Donald Birdsell

    Donald E. Birdsell, 89, of 1300 2nd Ave North, Clear Lake, died at his residence Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008.  Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, 508 2nd Ave North, Clear Lake with the Rev. Dianna Hoover officiating.  Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa.  Visitation will be Thursday from 4 -7 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake and then one hour before the service on Friday at the church.   Memorials may be made to the Donald E. Birdsell Memorial Fund.
    Donald was born Aug. 14, 1918, the son of Marx Edward and Edith (Lomen) Birdsell at Mason City.  Donald attended Mason City High School.  He worked for the Busy Bee Shoe Shop in Mason City.  Donald married June Klinge, April 5, 1941 at Hampton, Iowa.  They moved to Richmond, Calif. where he worked in the shipyards during the war.  After the war, they returned to Mason City where he was employed at Peoples Gas & Electric. In 1946 they moved to Manly, Iowa where they owned and operated the Shop & Go Grocery Store. They moved back to Mason City in 1959 where he  was employed with Mason City School System.  In 1969 they moved to Miramar, Fla. where he  worked at the Hollywood Memorial Hospital as an engineer, retiring in 1985. In 1987 they moved to Warsaw, Mo., where they lived until moving to their present home in Clear Lake in 1994 to be closer to their children.
    Donald loved playing golf, woodworking, fishing, and built one of his own fishing boats. He especially enjoyed spending time and being around his family and grandchildren.
    He is survived by his wife, June of Clear Lake; three daughters, Sharon (Larry) Dixon, Linda Johnston and Nancy Whipple all of Mason City; seven grandchildren, Laura Bramsen and her partner, Darin Reynolds, Tracy (Michael) Waite, Jessica Johnston-Lipp, William T. Whipple, David (Lisa) Whipple, June (Michael) Bahnsen and Benjamin Whipple; eight great-grandchildren, Jeramy Schiefelbein, Jacob (Treena) Waite, Benjamin (Katie) Bramsen, Jillian Waite, William G. Whipple, Brenna Johnston, Amaya Bahnsen and Julia Whipple; and four great-great-granchildren, Alexis Schiefelbein, MaKayla Waite, MaKenna Waite and Hailey Hansen; two brothers-in-law, Donald Kofron and David (Patricia) Klinge.
    He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Mildred Pattschull, Lucille Long Trimble and Dorris Kofron.