Howard Dahlof
September 21, 1920 — October 24, 2010
Howard Dahlof, son of James and Ella (Petersen) Dahlof, was born on September 21, 1920, on the Dahlof family farm in Polk Township, Shelby County. He attended country school at Polk No. 9 and graduated from Kirkman High School in 1938 where he was senior class president. He was a lifelong member of the Redline Church of Christ.
Howard was united in marriage to Barbara Hart on March 20, 1946 at Merrill�s Grove Baptist Church in Fiscus, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Ila, Rosalie, and Hunter. After their wedding, the couple made their home on the Dahlof family farm in Polk Township. Howard was actively engaged in farming (corn, soybeans, oats, hogs, stock cows) and trucking. In 1958, the family purchased their own farm in Monroe Township where Howard lived until moving to Salem Lutheran Home, in January, 2010, following Barbara�s passing. Rosalie and Ila remember having milk cows and, of course, there were always horses. Howard and Barbara were active in the Shelby County Saddle Club trail riding and square dancing on horseback. He taught Ila and Rosalie to ride on Old Red, a crippled American Saddlebred mare. He became interested in quarter horses at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado when he hauled out truckloads of cattle for Shelby County producers. He�d spend his free time away from the cattle checking out the horses. He purchased his first quarter horse, Zelda Sorrel, at the National Western Stock Show sale in 1956.
While always a farmer, Howard�s passion was horses; and he was active in different horse organizations � Southwest Iowa Quarter Horse Breeders Association, Iowa Quarter Horse Association and American Quarter Horse Association. In 1979, he formed a group of Iowa Quarter Horse breeders and began the Iowa Breeders Production Sale held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds and continued operating this sale until 1995. Howard developed many friendships through his horse business. We can�t possibly name them all without missing someone. However, one fall, Rodney and Charlene Boom invited Howard and Barbara to see the buffalo roundup at Custer State Park in South Dakota, which began the annual summer excursion to a trail ride in South Dakota. Granddaughter Heather, who spent her summers helping with horses during her high school/college years and granddaughter Ella and grandson Aaron, loved accompanying Grandma and Grandpa to South Dakota. The last few years Rodney and Charlene provided a horse for Howard to ride which made the trip easier. Aaron and his horse went along their last trip in 2005 as the main driver and helper for Grandma and Grandpa. Granddaughter Darcy also enjoyed joining in on the family rides for several years.
In 2003, Howard was honored to be inducted into the Iowa Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame. The family knew the secret ahead of time, and several family members (Rosalie, Ella, & Aaron Carlson, Ila McLaughlin, Heather & Dave Bushner) surprised him following the award. Howard just thought he and Barbara were attending the IQHA banquet because they were given a present of the banquet tickets and motel room for a Christmas present.
In 2007, Howard received the American Quarter Horse Association Legacy Award for 50 years of continuous breeding. During those years Howard raised from 10 � 53 foals per year. Howard established a system for gentling, halter breaking, and conditioning foals with help from family members and helpers. Howard�s horses were shown extensively at Iowa and Nebraska quarter horse shows winning many year end awards and occasionally at the National Western Stock Show where two of his stallions won Reserve Champion; a mare he raised and purchased by daughter Rosalie won both Open and Amateur Grand Champion. Other foals raised by Howard won World Championships in both halter and reining events.
Howard was also involved and active in many local organizations: Farm Bureau, director for Shelby County Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and director for Production Credit Association. He was honored to serve as Elder of the Redline Church of Christ (his Grandfather was one of the original elders of the church); as was his father James and brother Donald.
Howard died on Sunday, October 24, 2010 at Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa having attained the age of ninety years, one month, and three days. In addition to his parents, Howard is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara; his son, Hunter and his sister, Arlene. He is survived by his daughters: Ila and her husband Ken McLaughlin of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Rosalie and her husband James Carlson of Kirkman; four grandchildren: Heather and her husband Dave Bushner of Gainesville, Missouri, Darcy Lytle of Fountain, Colorado, Ella Carlson of Walnut, Iowa and Aaron Carlson currently serving in the US Air Force at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida; two great-grandchildren: Maverick and Savannah Bushner; other family members and many friends.
