Don Boshart

Wayland, Iowa – Don Wyse Boshart, 78, left his earthly body on Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Parkview Home in Wayland after a short battle with cancer.

Don was born on September 22, 1934 near Wayland, Iowa to Elon Martin and Eldora Mae (Wyse) Boshart.

He married Eldora Marie Roth on July 22, 1954 in Wayland, Iowa. Throughout their 58 years together, they enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, traveling, working together in their yard, and going to the Lake of the Ozarks. Don’s hobbies included selling used cars and eating ice cream.

Don was a faithful and active member of Sugar Creek Mennonite Church, having accepted Christ as his personal Savior on December 1, 1946. He served there as trustee, junior department superintendent, and Sunday school teacher. He volunteered his time for many church causes, including a mission trip to Arajuno, Ecuador in February 2010 to construct a church.

He graduated from Wayland High School in 1952. From 1954-56, he then served as an orderly in 1-W Public Health Service in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Returning to Wayland in 1956, he started row crop farming and raising turkeys. In 1959, he acquired a sales tax permit and started Don W. Boshart Equipment Sales. He sold everything from short line farm machinery to motorcycles to grain bins. In 1964 he expanded his business and began selling herbicides to fellow producers and offered custom spraying.

He was an agent for Mennonite Mutual Aid Insurance and served on the Board of Directors for numerous years.

In 1980, Don and Eldora left the farm and moved to a new home they erected in Wayland. At this time, Don was joined in the family business by his sons. He continued to work on the farm and business until a stroke limited his involvement in 2010.

He is survived by his wife, Eldora and his son, Mark and wife, Linda Boshart, Mt Pleasant, daughter Jan and husband Randy Shelman, Winfield, and daughter-in-law, Annette and husband, Paul Von Tersch, Wayland. He is also survived by seven grandchildren – Christopher Boshart, Katie Noll, Jackie Wilke, Jenae Peachey, Amy Tyson, Brittany Shelman and Makenzie Shelman, seven great-grandchildren, one sister, Pauline Wyse, Wayland and former exchange student and family member, Hector Urbano and wife Liliana, Bogota, Colombia, and two children Mario and Monica.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his son Gale, June 1995.

According to his wishes, his body has been cremated. A visitation will occur on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the Sugar Creek Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall from 3:00-7:00 PM with the family present from 5:00-7:00 PM. A Celebration of Life Service will be Saturday, June 29 at 11:00 AM at the Sugar Creek Mennonite Church with Pastor Nathan Luitjens officiating. Private family burial in the Sugar Creek Cemetery will be held prior to the service. Memorials have been established for Parkview Home and Mennonite Mission Network for church planting in Riobomba, Ecuador.