Dennis Degelau
March 22, 1947 - August 6, 2021

Dennis Dean Degelau, 74, of Callender, passed away on Friday. August 6, 2021, at Trinity Regional Medical Center.
A time of visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday August 10th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Laufersweiler Funeral Home. Prayer service with military rites conducted by the V.F.W. Post 1856 and the U.S. Army Honor Guard, will be held on Wednesday, at 1:00 PM at the Veterans Memorial Park located north of Fort Dodge on the west side of Kennedy Park.
Dennis Dean Degelau was born on March 22, 1947, in Waterloo, IA. The family moved to Rockwell City and then to Callender area, where he attended schools and graduated from Prairie Valley High School in 1965. From June of 1966 to June of 1968, he served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam where he attained the rank of E-5. Dennis received the National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Sharpshooter, Vietnam Service Medal and the 4th highest individual military award - the Bronze Star. On August 2, 1969, he was united in marriage to Esther Coleman at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge. They made their home in Fort Dodge until 1986 while Dennis worked at AVCO New Idea and Central Lab. The couple then moved to Spirit Lake, where he retired from the U.S. Postal Service in Lake Park, Iowa after 30 years. The couple then returned to Callender for their retirement. Dennis, also known as "Ding", enjoyed camping, tinkering, working on classic cars of which he owned several over the years. He also liked to do remodeling along with other building projects throughout his life. Most important to Dennis was time spent with his family and friends with who he was often the jokester and prankster.
Dennis is survived by his wife Esther of Callender, sons Rick Degelau (Jackie) of Boone and their children Breanna Glesne (Jake) of Ogden and Brandon Degelau of Boone, Jason Degelau (Laurel) of Marshalltown and their children Ashanni Brooks of Ames and Jasmine and Gabriel both at home, brothers Raland Degelau (Ellen) of Nashville, TN, Bill Degelau (Lori) of Fort Dodge, sister Pam Hanson of Olathe, KS, sister-in-law Janice Henrickson (Jack), Sandra Schaunberg, and Tillie (the late Denny) Whittington all of Fort Dodge.
He was preceded in death by his parents William and Nova (McIntosh) Degelau, sisters-in-law JoAnn (Bud) McCarville, Mavis (Joe) Smith, Roberta Brundige, Joyce Farmer, Beverly (Robert) Selhaver, Jackie (Larry) Beekman, Marilyn (Tom) Gibson, brothers-in-law Jerry (Phylis) Coleman, Larry (Beth) Coleman, Merle Coleman, and Denny Whittington.
Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.

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