Paul O. Wilsterman

Paul “Pood” Wilsterman, age 89, of Waukee and formerly of Melbourne, Iowa, passed away peacefully on the evening of July 26, 2025 at Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Graveside services for Paul will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025 beginning at 3:00 P.M. at the Melbourne Memorial Gardens Cemetery. A visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025 from 1:30 until 2:30 P.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Memorials in Paul’s name may be directed to the family for a later designation. For additional information or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.

Paul Owen Wilsterman was born November 30, 1935 in Marshalltown, Iowa. He was the youngest of two sons born to Alva and Alice (Bousselot) Wilsterman. Paul grew up in Melbourne, Iowa where he attended school graduating in the Class of 1953.

Out of school, Paul began working for Jacob Brothers in Melbourne. In 1961, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Ann Freese at the First Baptist Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. Together they made their home in Melbourne and raised two children, Craig and Barb. He began working for Lennox Industries in Marshalltown in their maintenance department. He continued working for the company for over 40 years when he retired. In 2020, Paul and Ann relocated to Waukee, Iowa to be closer to family.

Paul was a lifelong member of the St. John United Church of Christ in Melbourne. Additionally, he was a member of the U.A.W Local 893, Melbourne Lions Club and the Melbourne Fire Department. In his free time, Paul lived and breathed sports. He was an avid fan for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs constantly cheering no matter how the seasons went. He was a coach for little league baseball for over 10 years eventually coaching his son. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, playing slow pitch softball, going boating with his family where he would take the kids water skiing. He was a proud father and grandfather and loved watching his grandson play soccer in college.

Those left to remember and cherish his memory are his wife, Ann Wilsterman; his children, Craig (Beate) Wilsterman and Barb Wilsterman; along with his three grandchildren, Dr. Kathryn (Cory Williams) Wilsterman, Grant (Katie Van Valkinburgh) Wilsterman and Alexander Wilsterman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alva and Alice Wilsterman; his brother, David Wilsterman; mother and father-in-law, Fritz and Frances Freese; and brother-in-law, Fritzie Freese.