Gaylord Benton Boeck

Gaylord Benton Boeck, the son of Benton and Lillie (Voss) Boeck, was born on May 6, 1930, at Denison, Iowa.  He received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on June 21, 1930, and confirmed his faith on March 25, 1945 at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison.

Gaylord received his early education at the Nishnabotna Township # 2 country school in rural Crawford County and later graduated from Denison High School with the class of 1948.  Following high school, he farmed with his father.  During these years he, with a couple of friends, assembled a band (guitar, accordion, banjo, and vocals) and played various gigs around the area.

On June 24, 1951, Gaylord married Irene Beermann.  Though in the same graduation class, they did not really date until after high school.  (We are all thankful for the roller-skating rink in Denison.).  Their union was blessed with three sons: Alan, Curtis, and Gary.  Gaylord and Irene lived on a rented farm near Manilla until they moved to a farm they purchased north of Schleswig in 1953.  They started farming with great diversity - hogs, milk cows, and row crops.  But over time, Gaylord phased out of farrowing hogs and milking cows, turning instead to feeding cattle.  This became the focus of his farming operation, and he became known as an exceptional cattleman.

Gaylord’s interests extended beyond the farm.  In earlier years, he and Irene enjoyed bowling, square dancing, and neighborhood card parties.  Later, they were introduced to golf which became a passion for Gaylord.  He became an avid golfer when the Schleswig Golf Course opened and was active on the senior tour up into his late eighties.  Gaylord and Irene moved into the town of Schleswig upon retirement and enjoyed living next to the golf course.  Irene passed away in February of 2000.

Community betterment was a life-long passion of Gaylord’s, and he played an active role in various initiatives.  As a part of the Denison High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) leadership team, he helped start an FFA program in Ida Grove High School.  Always dedicated to land management and conservation, Gaylord was involved with the Soldier River Watershed Conservation program and helped connect farmers with funds for soil conservation efforts.  Gaylord also served on the Board of Directors at Eventide Lutheran Home for over 20 years. He worked with the rest of the Board to acquire the land that grew into today’s Eventide campus.

Gaylord was respected in the Schleswig/Denison community and enjoyed visiting with friends and neighbors.  He was a regular at morning coffee with the guys at Cheeta’s and then later at the club house.  He was always up for a game of Gin or 6-handed Euchre.

Throughout his life, Gaylord was deeply committed to his faith in Jesus and his church.  As a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Schleswig, he served on boards and in various leadership roles.  He volunteered to help whenever needed, but the highlight of every week was always Sunday morning worship service and Sunday morning Bible Class.  He continued to take his turn at serving refreshments for fellowship until moving to Silver Ridge in Denison at the age of 91.

On June 30, 2001, Gaylord married Maxine (Gehring) Bell and entered a journey of love and companionship.  They lived in Schleswig until Maxine’s death in 2016.

Gaylord passed away peacefully on Monday, February 12, 2024, at Gracewell-Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison, attaining the age of 93 years, 9 months, and 6 days.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Benton ad Lillie Boeck; wives: Irene Boeck and Maxine Boeck; stepson Robert Bell; brothers (and sisters-in-law): Russell (Marian) Boeck and Virgil (Violet) Boeck; sister, Berniece Quinn, and nephews: Kevin Boeck and Terence Boeck.

Gaylord is survived by his sons: Alan (Jeynell) Boeck and their children: Hannah (Davis) Runde and their daughter Lou James, Benton Boeck, and Abigail Boeck; Curtis (Robin) Boeck and their sons: John Boeck, Michael Boeck, and James Boeck; and Gary (Susan) Boeck; step-son, Jim (Kristi) Bell and their children: Austin Bell and Ashley McElderry; sister, Bonnie (Virgil) Ewoldt; other relatives and friends.

The chorus to a Dan Fogelberg song comes to mind for those in Gaylord’s family – immediate and extended:

             The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old,
             But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul.
             My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.
             I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

Visitation with Family Greeting Friends will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at the Huebner Funeral Home in Schleswig. Gaylord’s Funeral Services will begin at 2:00 p.m. with visitation resuming from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Schleswig. Interment will be in Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison. In honor of Gaylord's memory, memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

 Link for Gaylord's funeral stream on Youtube:

 https://youtube.com/live/bGuoQNwamHE