B.O. Bryngelson

Longtime Marshalltown Businessman, Entrepreneur, and Community and Family Man, Berdette Orman (B.O.) Bryngelson passed away surrounded by his loving family on October 20, 2022 at the age of 92.

Berdette was born on September 8, 1930 in Revillo, South Dakota to his parents Ralph Clarence Bryngelson and Julia Luene Scheie Bryngelson. He grew up working hard on his parents’ farm in Milbank, South Dakota with his three sisters Berniece Folk, Evelyn Dittes and Vivian Snell. They attended a one room schoolhouse at least a mile from their home. At 19 years old he married the girl of his dreams Barbara Louise Wade,17, and they built a life together for 65 years. Berdette worked several jobs including a sausage factory where he offered to work for a week in order to get the job and if the boss wasn’t satisfied with his work he didn’t have to pay him. Of course, this hardworking man met and exceeded the boss’s expectations. After long hours of work he and Barbara worked building their own little home. It wasn’t long before they became parents with their firstborn daughter, Debra Eschweiler. They had a plan to succeed and moved to Marshalltown, Iowa where he first worked for his Uncle Clifford Bryngelson, carpenter and cabinetmaker. Berdette would come home for supper and go do concrete work or other jobs at night, such as fixing and selling cars. He could figure out a way to fix anything. They built the basement of what was to become their own home and lived in it until they could afford to build the rest. They went on to have five more children: Vicky Lou Lindsey, Robert Orman Bryngelson, John Berdette Bryngelson, Julie Lynn Wirkus and Jay Cameron Bryngelson. Soon Berdette had his own business, B.O. Bryngelson Construction Company and the first of his red trucks. He bought farmland on the South side of Marshalltown where he put in the streets and developed a whole division of homes. His Uncle Clifford crafted beautiful custom cabinets for the quality stick-built homes. Berdette donated land to build Fisher Elementary School. His business expanded; he built homes across the state, added an excavating operation, a wholesale/retail carpet/flooring, furniture and appliance store -his motto was “Everything for the home including the home” - and another housing development company in Webster City, Iowa. Altogether he built over 1,000 homes. Soon the businesses became Bryngelson Corporation. He helped build the Niederhauser Airport in Marshalltown and took flying lessons from Glenn Niederhauser. He became a pilot and had 7 different airplanes which made traveling to the widespread job sights much easier. He and Barbara worked hard side by side 24 X 7 - definitely a dynamic duo! The airplane made quick trips to visit grandparents in South Dakota and Michigan possible. He made fun times with his harmonica playing, songs sung, and jokes and stories to entertain. He loved his community of Marshalltown and worked wholeheartedly to help it grow. He was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. He served in many offices of the JayCee organization, including as National Vice President. He traveled all over setting up charter JayCee Clubs in Iowa and even chartered clubs in prisons to give inmates a service role Dad would go each year to the Marshall County Jail and other prisons, counseling and often providing jobs or housing for inmates upon release. He served as National Vice President of Iowa Homebuilders Association and traveled often to Washington D.C. advocating for better laws to help improve communities. He was a member of Central Iowa Property Association and Iowa Landlords serving as President several years. After the work day he volunteered to put up the town decorations for Christmas and water the town’s plants in season. He flooded a vacant lot in our neighborhood for families to ice skate and won the Christmas lighting decoration contest many years with the handcrafted giant Bible and nativity creche built by dear friend Jerry Schulte and Santa landing on the roof in an airplane. In 1971 he purchased the Hotel Tallcorn from William Fisher and converted it to apartments maintaining the eight dining/meeting rooms and the Georgian Ballroom. Thousands of people enjoyed the fabulous buffets on Sundays and holidays or coffee and meals during the week. Berdette was always planning and forging ahead with new ideas. He flew in Hawaiian pineapples and lobsters for the live lobster tank. He hosted parties for the tenants of the Tallcorn and gave away many prizes and delicious treats. Many times he carried hot meals from our own Christmas table to elderly tenants at the Tallcorn . He held dances with live bands playing in the beautiful Georgian Ballroom for the public to enjoy. He had Santa fly in a helicopter and distribute dollars for a Holiday kickoff in town. They hosted many celebrities at the Tallcorn including Governor Harold Hughes, soon-to-be President Ronald Reagan, who presented Berdette with his own Stetson cowboy hat made especially for Ronald Reagan, an esteemed United States General, former Iowa Governor Terry Brandstad and of course Chuck Grassley many times. Later he took on the responsibility of running the landfill. In 2013 he sold the Tallcorn to Common Bond who secured a 11 million dollar grant to remodel the Tallcorn to the modern apartments that stand today. Berdette Bryngelson never fully retired but maintained his hard work ethic to his final breath. In 2013 he was also diagnosed with terminal multiple myeloma cancer. He was transported to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota where the greatest doctors worked over him in teams. They didn’t expect him to make it through the night and yet nearly 10 years later he was still not only living but working. In fact, he was out working alongside a local plumber repairing an apartment building the day before his final hospitalization. Berdette and Barbara used to laugh and say they worked hard so they could play hard and they did have many wonderful experiences. They made several wonderful trips to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Europe, visited the Holy Land and were baptized In the Jordan River, flew their private plane to Acapulco, Mexico, and even across the ocean to Brazil.

