Clarence James Stoltenberg

Clarence James "Jim" Stoltenberg, 94, of Tipton, Iowa, died Sunday August 21, 2011 at Cedar Manor Nursing Home in Tipton. He was born September 1, 1916, in Tipton to Peter and Norma (Stobart) Stoltenberg. Jim graduated from Tipton High School in 1935, Tipton Junior College in 1937, and Iowa State University in 1940 with a BS in Chemical Engineering. He married Sadye D. Westra on March 10, 1945 in Baraboo, WI. Throughout his life, Jim was an active community member in the places he lived, including Chicago, Homewood, Crete and Kankakee in Illinois, Baraboo Wisconsin, and Tipton Iowa. He was a member of Rotary International, from which he received the Paul Harris Fellow Award for his " unselfish service to the club, the community and to the world." He was an insurance counselor in the Senior Health Insurance Information Program of Iowa. He served on the boards of the Cedar County Senior Citizens Center, the Cedar County Unit of the American Cancer Society and on the board, numerous committees and in the choir of the United Church of Christ. He was active with the Cedar Manor Nursing Home expansion, building and fundraising committees. He was a member of the Writer's Club at the Senior Center and served on several Tipton School District committees. In his professional life he worked at the Badger Ordnance Plant, Victor Chemical, General Mills, and Henkel North America. He was preceded in death by Sadye, his beloved wife of 65 years, his son John Stoltenberg and daughter-in-law Kathy Husband, and his brother Glenn. He is survived by his daughters Kathryn (Lawrence) Allen of Moline, IL and Joan (Art) Kiehn of Seattle, WA; granddaughters Laurel Allen and Katie Kiehn; grandsons Douglas (Amy) Allen and Matthew (Jennifer) Allen; and four great-grandchildren. Jim was incredibly devoted to his family and took great delight in sharing time, stories, and adventures with them. Family trips to national parks and hiking and backpacking in the mountains were among his most cherished memories. He was a proud survivor of several forms of cancer and spoke openly about his experiences in order to encourage others facing similar challenges. With precision and logic Jim tackled any and all projects that came his way, earning him the honorary title of "Mr. Fix It". He is lovingly remembered for his quiet strength, his unfailing kindness and concern for others, and the dignity with which he met life's greatest challenges. Memorials for Jim may be made to Cedar Manor Nursing Home, Tipton, First United Church of Christ, Tipton, or a favorite charity of your choice. Visitation will be at Fry Funeral Home, Tipton on Friday, August 26 from 4 - 7 PM. A memorial service to celebrate Jim's life will be held at a later date.