Delmar Lee Tigges

Delmar Lee Tigges, formerly of Melbourne, passed away on December 15 at Calvin Community in Des Moines, Iowa. He was born November 22, 1925, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Herbert and Naoma Tigges. He graduated from Van Cleve High School and served in the Navy during WWII. In 1947 he married Margaret L. Beye and they were blessed with 72 years together. Delmar was a devoted husband and proud father of their four children.

Delmar enjoyed sports, Boy Scouts, and 4-H as a participant in his younger days and as a supporter of his children’s endeavors. He was known to drive through dense fog or slide on icy roads in order to make it to a game. As a young boy he began a stamp collection and continued throughout his life, becoming a lifetime member of the Iowa Postal History Society and the American Philatelic Society.

Delmar was recognized throughout Marshall County for his farming and registered Holstein dairy herd. He received an Outstanding Young Farmer Award by the Marshalltown Chamber of Commerce. He was a lifetime member of the National Holstein Association and Farm Bureau. Delmar assumed leadership roles with Melbourne and Marshall County 4-H activities and the Marshall County Dairy Producers Group. He also served on the Soil Conservation Board and the County Extension Council. The Tigges family farm near Van Cleve was designated a Century Farm in 2005.

Delmar served as Logan Township Clerk for 32 years. He was very involved in his church as Trustee and Treasurer for Van Cleve Congregational Church, and taught Sunday School and served as an Elder at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Melbourne.

Delmar frequented auctions and farm sales, collecting prints and antiques. He was an expert at building and refinishing furniture and used lumber from a walnut tree on his farm to craft quilt racks for family and friends.

Delmar is survived by his loving wife, Margaret; four children, Gary E. Tigges (Roberta), Daryl L. Tigges, Cathy L. Eddy (William), and Pamela K. Van De Weert (Barney); and three grandchildren, Katherine E. Tigges, Jacob B. Van De Weert (Erica Moore), and Sarah M. Van De Weert. His parents, Herbert W. and Naoma F. (Wasson) Tigges, and a brother, Leonard L., predeceased him.

The family thanks the staff at Calvin Community for the loving care and support given to Delmar, as well as appreciation for EveryStep Hospice.

Funeral services will be held at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Melbourne on Saturday, December 21, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation with the family the hour prior. After burial at the Melbourne Cemetery, a luncheon will be served at St. John’s.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to St. John’s United Church of Christ or the Calvin Community Good Samaritan Fund. Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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