Berdette loved people and loved a party. He was a known guest at the Meskwaki Casino in Tama, where he played his harmonica for every jackpot, and hosted many parties including his recent 92nd birthday. He was entertainment for family and friends. Berdette was loved by many. He belonged to several Masonic organizations and had hundreds of brothers through these devoted service groups. He served in many offices, to name a few: In Marshall Lodge #108 he served as Master in 1989, In Signet Chapter #38 RAM King Solomon’s Council #20 R&SM, St. Aldemar Commandery #30 Knights Templar. He served as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Iowa Royal Arch Masons 1998 – 99. He was currently serving as General Grand Treasurer of the General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons International. He had friends and brothers from all over the world.

He was also a member and past Governor of Iowa York Rite College #37. He served as Grand Governor of Iowa for the York Rite Sovereign College of North America, 2006 – 2010. He was a recipient of the Order of the Purple Cross. He was past prior of Charles Clyde Hunt Priory #42 Knights of York Cross of Honour (KYCH) and also a member of St. Bartholomew Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine and Last Supper Tabernacle XVIII HRAKTP.

He was a member of Za-Ga-Zig Shrine and the Des Moines Scottish Rite Consistory. He was a charter member and past president of the Marshalltown High Twelve Club, past president of Iowa/South Dakota High Twelve Club Association, member and past patron of Central Chapter #87 Order of the Eastern Star and White Shrine.

Berdette was a devout Christian member and board member for years of Elim Lutheran Church and also on the Full Life Ministry board. He was a member of the local Kiwanis and hosted many of the regular service groups including Rotary, Optimists and Christian Women’s Club at the Tallcorn. Berdette will long be remembered and loved by his family and friends all over the world.

Berdette will be reunited with his loving wife Barbara, son John Berdette Bryngelson, his parents, Ralph and Julia, his in-laws Lawrence and Louise Sindel, his three sisters Berniece Folk, Evelyn Dittes and Vivian Snell, and three brother-in-laws, Virgil Dittes, Duane Snell and Burt Wade, son-in-law Frank Lindsey great granddaughter Eliana Grace Kline, and many loved ones and friends already in heaven.

Berdette is survived by his children Debby (Steve) Eschweiler, Vicky Lindsey, Bob Bryngelson, Julie (Harley) Wirkus, and Jay Bryngelson, daughter-in-law Kathy (the late John Bryngelson) grandchildren Mary Barbara Lindsey, Ryan Klenk, Danielle (the late Murray) Douglas, Sean Klenk, Blair Bryngelson, Angela (Jon) Bowden, Jessalyn (Mark) Kline, Katie (Jake) Fuentez, Tracy (Haldon) Marmolejoles, Shanya (Jasen) Burton, Jeannie Wirkus (Jason) , and Tanner (Shelby) Luethje, Brandon Bryngelson, (Savanah), 28 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren, Brother-in-law George Folk, Sister and Brother-in-law Darlene and Jack Feller and many cousins and dear friends.

Services for Berdette will begin on Sunday, October 30, 2022, with a visitation from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Celebration of Life where stories and memories can be shared from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. and a Masonic Service at 7:00 p.m., all at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown, Iowa.

On Monday, October 31, 2022, Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Elim Lutheran Church, in Marshalltown, Iowa. Burial will take place at Rose Hill Memorial Cemetery following the service.

For those unable to attend, services will be available at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell-Family-Funeral-Home-99280714047/. Please be patient as not all services begin promptly at the start time. If there are any technical difficulties with the livestream, a recording of the services will be uploaded to the page at a later time. Thank you for understanding!

If you would like to gift a memorial to one of the charities Berdette supported, please consider: Elim Lutheran Church, Mayo Clinic Hematology Dept. to aid in research for Multiple Myeloma, or Royal Arch Research Assistance, which aids auditory issues. Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Berdette and his family. www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234.

- Lovingly written by the family