Calvin Bertelsen met His Lord face to face on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at the age of 95 years at Azria Health Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine.
Harley Calvin was born on Dec. 1, 1927, to Hans Charles and Irene (Axtell) Bertelsen. He was very tiny when he was born and was kept warm at the oven door for three months. Calvin started school at country school #5 and later he and his siblings went to country school #2 because it would be an easier walk for them. He graduated from BeeBeetown High School in 1945. Calvin married Wilma Hosman on Nov. 6, 1949, in Modale. After their wedding, they moved to a farm near Honey Creek. Besides farming he also worked at the Turkey Ranch in Council Bluffs dressing turkeys. Calvin moved his family to a farm near Portsmouth in 1953, and farmed there for many years. They then bought a farm south of there and built a new house. They built a retirement house in Persia in 1986. Calvin retired from farming in 1993. Due to Wilma’s declining health they moved to Logan in 2006, to be closer to family.
Calvin was very involved in the Harrison County Farm Bureau as vice president and later president. He served on many committees in the Farm Bureau organization. He was the first farmer in Harrison County to plant soybeans and was a 4-H leader for many years in his children’s 4H club the Persia Satellites. Calvin and Wilma raised their family in the Persia Methodist Church and later at the Christian Church in Logan. They later went to Valley View Baptist Church in Council Bluffs. When they moved to Logan, they joined the United Methodist Church. At each church, he taught Sunday School classes, led many Bible studies and served on many boards and committees. In fact, he led a Bible study up until a little more than a month before he passed away. Sharing God’s word with others was one of his greatest joys.
In retirement, Calvin thoroughly enjoyed woodworking in his shop behind the house. For many years they enjoyed get-togethers at his sister Estella’s house every Thursday afternoon with many other family members joining them. Calvin and Wilma’s door was always open to anyone passing by the house for a visit. He lovingly cared for Wilma for many years until she passed away on Nov. 19, 2019, two weeks after they celebrated 70 years of marriage. He missed her and wanted to join her in heaven every day after that, but until then he got to enjoy many truck trips with his son, Harold, and his local great-grandkids’ school activities.
Calvin is survived by his four children, Harold and Delila Bertelsen of Beebeetown; Sandy and Dave Harmelink of Orange City; Vicki Placek of Logan and Sherry and Mike Wohlers of Pisgah; sister, Estella Witt of Honey Creek; brother-in-law, Wilbur and Jean Hosman of Aurora, Colo. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren. He was also thankful and felt so blessed he got to meet five great-great-grandchildren, Lily, Finn, Brecken, Lawson and Poppy.
Besides, his wife Wilma, he was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Ron Placek; brother-in-law, William Witt; siblings, Elsie and Homer Watson, Betty and Keith Gunderson and Don and Loretta Bertelsen. He was also preceded in death by Wilma’s parents, Harry and Cecil Hosman; and her siblings, Lucille and Kenneth Pearce, Vern and Marjorie Hosman, Fern and Eli Stone, Bernard and Mary Hosman, Wanda and Gerald Hodson and Phyllis and Max Brewer.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at the United Methodist church in Logan with Pastor Nikki Ahart and Pastor Patti Ford presiding over the service. The musician was Lori Cohrs and the congregational hymn was “Amazing Grace”. The recorded musical selections were “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” by Lynda Randle and “Mansion Over The Hilltop” by The Calvary Quartet. Calvin’s final resting place is at Grange Cemetery outside of Honey Creek, Iowa.
Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine was in charge of arrangements. www.foutsfuneralhome.com
