Obituary of Russ Burgeson

A funeral service for Russ Burgeson, age 90, of Spirit Lake, will be held Monday, January 23, 2017 at 10:30 AM at Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford. Burial will be at Memory Gardens in Spirit Lake. Visitation will be on Sunday, January 22nd from 3:00-5:00 PM at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Russell A. Burgeson, the son of William and Helen (Miller) Burgeson, was born on June 6, 1926 near Royal, IA. He started school in May City, IA and graduated from high school at Harris, IA in 1944. He served in the army from 1946 to 1947 and again in 1951 to 1954. While in the service, he had a serious motorcycle accident and spent almost a year in Ft Campbell Hospital. While he was still recovering in the hospital, Russ and Dorothy (Stroud) were married January 1, 1953. In 1954 he received an honorable discharge from the 11th Airborne Division, having made twenty parachute jumps at Ft Campbell, KY. Russ returned home and began farming on his dad's farm south of Harris. In 1956 they moved to Round Lake, MN until 1963. Retiring from farming, they built a home in Lake Park, IA and Russ worked at Arnold Grain Company. He returned to farming in 1965 south of Harris and was also the rural mail carrier until his retirement in 1988. Russ loved to watch sports on TV. He also liked to attend all of the sports and music activities of his children and grandchildren. He loved the game of golf. He started playing at the age of 46 and was immediately hooked and hit the course whenever possible. He rode every mile of Ragbrai on his bicycle at the age of 64 and 66. Russ and Dorothy loved to travel in their RV. They did this full time for 10 years and then were Texas "snow birds" for another 15 years. They made many new friends in Texas that became their extended family. Russ passed away January 18, 2017 at Lakes Regional Health care in Spirit Lake at ninety years of age. Russ is survived by his wife, Dorothy; three children, Gayla (Tim) Pleggenkuhle, Bill (Alexis) Burgeson and Ryan (Cheryl) Burgeson; grandchildren, Jason (Lindsay) Pleggenkuhle, Kyle (Sina) Pleggenkuhle, Caitlynn Burgeson, Wes and Faith Burgeson, Kristen Burgeson and Kate (Tony) Kanne; great-grandchildren, Jackson and Liam Pleggenkuhle, Adilynn Burgeson and Olivia and Will Kanne; one sister, Grace (Bob) Miller and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Roger; 3 half sisters, Blanche, Hazel and Helen.