Isidor "Izzy" Clarence Mahowald

Isidor Clarence “Izzy” Mahowald

August 7, 1938 – September 1, 2020

Devoted husband and father; beloved brother and grandfather; repairer and creator of all things metal: All of these describe but do not do justice to the wonderful man that was Izzy (Isidor Clarence) Mahowald, who passed away on September 1^st, after a long courageous battle with brain cancer. He was united with Jesus in his sleep on September 1, 2020, at the side of Marlene, his loving wife in their Menahga, Minnesota home. The tender compassionate St. Joseph’s Health Hospice care team was caring for Izzy, assuring his comfort and helping the family through Izzy’s final chapter.

Izzy was born August 7^th, 1938, at his parent’s home in Shakopee, Minnesota, on his parent’s 10^th wedding anniversary. He was the 7^th of 12 children. He attended St. Mark’s Catholic school through the eighth grade and then graduated from Shakopee High school in 1957, the only one of his siblings to celebrate this accomplishment. Izzy met the love of his life, Marlene, on Halloween in 1956 and within a year they were married. They celebrated 63 years of marriage together just a few weeks ago, on August 10^th. Together they raised four children and supported them in their lives as they matured and ventured off on their own.

Izzy spent the next 25 years working in various mechanical maintenance jobs perfecting his creative curiosity around how things worked. He took courses at Hennepin County Technical College in the cities and taught welding classes. He was intuitively smart and took the journeyman electrical test just to prove he could do it, never taking courses or working enough hours to apply for that license. Snowmobiling was a big part of Izzy’s family in their Shakopee days, and he was President of the Fastrack’s Snowmobile club term after term in the 1970s.  He was also on the volunteer Scott County Sheriff patrol, spending hours walking the Renaissance Festival grounds in the early years of that festival in Chaska, Minnesota.

After moving to Park Rapids in 1983, he got to put it all into practice when he opened his own welding shop, Izzy’s Machine and Welding. Over the years thousands of customers were happy with the work he did, the stories he shared, and the knowledge he imparted – whether they knew they needed the knowledge or not! He was a weaver of tales; that is for sure. Dad was active in the Knights of Columbus for 44 years, active in the leadership of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, and then very active in the community of Donna Texas where Izzy and Marlene wintered for 12 years.

Dad was a good father, always ready to teach with a gentle hand, always willing to help ponder something that needed fixing, and always willing to drop what he could to help one of his kids. He was always willing, always able, giving what he could, forever with a gracious heart.

Izzy was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, and two brothers. He leaves behind his wife Marlene; his children: Sharon (Raymond Morris) of Hephzibah, Georgia, Shelly of Park Rapids, Shawn (Michele) of Park Rapids, and Shane (Cindy) of Shakopee, MN; eight grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, September 12^th from 9-12 at Jones-Pearson Funeral Home, 608 South Park Ave, in Park Rapids, Minnesota followed by a prayer service at noon at the same venue. The family invites you to a picnic lunch at Izzy and Marlene’s house, 13103 Bluebird Drive, Menahga immediately following the prayer service. In lieu of flowers, we invite you to make donations in Izzy’s memory to St. Joseph’s Health Hospice team.

Arrangements by the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home, Park Rapids, MN.