IN MEMORY Wallis (Wally) Tonsfeldt

SERVICE Grace Lutheran Church Spirit Lake, Iowa Tuesday, May 25, 2004 10:30 AM
CLERGYMAN Rev. David Bergstrom
MUSIC Beverly Bergquist, Organist
David and Lori Tonsfeldt, Duet
I Believe, The Lord's Prayer, Congregation: On Eagles Wings, Precious Lord, Take My Hand
PALLBEARERS Chris Mercer, David Tonsfeldt, John Mercer, Denis Tonsfeldt, Paul Mercer, Jason Tonsfeldt, Jared Kent-Rath, Steve Tonsfeldt
INTERMENT Lakeview Gardens Spirit Lake, Iowa

Every blade
In the field
Every leaf
In the forest
Lays down
Its life
In it's season
As beautifully
As it was taken up.
Thoreau

Memorials will be given to Dickinson County Trails Association and Grace Lutheran Church.

Wallis Tonsfeldt
Wally was born November 10, 1927, to August and Mabel (Cook) Tonsfeldt in LeMars, Iowa. He grew up on a farm near Remsen, Iowa and attended country school nearby. In 1945 Wally graduated from LeMars High School. The next year he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was later recalled to serve in Korea. In 1954 he graduated from Iowa State University in agriculture. After farming for one year, he began a 28 year career with the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. During these years, Wally lived in Sioux City and was Area Conservationist. He was an Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 100 and received a District Award of Merit.

On July 21, 1957 he married Deloris Marie Jansen at the United Methodist Church in Manning, Iowa. To this union were born four children.

Wally restored old cars and over the years belonged to several antique car clubs. He and his family enjoyed tours in their Model T Fords. In 1969 Wally and Dee purchased a cottage on Spirit Lake. In 1984 they retired to a new home built on the site of their cottage. During his retirement years, Wally helped start and was active in the Dickinson County Trails Association. He served as president of the Spirit Lake Protective Association. He enjoyed golf and maintained the grounds at Indian Hills Golf Course for seven years until his health failed. Wally died Friday, May 21 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake.

Wally was an active churchman. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Remsen, Iowa. He was a long-time member of St. John Lutheran Church in Sioux City where he served as deacon. Since 1985 he had been a member of Grace Lutheran in Spirit Lake.

Survivors include his wife, Deloris: two sons, James and his wife, Robbi, of Gretna, Nebraska, and John of Milford, Iowa; two daughters, Lisa Tonsfeldt and her life partner, Donna Rath, of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Ann Hoffmeister and her husband, Hans, of Vehlefanz, Germany; eight grandchildren, Jason and Shannon Tonsfeldt, Gustav, Elisabeth and Lina Hoffmeister and Cole, Jared and Amara Rath; two brothers, Murl and wife, Lillian, of Granville and Clifford and wife, Lavonne, of Remsen; two sisters, Marion Taylor and her husband, Dale, of Cleghorn and Joyce Mercer of Fonda. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Robert Mercer.