Obituary of Harry Hix

A funeral service for Harry Hix, age 78, of Spirit Lake, will be held Friday, July 10, 2015 at 10:30AM at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at Lakeview Gardens in Spirit Lake. Visitation will be on Thursday, July 9th after 4:00pm with the family present from 5:00-7:00pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Harry George Hix was born October 17, 1936 in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Walter and Frances (Caldwell) Hix. He was raised and educated in Schaller, Iowa, first attending country school and graduating from Schaller High School. Harry then attended Iowa State University. In 1958, Harry joined the US Army Reserves in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma until he received an Honorable Discharge as a Captain. Harry was united in marriage to Reta Lacy and then in 1986 was joined in marriage to Karen (Vollmer) Goodwin. Harry began his career in banking at the Boone State Bank and then took a position with the State Bank of Schaller. He then became the owner/ operator of the Merkeley Well Company in Schaller. His career as an accredited farm manager with Farmer's National Company began in Ida Grove Iowa in 1982. He and his wife Karen then moved to Omaha Nebraska and then they eventually made their home on the lake in Spirit Lake Iowa where they spent many happy years. Harry was a member of the National Organization of Accredited Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and the Iowa Great Lakes Antique Auto Club. He was affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church. He filled his life with a love of antique cars, his boat, travel, music and especially time spent with his family. Harry died Sunday, July 5, 2015 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at seventy-eight years of age. He is survived by his wife of twenty-nine years, Karen, of Spirit Lake; children Gae Strenge of Corpus Christi, Texas, Lee Hix (Mary Ann) of Chandler, Arizona; Erin Christensen (Brian) of San Antonio, Texas; four step-children, Matthew Goodwin of Sioux City, Iowa, Maureen Myers of Sioux City, Iowa, Valerie Siegrist of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Vance Goodwin of Helena, Montana. He is also survived by ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He is preceded by his parents, Walter and Frances Hix, his brother, James Hix and his grandson, Seth Strenge.