Harlan A. Tonderum

***Due to the weather, the celebration of life service has been postponed. The service has been rescheduled at 11 A.M., Friday, February 4, 2011 from the First United Methodist Church, Maquoketa, Iowa*** Harlan A. Tonderum, 81, of Maquoketa, Iowa, died on Friday, January 28, 2011, at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, Iowa. A celebration of his life will be held at 11 A.M., Friday, February 4, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Maquoketa. Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 P.M. on Tuesday, February 1, 2011, at Carson & Son Funeral And Cremation Services in Maquoketa, Iowa. Burial will be held prior to the service in the Union Cemetery, rural Maquoketa, Iowa. Harlan A. Tonderum was born on April 28, 1929 on a farm in Palo Alto County in northwest Iowa. He was the third child born to Gustav Tonderum and Isabella (Clemitson) Tonderum. He attended rural school and graduated from Graettinger, Iowa High School in 1947. He was an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. After receiving an honorable discharge, he worked in the Blackhawk County engineer's office as a transit and tape man on road and bridge survey work. Harlan met his wife, Evelyn Meinke i...[more]

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aterloo, Iowa and they were married on November 26, 1953. Two sons were born and raised to this union, Lynn D. Tonderum and Paul H. Tonderum. On March 8, 1988, Harlan's wife, Evelyn passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. On October 10, 1992, Harlan married Judith Ripple Kruse in Maquoketa, Iowa. In February 1955, Harlan and his family began farming near Maquoketa, Iowa. Harlan was a gifted crop and livestock farmer and achieved several outstanding agriculture awards, including Iowa Corn Yield Champion and Iowa Master Farmer. In 1959 he was chosen as Maquoketa Jaycee's Outstanding Young Farmer. Harlan has been a member of the Maquoketa United Methodist Church since 1955 and served as trustee, chairman of the building committee for the new sanctuary, and served on the building and finance committee for more than 12 years. Farm Bureau has always been important to Harlan. He served as Director of South Fork Township as well as county offices of Secretary, Vice President and in 1969, President, and also a long time board member of the Union Cemetery Association. In 1970, he began a farm management business in partnership with Ed Tubbs and John Fagerland of Maquoketa State Bank. The business was known as Midwest Farm Management. In 1986 he received the Regional Soil and Water Conservation award from the Iowa Chapter of American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Harlan was a Real Estate Broker, past member of the Federal Land Bank Board, ASCS Committee member, 4-H leader for the Maquoketa Sod Busters, Iowa FFA Ag Foundation Contributor, past member of the Jackson County Public Hospital Board of Trustees and has always been active in his political party. Harlan was an avid baseball fan. He also enjoyed playing golf and had been a member of the Maquoketa Country Club. In later years, he became a self-taught, extremely skilled woodworker. He had a love for draft and harness horses and was the treasurer of the Jackson County Horse and Harness Association. Harlan and Judy were generous in hosting activities at their historical home such as Army and family reunions, Chamber of Commerce Tours, and Master Gardener Tours. Harlan is survived by his wife Judy Tonderum of Maquoketa, IA; two sons, Lynn Tonderum of Maquoketa, IA, and Paul Tonderum of Delmar, IA; 4 step-children, Kelly (Peter) Nelles of Blue Mounds, WI, Kristal (John) Hays of DeWitt, IA, Korey Kruse-Harmon of Maquoketa, IA, and Kraig (Judy) Kruse of Maquoketa, IA; 8 grandchildren, Ryanne Till Miller, Austin Till, Jake and Justin Kruse, Pierce and Grace Nelles, Kailey and Kole Harmon; 2 step-great-grandchildren, Niya and Kolt Miller; brothers, Gordon (Rosie) Tonderum of Terril, IA, George Tonderum of Emmetsburg, IA, and Roger (Lynn) Tonderum of Inver Grove Heights, MN; sisters, Ione (Bill) Johnson of Spirit Lake, IA, and Mavis Wilson of Estherville, IA; a sister-in-law, Lucille Sorensen of Maquoketa, IA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Evelyn, brothers, Curtis and Bennet, and sisters, Marian and Linda. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, a Harlan A. Tonderum memorial fund has been established. Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.