Lowell J. Drenth

Friday, November 17, 2017 7:28 pm

Lowell J. Drenth, 81, of Decorah, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, at First United Methodist Church in Decorah, with Rev. Laura Arnold officiating. Burial is at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Lowell Cemetery in Clarksville, with full military honors. Visitation is from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and Wednesday beginning at 9:30 a.m., one hour before the service, at the church. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at fjelstul.com.

Lowell James Drenth, and his twin brother Lawrence Glen, were born July 22, 1936, at home in Clarksville, to Sievert “Sam” and Elizabeth (Grimmius) Drenth. Sam and Elizabeth had both immigrated with their respective families from The Netherlands at the turn of the 20th century.

Lowell grew up in Clarksville and graduated with Lawrence from Clarksville High School with the class of 1954. He lettered in baseball. He couldn’t afford a letter jacket back then but he hung on to his letter. Several years ago he go he got a Clarkesville High School letter jacket as a gift and proudly wore it with the letter “C” that he had sewn on it.

Lowell (and Lawrence) joined the U.S. Army after their CHS graduation and were stationed in Germany, serving from 1954-1956. They had a tour of a lifetime when they were able to travel the European continent on a 20-day leave.

Lowell married Phyllis A. Spencer at the United Methodist Church in Austin, Minn. Feb. 15, 1958. They were living and farming in Clarksville when their first son, Donovan James, was born in Waverly Feb. 10, 1961. He bought a farm in Decorah in 1964. Then shortly thereafter his twin brother Lawrence moved to a farm in Decorah, too. Every morning the phone would ring at 7 a.m. It would be Lawrence asking Lowell what were they going to do that day? Their second son Russell James, was born in Decorah Dec. 12, 1967. Lowell also worked at the FSA office in Decorah for 19 years. Every now and then the family would be driving somewhere and he would say with pride, I used to check those bins for the FSA. For many years Lowell drove to Don’s farm in Waukon to help with milking chores. Additionally, every year Lowell would help Don with planting, haying, harvesting and field work until he couldn’t anymore.

Lowell farmed all his life – livestock and crops. He was a sharp shooter and an expert rifleman in the Army, where he won competitions. He was a nature lover; he enjoyed hunting and fishing all of his life – finding morel mushrooms; collecting arrowheads; going on fishing trips to Canada with family and friends. He enjoyed the birthday club friends and monthly lunches, and playing cards with family and friends. He got his pilot’s license and flew as often as he could; and later in life he became interested in pressing apples and making delicious juice. Mostly he loved his family, reunions and spending time with and watching his grandchildren play sports (and watching his favorite Green Bay Packers play).

They lived on the farm in Decorah until they retired to a condo on the golf course in Waukon, in 2000. In 2016, Lowell and Phyllis moved to the Barthell Eastern Star Home in Decorah.

Lowell is survived by his wife, Phyllis; his two sons, Donovan (Rachel Cooperman) Drenth and Russell Drenth of Decorah; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter: Sam (Jessie) Drenth and their daughter Josie, Reese Drenth, Reid Drenth, Vivian Drenth Taylor (Alex Taylor) and Hunter Drenth; one sister, Charlene Whiteside of Clarksville; three sisters-in-law: Judy Drenth of Decorah, Shirley Drenth of Tampa, Fla. and Evelyn Drenth of Racine, Minn..; and by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings: Ben Drenth, Charles Drenth, Jeannette Drenth, Genevieve Frances, Arvilla (Bill) Devine and Lawrence Drenth.