Lyle Wrage

Lyle H. Wrage passed away Saturday, January 2, 2021, at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center while under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice at the age of 91. A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at the Abels Funeral and Cremation Service, Engelkes Chapel in Grundy Center. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at the Salem Church of Lincoln in Lincoln, Iowa. Burial will be held privately by the family immediately following the funeral service at Maple Hill Cemetery in Gladbrook. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Lyle was born December 8, 1929 to Dave and Pauline (Paustian) Wrage at the family farm west of Lincoln, IA.  He attended Lincoln #4 School through 8th grade, attended high school in Beaman, IA and graduated from Gladbrook High School in the Class of 1947. He worked on the family farm with his father until January, 1951 when he joined the Army and fought in the Korean War until he was discharged in 1954. Lyle was united in marriage to Marlys Rieck of Waterloo on May 6, 1952.

He ran a trucking business until 1957 when he began farming along with his trucking business on the side.  Lyle and Marlys retired from farming in 1995.  They continued to stay on the family farm until 2011 when they moved to Grundy Center. Lyle enjoyed restoring and collecting International tractors and driving in numerous tractor rides.  He also collected many IH toy tractors, trucks and pedal tractors.  He and Marlys also enjoyed spending winters in Texas and Arizona for 18 years. Lyle has three items of great importance in his life; family, farming and faith.  He always enjoyed sharing stories of both his family and farming.

A few years ago Lyle was able to fulfill two of his goals on his “bucket list.”  He and his family received a “Centennial Farm” award at the Iowa State Fair and traveling with his daughter, Nancy, to Washington, DC on an Honor Flight as a proud veteran. Lyle was a lifetime member of the Salem Church of Lincoln, serving on the church board and many committees and groups.  He also served as President of the former Lincoln Coop board and was a Farm Bureau member.

Lyle is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Marlys, and by their three children; Nancy (Leo Peiffer) of Washington, IA, Cindy Britton of Newton, IA and Brian (Lisa) Wrage of Gladbrook.  Also surviving is one grandson, Ben Britton of Newton, and two step grandsons, Nick (Brittany) Sorenson of Cedar Falls and Josh (Rachael) Sorenson of Waterloo., as well as two great-granddaughters, Brooklyn and Elira Britton of Newton.  Lyle is also survived by two sisters; Marcella Goos of Afton and LaRue Brandemuehl of Grundy Center, and one sister-in-law, Norma Wrage of Newton as well as many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Lyle in death are his parents, Dave and Pauline Wrage and son-in-law, Henry Britton. His sisters and spouses; Arvella (Earl) Rogers, Lorna Bieber (Otto Jensen and Roger Bieber), and Marlys (Arnold) Siemens. His brothers and spouses; Arlo Wrage, Leon (Gloria) Wrage and Roger Wrage. His in-laws and spouses; Earl (Dorothy Rieck), Florence (Robert) Thompson, Dean Warren, Glen Oetker, Clair Goos and David Brandemuehl.