Leonard Carstensen

Leonard Carstensen

1929 – 2025

ODEBOLT - Leonard “Stub” Carstensen, 95, of Odebolt, took his Lord and Savior’s hand on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Twilight Acres Nursing Home of Wall Lake, Iowa.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m., with a visitation held one hour prior from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at United Methodist Church of Odebolt. Rev. Ken Miller will officiate. Committal Services will follow in the Odebolt Cemetery of Odebolt, with Military Rites conducted by the United States Navy Funeral Honor Guard.

The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Odebolt, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Leonard “Stub” Carstensen, the son of Nickolai “Nick” and Maria “Mary” Kathrina (Hansen) Carstensen, was the youngest of ten children born to Nick and Mary. He was born on Dec. 28, 1929, in the Storm Lake hospital.

Leonard grew up on a farm north of Odebolt, and attended Cook #8 Country School through the 8th grade. He graduated from Odebolt Public School with the class of 1947. After graduation, Leonard joined the United States Navy. He attended ROTC training at the University of Nebraska where he obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1952.

During the Korean War, Leonard was commissioned as an officer on the USS Henderson and served on land as a forward observer with the United States Marine Corps. He was released from active duty in 1955 and returned home where he started farming and feeding cattle.

On March 9, 1957, Leonard was united in marriage to Ferne Kessler in the Odebolt United Methodist Church.  The couple were blessed with two children, Mary and Kurt. Leonard continued farming for 30 years and retired from farming in 1985. He then started a career with GOMACO Industries in Ida Grove where he worked for 10 years before he fully retired.

Leonard will be remembered as a lifelong learner.

His joys were: farming, reading, painting, riding his bike, a good Iowa steak, fresh from the field sweet corn and tomatoes, and most importantly, spending time with his family. Leonard will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, veteran, and friend.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife and partner, Ferne; two sisters, Frieda Collins and Elsa Morgan; and five brothers: Chris, Jules, Sidney, Nick, and Wallace.

Left to cherish his memory are his children Kurt (Tammy) Carstensen and Mary Carstensen; five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren: Colton (Jade) Carstensen, Candon, Camryn, Caylor; Casey (Michelle) Carstensen, Collyns and Crue; Cailin (Austin) Wise, Cohen, Dutton, Karsten; Bailey Robinson and Sydney Robinson.