Gerald Rosenquist

Gerald Rosenquist, 88 of Dayton passed away peacefully at his Meadow Creek Farm home on December 22, 2015. He was surrounded by his family. Outside his perennial gardens and farm fields were at rest. Gerald deeded his body to the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

A Celebration of Life service will be held next summer at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, June 25, 2016 at the McGuire Bend United Brethren Church in rural Dayton.

Gerald Vincent Rosenquist was born on the family farm near Burnside, Iowa on January 27, 1927 to Reuben and Lillie Rosenquist. He attended Burnside High School and graduated with the class of 1944. He served in the Army in Japan following the end of World War II. On September 29, 1950 he was united in marriage to Marcia Lundberg at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Burnside, Iowa.
Immediately after their marriage, Gerald and Marcia became the fourth generation to reside at Meadow Creek Farm where they raised livestock and grains. Gerald also was employed at Felco / Land O'Lakes for 26 years. Upon retirement from farming in the 1990's, Gerald and Marcia started creating and maintaining several perennial gardens. Gerald loved building the hardscape of the gardens, tending to the many perennials, and planting trees. For several years at Christmas, he transformed the gardens into a sparkling display using 30,000+ lights.

He is survived by daughters Loretta (Gary) Sandholm of Waseca, MN and Nancy Rosenquist of Ames, IA ; and sister, Arlene Rosenquist of Dayton; sister-in-law, Fern Rosenquist of Fort Dodge, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Marcia on July 16, 2015; his parents; brothers Dwayne Rosenquist and Leland Rosenquist; and sister Norma O'Brion.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.