Paul Eugene Felkner's Obituary
Paul Eugene Felkner, age 82, of Centerville, Iowa, died Sunday, October 21, 2007 at his home west of Centerville. He was born the son of James and Hazel (Beer) Felkner on July 16, 1925 near Centerville. He graduated from the Centerville Community Schools in 1942 and later would attend Shawnee Baptist Bible College where he was a student Pilot.On August 19, 1945, Paul was united in marriage to Myrtle E. Koefoed at the Janesville United Methodist Church in Janesville, Iowa. He would serve his country during WWII with the Army Air Corp from February 23, 1944 until his honorable discharge on November 14, 1945. Paul was baptized in the Jerome Methodist Church. He was a member of Faith United Methodist Church of Centerville at his death. Paul sang in the church choir for 44 years, seldom missing a Wednesday night practice or a Sunday morning worship service. He also enjoyed singing with the Barbershop Chorus for several years.Flying and building experimental airplanes was Paul's passion. He was a member of the Ottumwa Chapter 409 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for many years, serving as its president for several of those years. He built an Acro Sport airplane, in which he flew over 400 hours with wife Myrtle, family and friends. He was awarded the Lindbergh Award on the Acro Sport at the International Convention of the Experimental Aircraft Association at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1992 and was also awarded the Paul Poberezny Designer's Award for Outstanding Craftsmanship in 1995. He won awards on this aircraft at numerous aircraft events around the United States.One of the fondest awards for Paul was the one that recognized his activity with the Young Eagles program of the EAA. Paul flew over a hundred hours with Young Eagles, introducing scores of young people to their first flying experience. He loved taking the members of Myrtle's Sunday School classes on their first airplane rides. Dozens of other young people learned to water ski or roller skate under Paul's patient tutorship.Paul loved bowling, playing on a team for many years. He was also a conscientious member of his community, serving as president of his rural school board during its last years, serving as member and president of the Lay Advisory Board of the local hospital for several years, and giving high priority to service on the Missions Committee of his church.Stewardship of the land occupied many of Paul's energies as a farmer. He and his father and uncle built nine ponds on their farm west of Centerville, plus untold miles of terraces and other soil-saving structures. He was one of the early practitioners of minimum-and-no-till farming. He preserved timbered acres in the forest preserve program, seeking to leave the Felkner land to his children in the best possible condition.Paul Felkner was known to his family and his community as a man of absolute honesty, integrity, and generosity. He leaves a host of friends and constituents to mourn his passing.He was preceded in death by his parents, and a great grandson, Dominique Ennis.Paul is survived by: his wife, Myrtle Felkner of Centerville, Iowa; son, William Edward Felkner and his wife, Natalie of Centerville, Iowa; daughters, Barbara Dianne Gardner and her husband, Stephen of Ottumwa, Iowa and Joan Virginia Felkner of Iowa City, Iowa; grandchildren, Emily and Kyle Felkner of Centerville, Iowa, Dianne Ennis and her husband, Rick of Ames, Iowa and Stephanie Edwards and her husband, Don of Kansas City, Kansas; great grandchildren, Dakota, Chance, Destany, Zachary and Miles Ennis all of Ames, Iowa, Chelsea and Andrew Edwards of Texas; one sister, Margaret Tasler of West Des Moines, Iowa.Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 10 am at the Faith United Methodist Church in Centerville with Revs. Gene Kubli and William Ballard officiating. Burial with full Military Honors will follow at the Felkner Cemetery west of Centerville. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 from 1 pm till 5 pm at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville then moved to the Faith United Methodist Church for a family visitation from 6 pm till 8 pm.Memorials can be made to Felkner Cemetery or to the Faith United Methodist Church's Sunday School Rooms and can be left at the funeral home. The To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Paul Eugene Felkner please visit our Sympathy Store.
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