GORDON H. CARSTENS, 83, of Aurelia, Iowa passed away Saturday afternoon, February 22, 2014 at his home.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, February 26th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Pastor Jon Riggert will officiate. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Aurelia, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home on Wednesday. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Gordon was born on March 7, 1930 in Ida County, Iowa to Harry & Olga (Groepper) Carstens. He attended Country School and graduated from Holstein High School in 1948. He served in the Iowa National Guard from 1948-1954, as a Corporal for the Ambulance Company, 109th Medical Battalion. He was married to Joan McKenzie on March 28, 1952 in Aurelia, Iowa. He had worked for Lundell Manufacturing, Sears as a repairman, Wilson Foods / Tyson's, retiring in 1994. He had lived in Aurelia since 1995 and prior to this in Cherokee, Iowa. He was a member of the Aurelia Kiwanis. Gordon enjoyed fishing, visiting the casino, camping, bowling, and he especially loved watching the Iowa Hawkeye sporting events.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter Pamela Sue Carstens in 2003, two sisters LaVonne Kelley and her husband Sherman, Joanne Cline, and a brother-in-law Gerald McKenzie.

He is survived by his wife Joan of Aurelia, Iowa; three daughters: Joyce (Lynn) White of Stratford, Iowa; Sally (David) Stodden of Marcus, Iowa; Peggy (Roger) Seel of Cherokee, Iowa; 8 grandchildren: Karl (Jen) Stodden of LeMars, Iowa, Tim Stodden of Hinton, Iowa, Barb Stodden of Portland, Oregon, Adam Stodden of Hinton, Iowa, Ginny (Bill) Eskildsen of Cherokee, Iowa, Ben (Jenn) Seel of Independence, Kansas, Fred Seel of Indianola, Iowa, Mari (Doug) Hoskisson of Lee's Summit, Missouri; 8 great grandchildren: Leah and Colin Eskildsen, Maddie, Nic, Theo, and Kenzie Seel, Alina Seel, and D.J. Stodden; one sister: Betty Carstens of Shell Knob, Missouri; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Pat Cline of Neosho, Missouri; Anna Belle McKenzie of Cherokee, Iowa; Betty McKenzie of Lacey, Washington; Priscilla (Rodney) Bainbridge of Cherokee, Iowa; Stan (Mary Jo) McKenzie of Rogers, Arkansas; also several nieces and nephews.