Paul Dean Lundberg
Services for Paul Dean Lundberg, 87, who died May 5, 2022, at The Village in Indianola, were held Wednesday, May 11, at the Milo United Methodist Church. Cremation followed. Paul was born at home near Conrad. He attended several county schools and graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1952. He attended William Penn College in Oskaloosa for one year before being inducted into the Army in November 1954.
On Dec. 21, 1955, he married Karen Jo Phelps of Marshalltown. They had two children. She preceded him in death in 1975. Following their marriage, Paul was stationed in Kentucky during his remaining service in the Army and was honorably discharged in November 1956 and served in the reserves until 1962. Paul finished his education following his service and graduated from Iowa State Teachers College, now known as the University of Northern Iowa, with a degree major in music and a minor in biology. He taught in Hartley, Dysart and the Milo area and taught elementary and junior high vocal music for the Southeast Warren Community School District for 16 years. Paul’s junior high choirs were often invited to perform as exhibition for the on-air Bill Riley Show in the 1960s and 1970s.
On Dec. 18, 1976, Paul married Carolyn Arnold Wickett of Milo. After Paul left the teaching profession, Paul and Carolyn opened Lundberg Grocery in Milo. They operated it for 13 years. Paul then sold personal accident insurance for Combined Insurance for 15 years before retiring in 2010.
Paul served as a Boy Scout Master for 13 years, was a 50+ year member of the Milo and Indianola Masonic Lodge and was a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Patron of both the Bethel Chapter in Milo and then the Indianola Chapter.
In his early music days, Paul started a new chorus in Sheldon. He was a member of the Pride of Iowa Barbershop Chorus for 22 years and organized a gospel quartet, The Bandstand Four, in Milo. They won first place at the “Older Iowans Contest” at the Iowa State Fair.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Lundberg; son, Steve Lundberg; daughter, Becky Lundberg King; stepchildren, Kevin (Linda) Wickett, Kathy (Rusty) Long and Kristy Wickett Wilson; and other relatives and friends. Visitation was May 10 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola.