A funeral service for Lyle Wendland will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Floyd with Pastor Paul Phillips officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Floyd.
Visitation will be at Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, May 21, 2018 and will continue one hour before the service at the church on Tuesday.
Lyle Frederick Wendland was born on February 2, 1948, in New Hampton, Iowa. His parents were Russell and Alice (Wenthe) Wendland. He graduated from Fredericksburg High School in 1966, where he was state champion in the 4×800 and lettered in multiple events. He then attended Wartburg College achieving multiple letters in track and graduating in 1970 receiving a degree in Physical Education. He accepted his first teaching job at Washington Elementary School in Charles City in 1970. He later took a job with Ozark National Insurance. In 1982, he started his lifelong career as an agent with Farm Bureau Insurance serving the Floyd County area for 34 years until his retirement on January 1, 2017. Lyle loved his clients and enjoyed serving every one of them.
On May 7, 1983, at the age of 35, Lyle was united in marriage to the love of his life, Cindy Mitchell, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in New Hampton, Iowa, and to this union three sons were born: Noah, Jacob, and Isaac. The couple celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary ten days before he went to heaven.
Lyle was an active member of the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Floyd, Iowa, and served as the Physical Education Teacher at Lighthouse Academy for over 15 years. He had a vibrant faith in Jesus and enjoyed sharing it with others.
Lyle was a man of many passions. He was a Master Forester who enjoyed the great outdoors with his three sons, brothers, and friends. A few of his many passions included– hunting, fishing, woodworking, creating burl bowls, dog sledding, making maple syrup, and mushroom hunting. Lyle was an avid runner completing the Chicago Marathon in 1985. He also was an avid fan of the Charles City Track and Field Program and you could find him at every meet on the back stretch encouraging runners, especially his three sons, when they needed it the most. He was a mentor to many students and participated in many community efforts such as Kiwanis, Floyd Lions, and the Charles City School Board. Lyle was known for his quick wit and sense of humor, and enjoyed pulling pranks every day but especially April Fool’s Day. One of his greatest joys was taking road trips with his wife, visiting their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren throughout the United States.
Lyle is survived by his wife, Cindy of rural Charles City; sons: Noah and Jennifer (Minnis) Wendland of Monument, Colorado, Jacob and Meghan (May) Wendland of Cleveland, Ohio, and Isaac and Libby (Phillips) Wendland of Forest, Virginia; along with his three grandchildren: Eden, Madison, and Layne Wendland; brothers: Walter (Janet) Wendland of Mason City, Iowa, Dean (Dawn) Wendland of Floyd, Iowa; sisters: Jane (Robert) O’Hollearn of Johnston, Iowa, and Annette (Brian) Mohling of Marion, Iowa. He is also survived by 33 nieces and nephews.
Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Alice Wendland, and father-in-law, Michael Mitchell and mother-in-Law, Delphine Mitchell.
Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, in Charles City, is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com.
