Wilbur E. "Bill" Todd

    Wilbur E. "Bill" Todd, age 86, of Anthon, Iowa, joined our Lord on Monday, May 8, 2023, at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital of Sioux City.
    A Funeral Service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at St. Paul Lutheran Church-Midway of rural Battle Creek. Rev. Marty Davis officiated. Committal services followed in the Oak Hill Cemetery of Anthon with Military Rites conducted by the US Marine Corps Reserve and the McNiff Post #389 of the American Legion of Anthon.
    Visitation with a prayer service were held on Friday, May 12, 2023, at Armstrong – Van Houten Funeral Home of Anthon.
    The Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Home of Anthon, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com.
    Born on December 21, 1936, to Henry Todd, Sr. and Cassie (Adamson) Todd on the family farm north of Correctionville, Wilbur graduated from Correctionville High School with the class of 1954. Upon graduation he enlisted into the United States Marine Corps and proudly served for three years. Although he was not involved in direct combat, he had 14 months of very active service overseas.
    After his discharge from the military, he returned to Correctionville and married the love of his life, Shirley Ann Albers on June 1, 1958. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Michael, Brian, Anita, and Kevin. In the spring of 1959, they were given the opportunity to share-crop on a farm west of Anthon with Charles Isbel, where they resided for 22 years. Wilbur was very proud to continue to farm that land for 60 years.
     Being the youngest of 12 children, Wilbur was a very strong willed and competitive man. Through the years, many things were a competition in his mind with his brothers, whether it was whose kids had the Grand Champion hogs at the county fair, whose crops had the highest yields or who caught the biggest fish. You could always tell when he outdid one of the older brothers by the smile on his face. During his career of farming and raising hogs, he received awards that he was very proud of such as the Master Pork Producer in 1983 and numerous Iowa Master Corn Growers awards. Even in the hospital he had the ability to "bark orders" to the sons that continue his farming legacy, which made him smile.
    Wilbur was a Woodbury County Fair Swine Superintendent for many years and 4-H leader for the kids' local chapter. As an active member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Battle Creek for 50+ years he held various offices within the congregation. In the summer of 2008, he transferred his membership to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Anthon. In 2013 Wilbur was elected Commander of the McNiff Post #389 of the American Legion, a position he held until 2019. Wilbur took great pride in carrying the American flag at any and all Legion presentations, and in the community projects he initiated like the annual flag burning ceremony.
    As Wilbur's family grew, he was blessed with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of which he treasured. He always made time to enjoy their activities, sporting events, fishing trips with them, and ISU football and basketball games. They even had the pleasure of attending bowl games and March Madness tournament games together.
    After retirement Wilbur enjoyed growing his sweet corn and sharing it with family and friends. Some even made it as far as Florida! He won the hearts of all who ate Grandpa Todd's corn, tomatoes, and cantaloupe. He enjoyed fishing as often as he could with his sons and son-in-law, grandsons, brothers, and nephews.
    Left to cherish their memories of him include children Michael (Patti) Todd of Storm Lake, Brian (JoAnn) Todd of Hubbard, NE, Anita (Bob) Coufal of Omaha, NE and Kevin (Brenda) Todd of Anthon; 13 grandchildren: Danielle (CJ), Brett (Abby), Jason, Amanda (Noah), Riley (Taylor), Cassie (Peter), Kaitlin (Stephen), Rachel, Jake, Austin (Brooke), Brandon, Loren and Morgan (Elijah); 7 great-grandchildren: Cael, Dannah, Jamison, Easton, Grady, Brynlee and Blaire; sister Pearl (Bruce) Riordan of Pierson; and sister-in-law Wilma Todd of Sergeant Bluff.
    He was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 50 years, Shirley (Albers) Todd; his parents Henry, Sr. and Cassie (Adamson) Todd; and siblings Fred, Hannah, Florence, Lloyd, John, Henry Jr., Loren, Leonard, Ruby, and infant twin sister Wilma.