankeny offensive scheme since the Dowling drubbing is even number of carries among players. Against Johnston, Lanning had 10 carries, Brandt, Trevor Egli and Jordan Studer all carrying the ball 8 times. Rob Myers was right there with 6 touches.

Coming into the Week 6 matchup, Ankeny ran the ball an average of 41 plays and passed it 12 times a game. Since Dowling, the average dropped to 36 carries and 9.4 passes per contest. Not a big change in offense, just fewer offensive plays.

The Hawks are 4-1 in the game following the Dowling Catholic matchup with a win over Johnston and close loss to Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln before beating Ottumwa (5-4), Waukee (4-6) and Urbandale (5-6) in the road to the Dome. Waukee and Urbandale were 3-6 going into the playoffs.

The Maroons beat Marshalltown (3-6), 7-3 WDM Valley and 9-2 Ames to get back to the campus of the University of Northern Iowa’s sports complex.

If the Hawks win, they’re back in the title game for the first time since being runner-up in 2007. A Dowling win puts the Maroons back in the title game for the first time since 2001 when they completed back to back championships.

Coach Pezzetti told his players this week they have a shot and need to commit fewer errors if they want to win this game. He says his team has a different attitude since that last matchup and know how quickly the game can change.

This time, they hope they are on the side the game that puts them in control.

Our pregame show on AM1150 begins at 6p Friday night. There is no internet streaming of the game, per IAHSAA rules. We will do our best to update drives, scoring and stats on our Twitter feed at http://www.Twitter.com/KWKYSports. Kickoff is set for 730, but we are following the City High (Iowa City) and Bettendorf playoff game. The winners play next Friday in Cedar Falls.

A couple of storylines to follow Friday night: QB Connor Bravard is 98 yards short of 1,000 rushing yards for the season. Dalton Parrott is 55 yards short of 1,000 for the 2010 campaign.

Also, Bravard’s cousin is Ankeny’s big tackle, Cameron Griffith.

For Dave Marcoulier, Brian Morries, Romelle Slaughter and Tim Burrow, I’m Paul Yeager, thanks for reading and listening.

So, we’re at this parade….

Ankeny PD's old-time squad car had to take a break in the Summerfest Parade 2009.

If you like to see error free parades, don’t ask me or my family to attend with you.

Last year at Ankeny’s Summerfest parade, it was the old Ankeny Police squad car that died in front of us. Thanks to the beefy parade goers, the car was quickly pushed off to the side. I think they said the battery was dead or it had overheated.

I guess I should have offered the consulting advice of the ‘show must go on’ mantra this year at the Summerfest Parade. That may have helped what I’m about to tell you.

Ankeny's Summerfest Parade 2010

This year we sat in a different location for the third time in 3 years. We’re still looking for that great place to watch the 2 hour commercial of Ankeny’s great businesses. The groups in this parade really know how to hand out information their business.

One of my favorite floats is the movie theatre that hands out popcorn. MMMMM, popped popcorn.

About an hour in, a pick up truck pulling a boat stopped in front of us. The driver looked frustrated as he shut of the engine and the steam rolled out from under the hood and under the engine.

I first thought he’d overheated. It was pushing the mid-80s by this time already and he wasn’t moving that fast to generate cool air on the engine.

But, the driver just started telling people on his float to get out of the boat and he also told the floats behind him to go around.

So, like a good show, the parade went on.

But our view was blocked. That kind of put the end of our parade experience, which was fine since it was starting to get hot.

Eventually the crew of this float unhooked and pushed the truck out the way and another truck came in to pull the boat.

No need to mention the business, just look at the picture.

At least the float with the stripper pole didn’t get stuck in front of us.

2 Men You Should Know

Two funerals held Saturday honored a pair of men you’ve probably never heard of in your travels. What you missed out on, was the opportunity to know these great men.

The two, not related, other than in my travels, died this week.

Elden Allen Reisetter. Photo from Ankeny Funeral Home.

Elden Reisetter died Maundy Thursday in Des Moines. It marked almost a year since we last saw Elden full-time at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Ankeny. Elden had been a member for 26 years. He participated in Bible study, read scriptures and sang in the choir.

Pastor Rick Biedermann added in an email to the congregation this week, “We give thanks for the promise of new life given to Elden Reisetter.”

Choir is where I got to know Elden. That was fun.

Elden was a tenor. A good one in his day and beyond. A talented musician, Elden taught band for years. This included stops in Dumont, Garner and Johnston. I’m not shy about my Wartburg College degree and somehow Wartburg came up one night and Elden said he went there, too. This came after growing up in Allison.

Elden had perfect pitch and loved to sing. He was a man who loved to sing barbershop. Some of his barbershop friends sang at his funeral.

As tenor section leader Scott Kirstein said today, “Godspeed, Elden. Save us some room in the choir loft.”

The full obituary for Eldon is here. I’ll post the full text below.

Harold "Hoop" Timmons. Image from Coburn Funeral Homes

The second one you may not enjoy unless you enjoy small town life. This is the story about a guy known simply by one name. If you grew up in Prairie City, everyone knew Hoop.

Harold “Hoop” Timmons spent years working at the Prairie City Co-Op. But it was a book that vaulted Hoop from local hero to world-wide literary audience.
Prairie City, Iowa: Three Seasons at Home, By Douglas Bauer gave the world the story of ‘Hoop’ Timmons.

