ELDON FORDYCE
Funeral services for Eldon L Fordyce, 80, of
Aurelia, will be Thursday, June 3, 2010, at 10:00 A.M., at the First
United Methodist Church in Aurelia with Pastor Missy Brown officiating.
Burial will be in the Good Hope Cemetery, rural Cherokee. Visitation
will be Wednesday from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. with the family present
and Masonic services at 7:30, at the First United Methodist Church in
Aurelia. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.
Eldon died Monday, May 31, 2010 at the Buena
Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake.
Eldon Lynn Fordyce was born July 19, 1929,
the son of Leroy Allen and Beulah Marie (Ford) Fordyce in Blockton,
Iowa. He spent his youth in Blockton. On the advice of a family member,
he headed to northwest Iowa in hopes of farming Iowa’s best soil shortly
after his graduation from high school in 1947. He spent time as a hired
farm hand in the few years that followed and was drafted into the Army.
On October 19, 1951, Eldon married Janet Carol Dubes in Asbury Park, New
Jersey, where Eldon served in the Army prior to his service time
overseas during the Korean War. After his discharge Eldon worked for
the Linn Grove Telephone Company for several years. They were married 48
years prior to Janet’s death in January of 2000. They lived the majority
of their married life five miles northeast of Aurelia. There they
established a successful dairy farm along with their children. Eldon had
a passion for farming and took great pride in all matters related to the
family farm, a legacy he now leaves for his children and grandchildren
to continue to enjoy. Eldon also worked as a genetic cattle evaluator
for American Breeders Service for 30 years. He served as a long-time 4-H
leader, and he was a board representative for the Iowa Lakes Electric
Co-op. Janet and Eldon were active in Eastern Star. Eldon was a 50 year
member of the Masonic Lodge in Alta, and the American Legion in Aurelia.
They were avid travelers. Eldon continued to live on the farm after
retirement until the last few months of his life when he resided at The
Gardens in Cherokee. He enjoyed attending the activities of his
grandchildren and loved spending time with his family.
Preceding Eldon in death were his parents,
his wife Janet on January 16, 2000, a sister, Naomi Johnson, and a
brother, Francis Fordyce.
Eldon’s death is mourned by his five
children and their spouses, Dan and his wife Julie, Mark and his wife
Cathy, and David and his wife Lori all of Aurelia, Mathew and his wife
Gretchen of Alta, and Carol and her husband David Kopel of Spirit Lake.
Also surviving are his grandchildren, Stephanie Fordyce of Aurelia,
Melissa and husband Stacey Carlson of Sac City, April and husband Jake
Schutt and Jay and wife Stephanie Fordyce of Aurelia, Joshua and wife
Nikki Fordyce and Bradley and wife Molly Fordyce of Sioux City, Tara
Fordyce of Omaha, NE, John Fordyce of Cambridge, MA, Timothy Fordyce of
Davenport, Hannah Fordyce of Alta, Maddie Hanneman and A.J. Kopel of
Spirit Lake, and three great-grandchildren; Becca, Cody, and Mason
Carlson, two sisters-in-law; Betty Fordyce of Oelwein, IA, and Darlene
Dubes of Storm Lake, and two brothers-in-law, Hans Johnson of Omaha, NE,
and Will and wife Cleo Dubes of Des Moines, as well as close family
friend Darren Kellar, and many extended family members and friends.
