Wendell Ray Eilderts, 82

Wendell Ray Eilderts, 82, of Hampton, Iowa, passed away in the care of MercyOne North Iowa Hospice at the Franklin General Hospital Hospice Acute Care Unit on October 13, 2021. Wendell was born November 6, 1938, in Parkersburg, Iowa, to Koert and Sucela (Vanderwerf) Eilderts.

Wendell attended county grade school and graduated from Wellsburg High School in 1956. Right after graduation, Wendell joined the Navy and did basic training at San Diego, California, and follow up training at Pensacola, Florida. He then attended airplane mechanic school in Norman, Oklahoma. After his training, he was stationed in Hawaii at the base on Oahu through 1959.

On October 3, 1958, he married Sheryl Neymeyer, and five daughters, two sons, and two "angel" babies were born to this union. They would later divorce.

After his service in the Navy, Wendell and Sheryl lived in Des Moines, Iowa. Wendell worked for Des Moines Flying Service as an aircraft mechanic. Later he started working at Meredith Printing in skilled trades. Wendell and family moved to an acreage near Ackley in 1973. Wendell started working for Maytag at Hampton, Iowa, in skilled trades in 1974.

Wendell joined the Iowa Air Force Reserves in 1980 as an A-7 and later F-16 aircraft engine mechanic, retiring from the Air Force in 1997 at the rank of E7 Master Sergeant. He served in Panama and Puerto Rico and many parts of the U.S.

In 1983 Wendell alone made another move to Newton, Iowa, to finish his career as a pipefitter at Maytag until he retired in May of 1999.

On May 30, 1999, Wendell married Marie Junker Card in Ackley, and started residing in Hampton, Iowa. Together they enjoyed traveling with their RV. For over 20 years, they had a winter home in Zapata, Texas and enjoyed the sunshine and lake there. Wendell and Marie loved to dance. He also gave country western and ballroom dance lessons.

Wendell was a friend to many and often used his mechanical, electrical, and carpenter skills to help others. He was so proud of his family and their accomplishments. He was a jokester and a storyteller of his many experiences.

He was a member of the 1331 Moose Lodge in Iowa Falls, UAW pipefitters union (served as a union leader), was a former Boy Scout leader, and a former member of the Rescue Squad of Iowa Falls, Iowa. In his youth, he was a member of Saint Peter's Church, Wellsburg, Iowa. In Zapata, Texas, Wendell was a member of the Falcon Lake Church and affiliated with King's Way Church. In Hampton, Iowa, Faith Baptist Church is his church home.

Wendell is survived by his wife, Marie of Hampton, daughter-in-law Rhonda Eilderts (Mark) of Ackley and their children Michael and Miranda; daughter Cinda (Mike) Elliott of Altoona and her children Nichole (Jay) Brown of St. Louis and great-grandchildren twins Emma and Noah Brown, Korey (Jill) Link of Eagle Grove and great-grandchildren Kenlee and Maddox Link and baby boy Link on the way; daughter Jana Eilderts of Cedar Falls and her children Joshua Gorder, Toni (Will) Morrison, and Joey Gorder; daughter Lori (Dave) Smith of Spirit Lake and their children Trevor (Krista), Peyton, Macy, and Brooke Smith; son Brent Eilderts of Front Royal, Virginia; daughter Danel (Kris) Pals of Saint Peters, Missouri, and their son Diesel; daughter Tracey (Tim) Sipma of Mitchellville and their children Mallory and Xander Sipma; step-daughter Sherry Kuhn (Bill Healy) of Mansfield, Missouri, and her children Leatha Kuhn and step-great-granddaughter Brianna Yates, Joshua Kuhn and step-great-grandsons Braxtin and Devon Kuhn, Jacob Kuhn and step-great-grandchildren Evan and Katie Kuhn; step-daughter Lori Card of Des Moines and her son Tyler (Jadie) Card and step-great-grandchildren Lily and Brock; twin sisters Carolyn (Larry) Stahl of Holland and Marilyn Ubben of Aplington; sister-in-law Lavonne Eilderts Casey of Grundy Center; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son Mark, "angel" baby son Gary, and "angel" baby daughter Karen, his parents Koert and Sucela Eilderts, his brother Bernard Eilderts, and "angel" baby great-grandson Carson Link.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, October 18, 2021, at Faith Baptist Church in Hampton.  Visitation was held Sunday, October 17, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Sietsema Vogel Funeral Home in Hampton.  Burial took place at St. Peter’s Cemetery, rural Wellsburg.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Wendell’s family.

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