Prairie City, Iowa

Bauer returned home to Prairie City in the 1970s to write a book about where he grew up. Bauer was able to re-connect with a childhood idol, Timmons, writing about Hoop’s job at the Co-Op, his softball playing skills and the legend that was Hoop. You can read some of the book here. The book was published by the University of Iowa Press. The book was re-released in 2008 with a new cover and gave a new generation the story of Prairie City.

I meet Hoop as a kid while visiting my grandfather Harry Wassenaar on the farm my mother grew up on just south of Prairie City. Mom’s brother Gordon Wassenaar still farms that land. It was Gordon who showed me the light of being a St. Louis Cardinal fan. Gordon also is the holder of my Iowa Cubs season tickets. One of Gordon’s seatmates was Hoop’s brother, Gary.

Part of Friday’s game was spent passing around Hoop’s obit to the guys in Section 10. Hoop would occasionally sit with us and it was always fun to bend his ear or hear him talk about his grandkids and their sporting activities.

Hoop’s obit is here.

Harold D. Timmons

Harold D. “Hoop” Timmons, age 82 of Prairie City, died Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie City Church of the Brethren, with burial following at Waveland Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 9, 2010, from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Coburn Funeral Home in Prairie City. The family will greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the John Stoddard Cancer Center or the Prairie City Church of the Brethren and condolences may be left for the family at http://www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.
The son of Gail H. and Myrtle (Dykstra) Timmons, Harold was born on September 14, 1927, in Prairie City. He graduated from Prairie City High School in 1945. Harold served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. On June 23, 1962, he was united in marriage to Virginia Mullins. He worked at the Farmers Coop for over 30 years. Following his retirement, he worked at Prairie Meadows. Harold was a member of the Prairie City Church of the Brethren. He was an avid baseball fan, especially the Cubs, and played on the local softball team in his younger years. Harold also enjoyed dancing and gardening.
Those left to honor his memory, Virginia, his wife of 47 years; a daughter, Diane (Steve) Zimmerman of Topeka, Kansas, sons Dean (Molly) Timmons and Dwight Timmons both of Prairie City; five grandchildren, Angela (Scott) Ludwig, Jared Zimmerman, Amy Zimmerman, Kurtis and Keith Timmons; three great grandchildren, Dominic and Acacia Gering and Adley Ludwig; a brother, Gary (Donna) Timmons of Prairie City and a sister in law, Elvie Timmons of Des Moines. Preceding him in death were his parents, a brother, Max in 2002, a grandson, Kyle in 1992, and a great granddaughter, Adysen in 2008.

Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the John Stoddard Cancer Center or the Prairie City Church of the Brethren

Visitation:
Visitation will be held on Friday, April 9, 2010, from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Coburn Funeral Home in Prairie City. The family will greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Service:
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie City Church of the Brethren

Cemetery:
Waveland Cemetery

And here is Elden’s full obituary.

Elden Allen Reisetter

Elden Allen Reisetter, 79, of Des Moines, passed peacefully at the Veteran’s Administration Living Center on Thursday, April 1st, 2010.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 10th at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 517 Southwest Des Moines Street in Ankeny. Burial will be at the Greenwood Cemetery in rural Ellsworth, IA at 1:30 PM. Visitation will be 6 to 8 PM on Friday, April 9th at Ankeny Funeral Home.
Elden was born in Hampton, IA on March 31, 1931, baptized and confirmed in Allison’s St. James Lutheran Church. He graduated from Allison High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in music from Wartburg College and a Master’s Degree in music from the University of Iowa.
Following his service with the United States Army Band, he taught instrumental music in Iowa’s Dumont, Garner, and Johnston schools.
As an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for 26 years, Elden sang baritone in the choir, participated in bible study and read scriptures at Sunday services. He also donated time with the Gideons of Iowa.
An enthusiastic performer, he was recognized for more than 50 years of entertaining audiences with the River City and Pride of Iowa Barbershop Choruses. He also kept the rhythm alive playing string bass in numerous bands, most recently the Johnston Station Jazz Band.
Constantly in motion, he ran the Iowa Classic Dam to Dam 20k 15 times, finished the Des Moines marathon in 4:19:00 (in pouring rain), achieved a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 72, and followed that with an international pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
When not lacing his running, bowling or golfing shoes, he could be found gracing the parquet of famous dance halls like the Lake Robbins Ballroom. Elden also enjoyed his heritage; tracing both sides of his family tree and frequently attending annual Reisetter reunions.
Although his activities were many, he always offered a hand to those in need – be it an escort to the doctor, a trip to the store or just a friendly chat. His sense of humor, ever present grin and joy of spirit was infectious. He will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he enriched.
A special thank you to those who, in his last months, made his life richer with care and friendship; from all the staff at the VA Hospital and CLC, his friends in faith at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and especially his angelic neighbors.
Elden is preceded in death by his parents Edward and Anna. Those celebrating his memory include his son, Erik (Susan), of Newport, MN, and his daughter, Gretchen, of Golden Valley, MN; their mother, Nancy, of Golden Valley; his sister, Carrie Ann (Reverend Ervin Langholz of Sun City, AZ); his nephews, David (Melissa) Langholz of Walker, MI; John (Karen) Langholz of Bann, Germany; Paul (Laurel) Langholz of Cedar Rapids, IA; and Mark (Lori) Langholz of Grafton, WI; as well as many more relatives and friends.
As a memorial, all flowers will be shared with the veterans and staff of the VA Hospital in Des Moines.