LeRoy C. Iverson

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 1:51 pm

LeRoy C. Iverson, age 88, of Decorah, passed away Friday, July 13, 2018, at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Memorial services are at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at Decorah Lutheran Church, with Pastor Dave Sorenson and Pastor Brenda Crossfield officiating. Private burial is in Newburg United Methodist Cemetery in Newburg Township, rural Mabel, Minn. Visitation begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church.

LeRoy Carol Iverson was born Aug. 2, 1929, in Spring Grove, Minn., to Arlo Roy Iverson and Clara Olina (Skorgen) Iverson, and grew up on the family farm north of Newburg in Newburg Township. LeRoy attended the Newburg school, and graduated from Mabel High School in 1947. He attended business college in Winona, Minn., was in the US Air Force from 1951 to 1954, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1958 with a BS degree in dairy science.

LeRoy began his career as a resident grader for the USDA dairy division, working in Clarkfield, Minn. and Elroy, Wis. He married Jean Lenore Lovdokken Feb. 24, 1962, at Shepherd of the Hills, Edina, Minn. A promotion moved the family from Elroy to Syracuse, N.Y. in 1963, and in 1989 to Glen Ellyn, Ill., where he was national field director for dairy inspection and grading. He retired in 1994 to Decorah.

LeRoy was an active participant in church and family life. Music was an integral part of his life from early days in Newburg through a lifetime of church choirs. He sang in the Decorah Lutheran church choir and was a life member of the Luren Singers. He volunteered at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and was a life member of Sons of Norway. He enjoyed woodworking, and sold Norwegian heart baskets, barn birdhouses and other creations at nearby gift stores and church auctions. He was a gardener, cross country skier, expert fish cleaner and steak griller; and he enjoyed exploring the local country roads.

LeRoy is survived by his wife, Jean; sons: Eric (Eagan, Minn.), Paul (London, England) and David (East Burke, Vt.); sisters-in-law Mary Lovdokken (Springfield, Ore.), Hazel Berg (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and Audrey Iverson (Mabel, Minn.); and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Clara Iverson; two sisters, Edna Anderson and Gladys Franklin; and one brother, Wallace Iverson.
Memorials may be given to Decorah Lutheran Church, Newburg Methodist Cemetery, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, or a charity of your choice.

Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family.

Online condolences may be made at fjelstul.com.