Darold Whiteman

Friday, August 18, 2017 2:21 pm

Darold Whiteman, 89, of New Hampton, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017, at the Patty Elwood Center in Cresco. A Mass of Christian Burial is at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton, with Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass. Interment is at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Hampton following the Mass, with Curtis Platte, Jesse Platte, Matt Zuke, Brian Rausch, Nicholas Rausch and Kristopher Rausch serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Sarah Zuke, Amanda Wolter, Ashley Reicks, Andrea Rausch, Haillie Reicks and Emily Rausch. Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton, where there is a 4 p.m. rosary and a 6:30 p.m. scriptural service. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service Tuesday at the church. Online condolences for Darold’s family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com.

Darold Edward Whiteman was born Dec. 4, 1927, in New Hampton, the youngest child of Fay and Margaret (Kramer) Whitemen. He received his education in rural country school at ‘Five Corners’ north of New Hampton and attended high school in New Hampton. Following his sophomore year he stayed at home to help his father on the farm due to his father loosing his sight. He began driving his parents everywhere near the age of 14. At the advice of his older brothers, he chose the United States Navy as the branch where he would serve his country. He was inducted into the United States Navy Aug. 24, 1950. He served as a diesel mechanic in the US Fleet and had once hauled prisoners of war from the front line to Korea. He was honorably discharged June 18, 1954. While on leave he met Charlotte Frost of Pittsville, Wis., who he later married. To this union three children were born: Cindy, Larry and Sue. The couple later divorced. Darold initially worked at the former Rath Packing Company in Waterloo and then at the former White Farm Equipment Company in Charles City. Darold devoted 41 years to White Farm, working there until it closed.

Darold raised his children and was sure there was a family vacation every summer. They traveled to Wisconsin to see relatives several times and to Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills. The family also met other relatives at Alcock Park in Frederika for fishing and summer picnics. After his children were raised he married Nadine Pitts June 26, 1981. The couple spent several retirement years traveling in their RV and later made the choice to winter in Texas for over 10 years. Nadine suffered from an early onset of Alzheimers and Darold cared for her in their home for nearly 20 years, until she became a resident at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in 2003. Darold remained at home with the help of his granddaughter Andrea who cared for him until last fall when his health forced him to enter the Patty Elwood Center. He was a lifetime member of Holy Family Parish and a UAW member. He will be remembered by his family for the care he gave and how he could fix everything.

Darold is survived by his wife, Nadine of New Hampton; two daughters, Cynthia (Herb) Platte of New Hampton and Susan (David) Rausch of Fort Atkinson; 11 grandchildren: Jesse (Ashley) Platte of Radcliffe, Sarah (Matt) Zuke of Denver, Curtis (Kelly Cochrane) Platte of Crestwood, Ill., Amanda (Jason) Wolter of Cresco, Ashley (Eric) Reicks of Cresco, Brian (Alex) Rausch of Johnston, Andrea Rausch of New Hampton, Nicholas Rausch of Cedar Falls, Kristopher (Sara) Rausch of Marion, Haillie (Trent) Reicks of Waucoma, Emily Rausch of Fort Atkinson; 19 great-grandchildren; four step-children: Bob (Patricia) Junko of Atlanta, Ga., Kathy (Steve) Merritt of Williamsburg, Barb (Tom) Matuska of Cedar Rapids and Steven (Carol) Junko of Kansas City, Kan.; seven step-grandchildren: Joseph (Samantha Compton) Junko, Autumn (Levi) Winegar, Eric (Amy) Matuska, Travis (Tiffany) Matuska, Andrew (Trace) Merritt, Kevin (Jama) Pirkl, Todd (Maria) Smith; nine step-great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Kathy Whiteman, of Evansdale; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Larry, in 1994; two brothers, Russell (Dolly) Whiteman and Ralph Whiteman; three sisters: Romana (Floyd) Macha, Lenore and Marian Whiteman in infancy.

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