Otha Dickersbach Obituary (1927

Otha Dickersbach, age 82, of Malvern died Monday, November 2, 2009, at the Montgomery County Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa. Otha Randall Dickersbach, the youngest of four sons of Frederick and Ida Blanche (Burton) Dickersbach, was born on July 17, 1927, on the Highland View Stock Farm in Center Township, west of Malvern, Iowa. He grew up and attended Mount Vernon country school and graduated from Malvern High School in 1944. Otha was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Otha joined the United States Air Force and served his country in the Korean War, attaining the rank of sergeant. While in active duty, Otha married Maxine Belle Doncheske, daughter of Emil and Mildred (Samuelson) Doncheske of Palmer, Nebraska, on June 2, 1951 in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon their marriage, Otha and Maxine became members of the Malvern United Methodist Church. After completion of military service, Otha returned to Iowa to farm with his father on the home place and continued to farm until September of 2009. In addition to farming, Otha was a rural mail carrier, based out of Malvern and Randolph, from 1963-1994, accumulating thousands of miles without a single accident. Outside interests and positions include Worthy Master of the Silver Urn Masonic Lodge in Malvern; 4-H leader of the Silver Creek Go-Getters; Commander of Harry Hammons American Legion Post 520 in Malvern; and selling seed corn for various companies. Through the years, Otha and Maxine were able to enjoy trips to Germany, the Caribbean, and Mexico, as well as family trips to various states, with the last trip being a cruise to Alaska in 2006. Otha and Maxine had been married 58 years at the time of his death on November 2, 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Darwin Dickersbach and wife Helen, Clyde Dickersbach and wife Opal, and Blaine Dickersbach and wife Ocle; and brother-in-law, LeRoy Doncheske. Otha is survived by his wife Maxine Dickersbach; sons, Glen Dickersbach and Steven Dickersbach and his wife Linda and their daughter Megan Dickersbach, all of Malvern; daughter Valerie Melton and her husband Jim of Silver City, IA; step grandson, Austin Thompson and family of Ames, IA; sister, Mary Jane Naish of Plano, TX; sister-in-law, Loris Ann Doncheske of Palmer, NE; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends. Open Visitation (without family present) on Thursday, November 5, 2009, from 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Visitation with family present at 1:00 P.M., one hour prior to Funeral Service on Friday, November 6, 2009. Memorials suggested to Malvern Cemetery Association, Harry Hammons Legion Post 520 or American Legion Auxiliary.