Obituary for Pastor Louis A. Aitken
Obituary Rev. Louis A. Aitken Castana, Iowa - Rev. Louis A. Aitken, 91, of Castana, Iowa died Monday, September 22, 2014, at Maple Heights Nursing Home in Mapleton. The funeral service will be Saturday, September 27, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church in Mapleton, Iowa with Pastor Jena Manchester officiating. Burial will be in the Grant Township Cemetery in rural Rodney, Iowa with military graveside honors provided by the American Legion Wesley Seaton Post #0666 of Smithland, Iowa. Visitation will be Friday, September 26 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton, Iowa. The family is receiving condolences on line at www.armstrongfuneral.com. Louis Allon Aitken , second child of Thomas Lambie and Emma (Newton) Aitken, was born June 5, 1923, at Dun Glen, Ohio. He moved with his family at the age of two weeks to Colver, Pennsylvania, where he spent his early years. He attended elementary school at Colver, and completed high school at Ebensburg-Canbria High School in June 1941. He worked as a machinist apprentice for Piper Aircraft, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and the Ebensburg Coal Company until enlisting in the Army Air Corps July, 1942. He was a mechanic for the Air Corps on Norden Bombsight and electronic Automatic Pilot on B-17 and B-29 aircraft, receiving his honorable discharge on January 3, 1946. His overseas service was on Tinian in the Marianas Islands of the western Pacific. After World War II he worked for Carbide and Carbon Chemicals as an instrument mechanic at South Charleston, West Virginia. He attended Morris Harvey College in West Virginia, and graduated from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa in 1951, Magna Cum Laude; going on to graduate from Duke University Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina in June 1955. He married Elda Lerene Dagger at Aurelia, Iowa on May 18, 1944, and they raised three children: Marsha, Linda, and Mark. Following a divorce, he married Norma Kay Miller at Ticonic, Iowa on April 25, 1981. He licensed to preach by the Charleston District, West Virginia Conference on April 22, 1948 and served the Methodist Church in Charleston, West Virginia, Larrabee, Iowa, Durham, Manteo, Ayden, and Oxford, North Carolina, Rowen, Greeley-Delhi, and Mapleton- Ticonic, Iowa. He retired June 5, 1983, after almost 35 years in the ministry. After retirement, Mr. Aitken continued to serve the churches of the area as financial consultant for capital funds, directing fund drives in Elk Point, South Dakota, Sergeant Bluff, Humboldt, Woodward, Iowa, and at Wesley UMC at Sioux City. He was the catalyst in the planning and construction of St. John's United Methodist Church in Mapleton where he was a member. Also in retirement, "Lou", as friends and family called him, avidly pursued several hobbies including model railroading and knife making. His knives ended up in 5 countries and at least 28 states. He also enjoyed playing dobro guitar and harmonica and sang in Monona Country, a band known for bluegrass and country music. Lou was a lifelong hunter, fisherman and outdoors man. Rev. Aitken ws preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Ruth Gearing and Grace Bearcheil and two brothers, Merl and Paul Wesley Aitken. He is survived by his wife, Norma Aitken of Ticonic, Iowa; his sister, Elaine Ruffner of California; his three children, Marsha Aitken of New Mexico, Linda Mihel and her husband, Bob of Illinois and Mark Aitken from Virginia; two grandchildren, Whitney and Michael Mihel and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to express gratitude to Mr. Homer DeWitt for his care and support to Lou in this last difficult year. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Ducks Unlimited or Pheasants Forever.
Service:
Saturday, September 27, 2014 1:30 p.m.
St. John's United Methodist Church Mapleton, Iowa
Visitation:
Friday, September 26, 2014 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Armstrong Funeral Home Mapleton, Iowa
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Service:
Saturday, September 27, 2014 1:30 p.m.
St. John's United Methodist Church Mapleton, Iowa
Visitation:
Friday, September 26, 2014 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Armstrong Funeral Home Mapleton, Iowa
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