Gary Allen Bernau

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, April 27 at 11:00 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, 226 N Putnam Street, Algona, IA 50511. Visitation will be at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Memorial Gifts may be directed to the Iowa FFA Foundation.

Gary Allen Bernau was born on March 18, 1940 to Roland and Anna (Jensen) Bernau. He grew up on a farm near West Bend and graduated from Algona High School in 1958. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in Farm Operations and a ROTC Sharp Shooter’s Medal, of which he was very proud.

He was united in marriage with Patricia Kay Gilbert in 1959. Their marriage was blessed with four children, who were raised on a farm near Charles City, Iowa.
In addition to farming, Gary had a long career in the seed industry. He worked for a variety of companies including Dekalb, Garst and ICI. Gary was the president of Northrup King’s Canadian Division, headquartered in London, Ontario for many years. Gary also taught in the Agriculture Department at Northern Iowa Area Community College. In 1982, Gary was nominated as a candidate for the Iowa State Senate.

Gary loved cars and animals, especially dogs. He was a voracious reader whose interests spanned a great variety of subjects including history, biographies, genetics and economics. Gary was an accomplished public speaker. Despite his sometimes brusk manner, Gary had many close and long friendships.

Gary was a life-long Lutheran, who was baptized at St Paul Lutheran Church in Whittemore, Iowa. Gary and Pat were charter members of Messiah Lutheran Church in Charles City for more than 20 years.

Gary is survived by his wife Patricia and their children: David and his wife Joleen (Schrock), James and his wife Mary (Jorgensen), William and his wife Debbie (Griffin), and Susan and her husband Mark Abernathy, as well as 13 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. He is also survived by many cousins, whom he loved like siblings. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Merlin who died in childbirth.
Online condolences may be left at www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com