Charles (Chuck) Hexom Obituary (1940

Charles Wilbur Hexom, one of three children of Willie Schiernbeck and Margaret "Peg" (Kaiser) Schiernbeck, was born at Charter Oak, Iowa on June 26, 1940. Peg died from tuberculosis when Chuck was ten and his father was unable to care for him. For the next two years, Chuck lived in an orphanage at Muscatine, Iowa. In 1952, Chuck was adopted by George W. Hexom and Corrine M. (Langland) Hexom from Waukon, Iowa. Chuck was baptized and later confirmed at the Glenwood Lutheran Church at Waukon and graduated from Waukon High School in 1958. He moved to Denison, Iowa to live with his maternal grandmother, Anna Kaiser, while he worked at Iowa Beef Processing. Chuck and Mary Hudson of Arion, Iowa were married and blessed with a daughter, Charlene. They later divorced. Chuck and Marilyn Louise Black of Woodbine, Iowa were married at Plattsmouth, Nebraska on April 6, 1963 and made their first home in Shenandoah, Iowa. Chuck worked at Mount Arbor Nursery and their marriage was blessed with daughters, Robin who died in infancy, and Marla. The family moved to Randolph, Iowa and Chuck accepted a job with the Henningsen Egg Processing plant in Malvern. The family was again blessed with two daughters, Tamara and Margaret. They later moved to Malvern and their fifth daughter Joyce, was born. After Henningsens closed, Chuck attended dynamite school and took a job with Kaiser Quarries blasting wherever the company needed him. Chuck loved his new job and became a skilled dynamite technician. The Kaiser Quarries were sold and Chuck went to work for the Botna Valley Grain Company in Malvern and later the Agriland Farm Service. Chuck next worked for Phyllis and LeRoy Viner in their auto body shop at Malvern. In 2000, Chuck suffered a disabling heart attack and on Valentines Day 2001 had triple heart bypass surgery. Chuck's enjoyments included hunting pheasants, rabbits, and turkey. He enjoyed collecting Dale Earnhardt Nascar memorabilia, belt buckles, and hats and caps of all descriptions. His greatest enjoyment was found in his family and he was happiest when they could all be together. Chuck and Marilyn had been married 42 years at the time of his death on January 23, 2006. He had attained the age of 65 years, 6 months, and 27 days. Chuck was preceded in death by his biological and adoptive parents; infant daughter Robin; sister Phyllis Kvamme; granddaughter Mari Charon who died from Lupus Disease at age 18; three infant grandsons, Tacoma Lyons, Ryan Holsapple and Isaiah Holsapple. Chuck is survived by his wife Marilyn Hexom of Malvern; daughters Charlene Townsend and husband Tobby of Thurman, Iowa, Marla Fernandez of Omaha, Nebraska, Tamara Holsapple and husband John of Pisgah, Iowa, Margaret Waugh and husband Steve, and Joyce Cowan and husband Gary, all of Malvern; 25 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren; brother Larry Schiernbeck and wife Cindi of Grand Island, NE; mother-in-law Dorothy Black of Woodbine, IA; four brothers-in-law; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.