James Norland Medlang, age 83, of rural Kensett, Iowa, died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2006, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the Elk Creek Lutheran Church, 4108 Killdeer Ave., Kensett, with the Rev. Tom Martin officiating. Burial will be in the Elk Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S., Northwood. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church.

James Norland Medlang was born on July 17, 1923, in rural Kensett, the son of Melvin and Mabel (Stadheim) Medlang. He was baptized at his parent&8217;s home in rural Kensett, and reaffirmed the faith of his baptism through confirmation at the Elk Creek Lutheran Church. He attended Brookfield Township School #7, and graduated from Kensett High School in 1941. He was united in marriage to Lucille Knutson on Aug. 7, 1949, at the Northwood Lutheran Church.

James farmed all his life in the Kensett area raising Brown Swiss dairy cattle, hogs, sheep, chicken, and horses. James enjoyed collecting different breeds of chickens, and raised several other breeds of animals on his farm. He enjoyed flowers, trees, old farm machinery, draft horses, which included going to horse shows, traveling both nationally and internationally, and family history and genealogy, but his great love and enjoyment was his family and grandchildren.

He was a member of Elk Creek Lutheran Church, and was a former vice president of the church board, was on the Elk Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery board for many years, and a national member of the Brown Swiss Cattle Association.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife; Lucille Medlang of Kensett, his children; Charles (Linda) Medlang of Kensett, Inez (David) Metzger of Burlington, Lois (David) McNutt of Kensett, Morris (Jenelle) Medlang of Kensett, Joanna (Joe) Schmidt of Kensett, Marie (Jack) Ruiter of Northwood, Grace (Bruce) Pixley of Grafton, and James (Linda) Medlang of Northwood, 29 grandchildren; Steven and Michelle Medlang, Shawna (Adrian) Dickey, Brian and Bjorn Metzger, Kim McNutt, Kevin (Susan) McNutt, Jennifer, Jonathan, Christopher, Laura, and Hannah Medlang, Sarah (Adam) Heiken, Jody (Erich) Muehlegger, Jeremy (Zhang Fucun) Schmidt, Jackie, Jeff, Jordyn, Jasmyn, and Jenna Schmidt, Tom (Jen) Stumo, Suzanne Rikala, Emily and Tim Stumo, Andria and Kyle Pixley, Jessica, James W., and Sonya Medlang, nine great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law; Bob (Lois) Thompto of Manly, two nieces and five nephews; as well as other relatives and many friends.

His parents, twin sisters Inez and her twin sister who died in infancy, a grandson; Matthew Medlang, brother; Marvin Medlang, and a son-in-law; Lowell Stumo, sister-in-law; Norma Thompto, and a brother-in-law and his wife, Cornell and Ila Knutson, preceded him in death.