Irving Arnold Flatness, 86, of Northwood, Iowa, died on Jan. 25, 2005, at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, after complications of pneumonia. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter, Iowa, with the Rev. Lance Kittleson officiating. Burial will be in Deer Creek Cemetery, Carpenter. Visitation will be on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood.

Irving was a hard-working man who did not have much formal education, but taught himself a lot throughout his life. He confirmed his baptism and faith in Jesus Christ as his savior in the Lutheran Church. Irving married Olga Beulah Bakken on March 15, 1942, in Clarks Grove.

Irving worked hard farming, milking cows, custom combining trucking, which he really enjoyed a lot. He had a sense of humor and, like the Flatness men, like to rash others. In their early years of marriage, Olga and Irving liked to go dancing at the Terp in Austin. In the late ’70s, ’80s and early ’90s they enjoyed camping around the area &045; they even got to the Black Hills, Wisconsin Dells and Branson. They enjoyed meeting others and visiting. They visited their neighbors in Deer Creek a lot and enjoyed playing cards.

Irving retired from farming in 1984, but stayed on the farm for 11 more years because Olga loved the farm. In retirement they enjoyed going to sales. In 1995 they moved to Northwood on Shellrock Drive where he lived until we took him to the hospital on Sunday afternoon. For more than 10 years Irving cared for Olga who had Alzheimer’s Disease until we knew she needed to be in a care facility in November 2000. He really loved and did so much for Olga so she could stay in her home. Olga, his wife, died 1 1/2

years ago and Sharon, his daughter who died 32 1/2 years ago, will welcome Irving, a child of God, to his heavenly home.

Irving was the oldest of the six children that Palmer and Hattie had. Morris Flatness, Arlene Saltou and Doris Jensen preceded Irving in death. He has two surviving brothers, Kenneth Flatness and wife Arlene and Glenn Flatness and wife Arlene, all of Albert Lea. He has many nieces and nephews.

David, Irving’s son and wife Brenda of Clear Lake will cherish the many memories they have made together over the years, along with grandson Douglas and wife Sara of Lincoln, Neb., and their children Rumer, Macy and Ridge; granddaughter Dawn Wright and husband Jason of Le Blanc, La., and their children Abigail, Andrew, and Matthew; and grandson Scott David of West Des Moines, Iowa.