Earl Karl William Bartels was born on December 27, 1937, to Elmer and Hinreka (Hameister) Bartels in the same home that he spent most of his life in and now is home to his son Doug and family. He grew up there with his brother Glen and sister Ruth, who now live in Hanover and Des Moines respectively. He was a life long member of Emanuel-St. John Lutheran Church and found much comfort from his fellow adult Sunday school learners.
In his many walks of life, he passed on these lessons:
1) Consider driving a school bus...who knows, you may carry a student who could become your future wife someday. (Earl graduated from Lytton High School in 1955. The following year he started driving a school bus. Nelda (Kreft) Bartels rode that bus. They were married on July 7, 1963. He drove school bus for 35+ years.)
2) Spend time in a friendly game of cards or checkers with those you love, but don’t spend the night playing cards when you are supposed to be on a date with that cute young girl who used to ride your bus. She won’t like it.
3) Take every opportunity to have fun with kids. Earl lived this out by greeting each of his bus kids every morning by name and giving them Snicker’s at Christmas. He had a friendly competition with his substitute bus driver over who was more popular with the kids. (Nelda was his substitute.)
4) Love your family. It will increase the chances of them loving you back and maybe even moving to the area. (Earl’s daughter Barb and husband Doug Riley, daughter Teresa and husband Kurt Van Hulzen, son Doug and wife Jamie (Lynch) Bartels, and daughter Julie and husband Ryan Wheelock all live within 5 miles of where he and Nelda lived in Lytton. Grandchildren Colten (and Ashley Toms), Ty and Kortney Riley, Andrew, Sarah and Joshua Van Hulzen, Lily and Jack Bartels and Eli, Adlen, and Sadie Wheelock and his dear great grandson Sawyer Riley love to visit.)
5) Make work fun! Sing when you walk beans and pick up rocks. (Earl’s personal favorite was “You Are My Sunshine”.) When pulling button weeds out of the corn, it’s always fun to hide a bit and sneak up behind your fellow workers to scare the Snickers and Pepsi right out of them.
6) Know no strangers. Find out where people are from and keep talking until you find how you are connected.
7) Life is short. Attend all the school events you and your spouse can, do lots of spontaneous things with your family like giving motorcycle rides and fishing with your grandkids, and spend time with friends drinking coffee at Sparky’s. You may be busy…too busy to take both pant legs out of your boots, but it’s worth it.
8) Provide for your family! Ways to save include: checking your oil and fuel efficiency religiously, drive a motorcycle not because it is cool but because it gets good gas mileage, and don’t throw things away easily (a calculator watch can be fixed with a little scotch tape if necessary.) Twine string…use lots and lots of twine string.
9) Appreciate the gifts God has given you. Earl would count as gifts his chance to farm, to drive a race car, and the many chances to meet people as he enjoyed his 54+ years of trucking for Glasnapp Transfer.
10) Make faith in God the center of all you do. Earl valued family devotions, playfully quizzing his children on the 10 commandments/books of the Bible, and holding hands at weekly family meals thanking God for their blessings. Further advice….go to church and wear your Bible out.
On October 7, 2016, Earl began his celebration in heaven with his son Brian and his parents Elmer and Hinreka Bartels.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be designated to Juvenile Diabetes Research or a charity of your choice.
