Harold Tomhave

Harold W. Tomhave, 91, of Marshalltown, died Thursday, April 30, 2009, at Villa del Sol under the care of Iowa River Hospice. Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2009, at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Private family burial services will be in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be on Sunday afternoon from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to Iowa River Hospice. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been caring for Harold and his family. Ph 641-844-1234.Harold Walter Tomhave was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on March 31, 1918. He was the 7th of 7 children born to Carl and Randine (Ekerhaugen) Tomhave. Randine passed away and Carl later married Martha and she became Harolds stepmother. He graduated from Fergus Falls High School and went to business college. For several years, Harold was employed by the Western Union Telegraph Company as a telegrapher or manager of offices in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. He then spent 2 years in the US Navy and returned to Marshalltown. Harold was transferred from Fargo, North Dakota to Marshalltown by Western Union to work as a telegraph operator. There, he met Margaret Mahaffey and they were married on August 31, 1941, in Red Oak, Iowa. The couple moved to Marshalltown in 1944. For 35 years after marriage, Harold was self-employed as a manufacturers representative working in Iowa and Nebraska. Harold was vice-president of the Iowa Reps Association and a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lincoln Valley Golf Club, and Elmwood Country Club. Harold enjoyed fishing at their many lake homes in Minnesota and Iowa. He and Margy had a very active social life with a large group of friends who enjoyed dancing and annual bus trips to the Iowa-Minnesota football game. Survivors include his two sons, Dr. Robert(Lauren) Tomhave of Savannah, GA, and Richard(Darlene) Tomhave of Marshalltown; his daughter, Bette Jo(Bob) Burgfechtel of Wisconsin and Florida; his 8 grandchildren, Jeff(Kris) Burgfechtel, John(Jennifer) Burgfechtel, Kevin(Amy) Tomhave, Tracy(Jim) Nuetzi, Jaime(John) Gallimore, Megan(Josh) Heflin, Allison(Aaron) Simmons, and Chad(Christina) Tomhave; and his 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepmother Martha, his 3 brothers and 3 sisters, and his wife, Margy, who died in September of 2007.