Harold Carl William Balvanz, 91, of
Eldora
,
Iowa
, died Monday, December 15, 2008, at the Eldora Nursing and
Rehab
Center
.
Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M., Thursday, December 18, 2008, at
St. Paul
Lutheran
Church
in Eldora, with Pastor David Splett officiating.
Burial will follow at
Eastlawn
Memory
Garden
Cemetery
, in Eldora, with full military rites provided by the Walter-Sayer Post 182 of the American Legion and Roll-Harless Post 3974 of the VFW.
Visitation will be Wednesday, December 17, 2008, from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., at Creps-Abels Funeral Home in Eldora, with the family present to greet friends.
A memorial fund has been established.
Harold Carl William Balvanz was born February 19, 1917, the son of Frank A. and Hattie (Lettow) Balvanz, at home on his parent’s farm in rural
Eldora
,
Iowa
.
He received his education in Eldora, graduating from the
Eldora
High School
with the class of 1934.
Harold served his country during World War II, when he was inducted in the United States Army, serving in
Hawaii
from February 4, 1942 to October 6, 1945, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.
On June 6, 1948, Harold was united in marriage to Mary Jane Buchanan at
St. Paul
’s
Lutheran
Church
in Eldora.
To this union were born two sons, Richard Leslie on June 15, 1952 and Steven Craig on October 29, 1955.
They farmed the Bridgens farm east of Eldora from 1949 until 1985, and he continued to help Steve farm until 2001, when he had bypass surgery.
Harold entered the Eldora Nursing and
Rehab
Center
in June 2007, where he resided until his death.
Harold was a lifelong member of
St. Paul
Lutheran
Church
in Eldora, where he served in various positions throughout the years.
Harold was a lifelong cattle and hog farmer, raising corn and soybeans as well.
He was a 4-H Leader for many years, leading the Eldora Bearcats Club.
Harold was also a member of Farm Bureau and had also worked in the ASCS office in
Iowa
Falls
.
He is survived by his wife Mary Balvanz of Eldora, Iowa; son, Richard Balvanz and his wife Jolene (Voss) of Marion, Iowa, and their children-Seth Balvanz and his fiancé Emily of Lake In The Hills, Illinois; and Sarah Balvanz of Marion, Iowa, and her friend John serving in Afghanistan; son, Steven Balvanz and his wife Kathy (Larson) of Eldora, Iowa, and their children-Kristy and her husband Ryan Luiken of Eldora, Iowa; Steven Balvanz Jr. and his friend Lisa of Los Angeles, California; and Shawn Balvanz and his friend Kelly of Eldora, Iowa; two great-grandchildren-Drue and Lane Luiken of Eldora, Iowa; four sisters, Irene Ziesman of Eldora, Iowa; Betty Roll of Iowa Falls, Iowa; Viola German and her husband John of Visalia, California; Janet Bradford of Bakersfield, California; two brothers, Marvin Balvanz and his wife Joan of Eldora, Iowa; Kenneth Balvanz and his wife Ellen of Alden, Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Ruth Balvanz of Wellsburg, Iowa; and Doris Balvanz of Melbourne, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Robert & Don Balvanz; two brothers-in-law, Albert Ziesman and Bernard Roll; and one half-sister, Agnes Meis.
