Marlo A. Durby, age 68, of Lake Mills, Iowa, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005, at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills.

Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills with the Rev. Roger Dykstra officiating. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, and again one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Burial will take place at Salem Memorial Cemetery in Lake Mills.

Marlo Archie Durby was born Oct. 6, 1936, in rural Forest City, Iowa, son of Palmer and Nettie (Rognehaugh) Durby. He graduated from Thompson High School &uot;Class of 1954.&uot; He was united in marriage to Donna Vermedal on Oct. 10, 1954, in Scarville, Iowa. To this union, three children were born: Tony, Cindy and Trisha.

On March 15, 1979, Marlo was united in marriage to Bethel (Lashbrook) Staff in Mason City, IA.

Marlo was employed 43 years in the telephone business. This included the RTA in Thompson, the Lake Mills Telephone Company as manager for 18 years, and WCTA in Lake Mills as staff assistant for 17 years. Marlo retired in 2000.

Marlo was very active in the Lake Mills community including: 31years on the Lake Mills Fire Department, six years as fire marshall and two years as fire chief.

He served on the City Council for 24 years, as Mayor Pro-tem for 10 of those years. He was active in Salem Lutheran Church as member, church council and past president.

He was sports announcer for Lake Mills Bulldogs football and basketball games. Marlo loved spending time on the golf course and also worked in the Pro Shop at Rice Lake Golf and Country Club after he retired.

Marlo is survived by his wife, Bethel Durby of Lake Mills; three children: Tony and his wife Leontine Durby of St. Eustatius, NA, Cindy and her husband Craig Haugsdal of Lake Mills, and Trisha and her husband Jerry Dahl of Albert Lea; three step-children: Linda and her husband Dick Smith of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Marty and his wife Karen Staff of Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Mary and her husband Rick Lehman of Waterloo, Iowa; 13 grandchildren: Danielle and Pascal Durby, Michael and Kari Haugsdal, Spencer, Emma and Carter Dahl, Lisa Schumacher, Shelley Lauritson, Sheri and Matt Staff, Sara Comer, and Chass Lehman; three great-grandchildren: Vaneesha, Jayla and Mya; one brother, Merle and his wife Blanche Durby of Thompson, Iowa; two sisters: Dorothy Guhl of Jewell, Iowa, and Ruby and her husband Dean Farland of Thompson, Iowa; along with several nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Marlo was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, John; one sister-in-law, DeLores; one brother-in-law, Al Guhl; and two granddaughters: Dana Haugsdal and Hailey Dahl.