Lawrence Eilts

Lawrence Harold Eilts, 94, of Cumberland, Iowa, passed away Thursday, February 21, 2019, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa.

He was born March 16, 1924, on the family farm southeast of Wiota, Iowa, the son of Henry and Emilie (Brauer) Eilts. Lawrence grew up in rural Wiota and rural Cumberland. He attended school in Cumberland, graduating from Cumberland High School. Lawrence was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Norma Moore, on February 20, 1949, at the Cumberland Christian Church. They made their home on a farm southeast of Wiota, Iowa, for six years and later moved to their farm near Cumberland in 1955, which became a century farm. They spent 63 years together before Norma passed away in 2012.

Lawrence was a lifelong member of the Cumberland Christian Church and later when the union of the Trinity Christian Church was formed. He was also a member of the National Farmers Organization and Flying Farmers. Lawrence had a strong love and passion for airplanes and flying them. He owned at least six airplanes in his lifetime. Lawrence enjoyed taking his family and friends on airplane rides. He had a great sense of humor, especially when flying. Many times he loved to “buzz” over others while they were in their tractors or in the fields. Lawrence also liked to build things and work with his tools inventing things. He had a positive attitude and was an honest hardworking man. Lawrence had a gift for talking to others and made friends with everyone.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Eilts; his parents, Henry and Emilie Eilts; his parents-in-law, Leonard and Minnie Moore; his son, David Eilts; and his siblings, Esther (Frank) Gilliam, Albert (Velma and Dorothy) Eilts, Arnold (Marian and Marcia) Eilts, Ervin Eilts and Aletha (Earl) Miller.

Lawrence is survived by his children, Pansie (Richard) Hoffman of Cumberland, IA, and their children, Sylvia (Lance) Bommersbach and Trenda (Tayler) Peterson; Duane (Diane) Eilts of Massena, IA, and their children, Misty Scybert, Brian Eilts and Craig (Katie) Eilts; and daughter-in-law, Laurie Eilts of Norwalk, IA and her children, Rachel Harban, Paul (Lindsey) Eilts, and Katherine (Ben) Dressler; 11 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mary Eilts of Council Bluffs, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 27, 2019, at the Trinity Christian Church in Bridgewater, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, February 28, 2019, also at the Trinity Christian Church in Bridgewater, Iowa.

Interment will be held in the Massena Township Cemetery.

Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.