CONNIE BRANDSGARD

CONNIE BRANDSGARD

HUMBOLDT — Constance Louise Brands­gard of Hum­boldt died April 26, 2019 at Iowa Meth­odist Hos­pital in Des Moines. She was 93 years old.

Connie was born July 1, 1925 in Humboldt, Iowa, the youngest child of William J. and Veronica (Kiener) Vonderhaar. She was raised in Humboldt where her father owned a hardware store with his brother. She attended St. Mary’s School, where she acted in plays and sang and played piano in musical shows and recitals. She was in the last graduating class of St. Mary’s High School in 1942. She attended Iowa State University to study fashion design but was forced to leave after a year to help support the family when her father died in 1944.

While living at the family home, Connie worked at the Triple A office which administered farm price supports. It was during this time that she fell in love with one of her brother’s best friends, Mark Brandsgard, and they were married on September 9, 1950 at St. Mary’s Church. Together they had four children in five years: Mark William, Mary Elizabeth (Betsy), John Charles, and Matthew Brian.

Connie is survived by her four children: Mark and his wife Rose (Clay) Brandsgard and their children, Gracie and Jack, of West Des Moines; Betsy Brandsgard of Davenport; John Brandsgard of Kansas City, Mo. and his daughter Haley; and Brian and his wife Jonette (Noble) Brandsgard of Johnston and their children, Ben and Erin; as well as many nephews and nieces. Connie was preceded in death by her husband, Brandy, and her brothers and sisters: Bill Vonderhaar, Paulette Bradley, Charlotte Schultz, Julia Grethen, and Jean Vonderhaar.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 1 from 5-7 p.m. at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt. A funeral Mass will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Humboldt. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Mary’s School Capital Campaign.