Minister Roy North officiated the 2:00 PM Funeral Service at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan on Thursday, October 28, 2010. Interment was held in Harlan Cemetery. Honorary casket bearers were Darcy Lytle, David Bushner, Larry Price, Tim Hart, and Rick Hart. Serving as casket bearers were Ella Carlson, Teresa Scheel-Davison, Todd Dahlof, Aaron Carlson, Heather Bushner, Rodney Boom, Ivy Robinson, and Glenn Wingert
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Howard was united in marriage to Barbara Hart on March 20, 1946 at Merrill�s Grove Baptist Church in Fiscus, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Ila, Rosalie, and Hunter. After their wedding, the couple made their home on the Dahlof family farm in Polk Township. Howard was actively engaged in farming (corn, soybeans, oats, hogs, stock cows) and trucking. In 1958, the family purchased their own farm in Monroe Township where Howard lived until moving to Salem Lutheran Home, in January, 2010, following Barbara�s passing. Rosalie and Ila remember having milk cows and, of course, there were always horses. Howard and Barbara were active in the Shelby County Saddle Club trail riding and square dancing on horseback. He taught Ila and Rosalie to ride on Old Red, a crippled American Saddlebred mare. He became interested in quarter horses at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado when he hauled out truckloads of cattle for Shelby County producers. He�d spend his free time away from the cattle checking out the horses. He purchased his first quarter horse, Zelda Sorrel, at the National Western Stock Show sale in 1956.
While always a farmer, Howard�s passion was horses; and he was active in different horse organizations � Southwest Iowa Quarter Horse Breeders Association, Iowa Quarter Horse Association and American Quarter Horse Association. In 1979, he formed a group of Iowa Quarter Horse breeders and began the Iowa Breeders Production Sale held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds and continued operating this sale until 1995. Howard developed many friendships through his horse business. We can�t possibly name them all without missing someone. However, one fall, Rodney and Charlene Boom invited Howard and Barbara to see the buffalo roundup at Custer State Park in South Dakota, which began the annual summer excursion to a trail ride in South Dakota. Granddaughter Heather, who spent her summers helping with horses during her high school/college years and granddaughter Ella and grandson Aaron, loved accompanying Grandma and Grandpa to South Dakota. The last few years Rodney and Charlene provided a horse for Howard to ride which made the trip easier. Aaron and his horse went along their last trip in 2005 as the main driver and helper for Grandma and Grandpa. Granddaughter Darcy also enjoyed joining in on the family rides for several years.
In 2003, Howard was honored to be inducted into the Iowa Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame. The family knew the secret ahead of time, and several family members (Rosalie, Ella, & Aaron Carlson, Ila McLaughlin, Heather & Dave Bushner) surprised him following the award. Howard just thought he and Barbara were attending the IQHA banquet because they were given a present of the banquet tickets and motel room for a Christmas present.
In 2007, Howard received the American Quarter Horse Association Legacy Award for 50 years of continuous breeding. During those years Howard raised from 10 � 53 foals per year. Howard established a system for gentling, halter breaking, and conditioning foals with help from family members and helpers. Howard�s horses were shown extensively at Iowa and Nebraska quarter horse shows winning many year end awards and occasionally at the National Western Stock Show where two of his stallions won Reserve Champion; a mare he raised and purchased by daughter Rosalie won both Open and Amateur Grand Champion. Other foals raised by Howard won World Championships in both halter and reining events.
Howard was also involved and active in many local organizations: Farm Bureau, director for Shelby County Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and director for Production Credit Association. He was honored to serve as Elder of the Redline Church of Christ (his Grandfather was one of the original elders of the church); as was his father James and brother Donald.
Howard died on Sunday, October 24, 2010 at Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa having attained the age of ninety years, one month, and three days. In addition to his parents, Howard is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara; his son, Hunter and his sister, Arlene. He is survived by his daughters: Ila and her husband Ken McLaughlin of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Rosalie and her husband James Carlson of Kirkman; four grandchildren: Heather and her husband Dave Bushner of Gainesville, Missouri, Darcy Lytle of Fountain, Colorado, Ella Carlson of Walnut, Iowa and Aaron Carlson currently serving in the US Air Force at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida; two great-grandchildren: Maverick and Savannah Bushner; other family members and many friends.
Minister Roy North officiated the 2:00 PM Funeral Service at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan on Thursday, October 28, 2010. Interment was held in Harlan Cemetery. Honorary casket bearers were Darcy Lytle, David Bushner, Larry Price, Tim Hart, and Rick Hart. Serving as casket bearers were Ella Carlson, Teresa Scheel-Davison, Todd Dahlof, Aaron Carlson, Heather Bushner, Rodney Boom, Ivy Robinson, and Glenn Wingert
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