James DeBower

James C. DeBower, age 77, of Carroll, Iowa, died peacefully Monday, September 7, 2009, at his residence in Carroll, surrounded by his family, following a twenty-six year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Friday, September 11, 2009, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. Officiating will be Pastor Christopher W. Martin. The casket will be taken to the church at 8:30 A.M. Friday to lie in state until the time of the funeral service. The organist will be Elaine Jorgensen. Congregational Hymns will be “On Eagles Wings” and “Amazing Grace”. Honorary Pallbearers will be Dan Kokenge, Louis Lauritsen, John and Irene Knudsen, Lawrence and Doris Handlos, Milo and Dolores Clemmensen, and David Lansman. Casket Bearers will be grandchildren and their spouses, Lindsey Harman-Wood, Anthony DeBower, Ashley Musil, Carl DeBower, Josef DeBower, Macy DeBower, Andrew Harman-Wood, Ryan Musil, and Andrea Harman. Graveside Services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Friday at the Carroll City Cemetery in Carroll. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 5 P.M. Thursday. A prayer service will be held at 7 P.M. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or church for the American Parkinson’s Disease Association. Mr. DeBower was born on August 10, 1932, at Allison, Iowa, the son of Roy E. and Thea Antoinette (Bauman) DeBower. He graduated from Allison High School and then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. On August 26, 1951, he was married to Dona Mae Maifeld at Allison, Iowa. The DeBower’s raised their family in Allison, New Hampton, and Oelwein before moving to Carroll in 1965 where Jim was a loan originator and appraiser for the Prudential Insurance Company. He served as a Past President of the Carroll Country Club. The family returned to Allison where Mr. DeBower was Vice President and Board Member of the State Bank of Allison responsible for farm management and appraisal activities, and also operated a farming and real estate business. The DeBower’s later moved to Audubon where Jim organized and managed the Audubon Industrial Development Office and farmed until his retirement and returning to Carroll in 2000. He was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon and member and past president the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Jim was an avid golfer and enjoyed music, singing, and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Dona DeBower of Carroll; his children, James S. DeBower of Carroll, Debra Harman and her husband Mark of Peoria, Ariz., and Jeffrey DeBower and his wife Fonda of Audubon; a special family member, Dan Kokenge of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren; three great grandchildren; a brother, Dallas DeBower and his wife Janet of Auburn, New York; sisters, Bernita Wiebke and her husband Roy of Allison, Bonnie McKean and her husband Frank of Crosslake, Minn., and Delores Allan and her husband Ronald of Allison; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Janice DeBower of Carpenter, Helen DeBower of Allison, Beth and Richard Bailey of Denver, Colo., and Dorothy Maifeld of Cedar Falls; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Roger and Larry DeBower.

James DeBower

August 10, 1932 - September 7, 2009