Daryl Kothenbeutel

Daryl Kothenbeutel, 75, of Clear Lake, died Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, in Mason City.

A funeral service will be held 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th Street, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Chuck Kelsey officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorials may be left to his family in care of Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.

Daryl Fredrick Kothenbeutel was born to Harold Fredrick and Betty Jean (Marth) Kothenbeutel on Aug. 31, 1943.

He graduated from Sheffield-Chapin High School in 1961 after which he joined the Army and served in Vietnam.  Upon discharge, he attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology.  He became director of the Muscatine County Conservation Board.

Daryl was the owner and founder of the Iowa Prairie Seed Company. He worked to restore prairies throughout Iowa and as a result has left a legacy of Iowa native wildflowers all over Iowa, including roadsides and other public and private prairie restorations.  This legacy will live on for generations to come.  Upon his retirement, his prairie was acquired by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to be maintained in perpetuity.

He also served as Franklin County Supervisor.

Daryl was very active in politics and was most passionate about conservation and the environment.  “To me, this is the most important issue that we have,” said Kothenbeutel. “If we don’t have a planet, we don’t have anything.”

In 2016, he was proud to have made the trip to Standing Rock to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. He loved Native American culture.

Daryl loved to travel.  Some of his most cherished memories were from his trips to Europe, especially Germany visiting and traveling with the Wodsak family who he considered part of his own family.  The Matterhorn always intrigued him and he felt fortunate to see it on a very rare, clear day.

Daryl also loved growing things, gardening, cooking, and classical music.  He made friends easily and had a distinctive laugh that everyone loved.  He loved to give everyone a hard time and joke around.  He was a loyal friend and a true gentleman.

Most of all he loved his family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Betty Kothenbeutel; his brother, Gary Kothenbeutel; his sister, Merlene Sullivan; a nephew, Scott Sullivan; and a niece, Polly Kothenbeutel.

He is survived by his sister, Beverly (Don) Girardot, Fort Wayne, Ind.; brother, Leland “Greek” Kothenbeutel, Bettendorf; brother, Bruce (Pat) Kothenbeutel, New Ringgold, Penn.; and several nieces and nephews; and his ex-wives, Pam Harris and Nancy Kothenbeutel.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.