John Nevins Leistad

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    John Nevins Leistad, son of William and Grace (Huggett) Leistad, was born March 8, 1929, at the family farm west of Elk Horn, Iowa. He attended Clay No. 2 School and graduated from Elk Horn High School in 1946. John began farming at a young age but was drafted into the United States Army in 1951, during the Korean conflict. He was honorably discharged in 1953 and returned home to work on the family farm.

    On November 6, 1955, he was united in marriage with Kathy Nielsen at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. From this loving partnership, three children were born—Noel, Faye, and Ann.

    John was a dedicated member of Elk Horn Lutheran Church and an active member of the community. He valued his faith and his roles as a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather above everything else. As he cultivated the land, he also cultivated the seeds of faith in his family members.

    On Tuesday, November 2, 2016, John died unexpectedly at his lifelong home west of Elk Horn at the age of 87 years, 7 months, and 25 days.

    John was preceded in death by his wife Kathy Leistad; parents William and Grace Leistad; sister-in-law Juane Nielsen; and brother-in-law Clair Ingram.

     Left to cherish John’s memory are his children Noel (Michelle) Leistad of Underwood, Faye (Robert) Wade of West Des Moines, and Ann (Bob) Bolton of Guthrie Center; grandchildren Julisa (Jeff) Novotny, Jeanna Leistad, Alexandra Wade, Ben Wade, Dania Bolton, Joe Bolton, Marcus Bolton and Curtis Bolton; great grandchildren Joey Novotny, Devaney Novotny and Miles Novotny; sister-in-law Delores Ingram of Minden, Nebraska; brother-in-law Elliot (Judy) Nielsen of Minden, Nebraska; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many, many friends.

Reverend Keith Menter, Officiating

      “It Is Well With My Soul”

     “I Was There To Hear Your Borning Cry”

 “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

“God On The Mountain” Ann Esbeck-Nitzel, Soloist

Janell Hansen, Organist

Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery, Elk Horn, Iowa

American Legion Post 322