Ned Trowbridge

Ned (Ted) Alfonse Trowbridge, Jr., 96, of Lenox, IA, formerly of Marshalltown, passed away Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 5, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown with visitation being held one hour before the service at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established and donations may be sent to the family. Military Honors will be provided by combined VFW/American Legion Honor Guard at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. For information or to send a condolence, please visit: www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Ted Trowbridge was born December 24, 1920 in Marshalltown to Ned and Margaret Wheater Trowbridge. After graduating from Marshalltown High School he continued to help on the family farm and started raising purebred Chester White hogs and Polled Herefords. He won many local and state championships through 4-H competition. Determined to enlist in the service of his country during WWII, even though he was turned down many, many times due to his colorblindness, Ted was finally accepted into the aircraft maintenance engineering program. While in Army Air Force Boot Camp in California he met the first love of his life, Shirley Graefe, on Thanksgiving Day in 1942 when he accepted an invitation to dinner by a civilian family. They were married in September 1943 but she preceded him in death in 1972. Ted was extremely proud to be selected by the Air Force to attend Yale University for specialized training in mechanical engineering and, upon completion, was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant. He was in command of 65 mechanics making major structural and mechanical improvements to the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter, based at Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, CT. Following his honorable discharge from the service, Ted returned to his purebred livestock breeding until he built the Trowbridge Motel on Hwy. 30 in 1951, the Thunderbird Motel in 1958 and later the Thunderbird Restaurant. On April 10, 1974, Ted married the second love of his life, Dorcelle Stanley Khile of Marshalltown, who passed away in March 2015. Ted was an avid hunter and fisherman and has held the Iowa State Record for white crappie since May 1981. He was very active as a 4-H member and leader for many years. Being a strong advocate for wildlife conservation, he was a member of the Marshall County Conservation Board, Ducks Unlimited, and Pheasants Forever. He was also a member of the American Legion, NRA, NWTF, Chamber of Commerce, and the Toastmasters. Hunting, especially with his daughter, Nancy, and fishing with his family and friends was his passion and he loved telling stories and playing the harmonica for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He often said how blessed his life was and that he loved his job so much that he never considered it as work. He enjoyed classic westerns, great music by Nat King Cole and Glenn Miller, and his favorite piano tunes played by his daughter, Ann. Ted was very happy to live the last two years at Vintage Park Apartments in Lenox, IA, where he made wonderful friendships with residents and staff. Ted Trowbridge is survived by his twin daughters, Nancy (Rod) Rinderknecht, Crookston, MN and Ann (Lorin) Petersen, Stanton, IA, daughter-in-law, Joy Hongyun Jin Trowbridge, Venice, CA; Step-children, Deborah Martin, North Richland Hills, TX, Peggy (Michael) McDaniel, Fort Smith, AR, Nancy Bizio, Lewisville, TX, and James Khile, Yukon, OK. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Lanlan Jin, Germany, Kimberly (Justin) Plessel, Isaac and Lilah, Maple Grove, MN, Michael (Jessica) Rinderknecht, Matthew and Ava, Buffalo, MN, Jeff (Jamie) Petersen, Joseph, Jacob, Sophia and Olivia, Belle Plaine, MN, Joel (Kathleen) Petersen, Teagan, Alice and Millicent, Maple Grove, MN, Andrew (Jenny) Martin, Jackson and Karis, Arvada, CO, Angela (Justin) Spooner, Kate, John, and Luke, Keller, TX, Abigail Martin, North Richland Hills, TX, Aley (James) Grudecki, Irving, TX, Katina Bizio, Lewisville, TX, John Bizio, Little Elm, TX, Tabitha Khile, Oklahoma City, OK, Cherie Khile, Yukon, OK, and Emily Khile, Yukon, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents, wives Shirley and Dorcelle, son David, brother Robert, and step-son-in-law Ed Martin. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.