Gale Eugene “Dutch” Eshelman, the son of Albert and Ruth (Askey) Eshelman, was born in Noble Center Township, near Lyman, IA, on April 11, 1930. He died November 21, 2020, at the Boone County Memorial Hospital in Boone, IA, at the age of 90 years, 7 months, and 10 days.
Dutch graduated from Elliott High School with the class of 1947. After graduating, he attended Junior College in Red Oak for a year, before finishing his education degree at Peru State College in 1950. While attending Peru State College, he was active on the basketball team and track squad. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he was an artillery surveyor attached to the 9th Corps, during the Korean War. On December 30, 1950, he was united in marriage to Sharon Lee Kip at the Elliott Church of Christ. Two children were born to this union, Lynn and David. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Dutch and Sharon moved to Minden, IA, where he taught high school and coached baseball and boys’ and girls’ basketball. They moved to Lennox in 1960. When Dutch received his master’s in education in 1962, he became the High School Principal in Lennox. They moved to Exira, IA, before Dutch became the High School Principal in Griswold in 1969. He retired in 1981 but was talked into driving a school bus for several more years. After retirement, Dutch was able to put more time into his farm and even had an antique shop in Griswold for several years. He loved putting on the Eshelman’s Southwest Iowa Antique Machinery and Threshing Show every year. Dutch moved to Ogden several years ago and then recently moved to Stratford Care Center.
Dutch was a member of the Griswold United Methodist Church where he had taught Sunday school. He had been a member of the Griswold American Legion Post #508 and the Optimist Club. He loved history, baseball, and listening to music, especially Glenn Miller and marches. Dutch enjoyed studying WWII and thought of the WWII veterans as his heroes.
He is preceded in death by his wife Sharon, on April 15, 1998; his parents; his brother Curtis “Scoop” Eshelman; and his sisters, JoAnn Anderson, and Joyce Eshelman.
Dutch is survived by his children Lynn Smith and husband Dick of Ogden, IA, and David Eshelman and wife Sally of Topeka, KS; his grandchildren: Cassandra Britton and husband Jeremy of Ogden, IA, Emily Wolfe and husband Austyn of Manson, IA, and Lindsay and Katelyn Eshelman of Topeka, KS; his great grandchildren: Joslyn, William, Kian, Maisie; his brother Roger Eshelman and wife Marjorie of Ogden, IA; his sister-in-law Barb Eshelman of Mesa, AZ; and his brother-in-law Dean Anderson of Elliott, IA. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
An open visitation will be held at the Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold on Saturday, November 28, 2020, from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Interment will be at the Hillside Cemetery at Elliott, IA at 2:30 PM. Masks will be required, and social distancing will be encouraged. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family.
