Obituary

David Huinker
April 13, 1935 - April 28, 2018

David Huinker

David Huinker
Apr 13, 1935 - Apr 28, 2018

David Huinker
Iframe toggler
Find Us On Facebook
Plan Ahead
Free Grief Support

David Lawrence Huinker, 83, Ames, passed away on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Northridge Village in Ames. David was born April 13, 1935 on the farm outside of Calmar, Iowa. He was the youngest of seven children born to Edmund and Mathilda (Pitzenberger) Huinker. Dave attended country school, St. Aloysius catholic school and graduated from Calmar High School in 1954. He helped on his family farm and was active in 4-H and FFA showing dairy cattle, swine and sheep. He attended Iowa State University in animal husbandry for a year. Dave married Martha Weselmann from Calmar at Calmar Lutheran Church on June 27th, 1959. He served as an Army supply clerk at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma for two years where his daughter, Zetta was born. Dave and Martha returned to Iowa and lived in Ames where he managed the Iowa Swine Testing station for 18 years. While in Ames, they had Clark, Doreen and Karwyn. In 1979, the family moved back to NE Iowa settling on a farm outside of Decorah where they raised breeding swine and cattle and grew crops. In 2011, they retired to Ames to be closer to their children.
Dave was very active in the swine industry all his life. While managing the boar testing station, he worked with Iowa State University to help develop an index to evaluate boar performance, grew the test station to record size and mentored many young future leaders in the swine industry. He served on several state and national swine organization boards as well as exhibiting at or judging numerous county, state, regional and national livestock shows. Dave sold pigs all over the U.S., to several international buyers, toured Sweden's swine industry and hosted many international visitors with tours of his farm operation. Dave loved to promote agriculture and worked diligently to improve livestock production and quality through genetic selection and the collection and use of both live and carcass data. He especially enjoyed his time judging or being a ring man at livestock shows so he could work with young livestock exhibitors. Dave served as a 4-H club leader for over 20 years as well as being a member of several county committees related to youth and extension. In addition, he was inducted into the Winneshiek County and Iowa 4-H Halls of Fame for his service to 4-H.
Dave also enjoyed being a Fairman and served as a member of the Iowa State Fair board for 30 years, including two terms as board president. He loved the fair and helped start the Blue Ribbon Foundation to secure funds to make improvements to the fairgrounds. He and Martha were given the Winneshiek County Ag Association Distinguished Service Award for outstanding support of agriculture and the fair. In 2010, the International Association of Fairs & Expositions bestowed its coveted Heritage Award on Dave for his dedication to improving fairs. In honor of his military service, Dave took part in the Story County Freedom Flight to Washington D.C. in 2015. In his limited spare time, Dave served on several local, county and state committees and boards and was active in his church. He enjoyed life and loved to laugh at a good joke.
Dave is survived by his wife, Martha, of Ames, Iowa and his four children and their families: Zetta Pilch (Ed) of New London, Iowa; Clark (Laura) of Fairmont, Minnesota; Doreen Blackmer (Tracy) of Madrid, Iowa and Karwyn Gibson (Jim) of Panora, Iowa. He has nine grandchildren: Courtney (Elijah Johns) and Evan Pilch (Riley), Jacob, Cole, and Ben Huinker, Jessica and Cheryl Blackmer and Reagan and Riley Gibson. He also has one great-grandchild, Talia Johns and one step great-grandchild, K.J. Singer and numerous nieces and nephews. His brother Dennis, sisters Gladys Elsbernd and DeEtta Hemesath and sisters-in-law Dorothy Huinker, Helen Weselmann and JoAnne Egge also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws, Ralph and Esther Weselmann, brothers Paul Huinker and Alvin Huinker, sister Leona Watt, three sisters-in-law Georgina Huinker, Elberta Huinker and Delores Weselmann, and brothers-in-law James Watt, Alphonse Hemsath, Roger Elsbernd, Roger Weselmann and Loren Weselmann.
Memorials may be directed to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation or the Iowa 4-H Foundation.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 from 4-6 pm at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care in Ames, IA and a visitation will be held from 10-11 am followed by a funeral on Friday, May 4, 2018 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Decorah, IA. Interment will be at Calmar Lutheran Church cemetery in Calmar, Iowa.
Online condolences may be directed to: www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com

Jo Ann Kovar on May 3, 2018

Martha,
I was very sorry to hear about Dave’s death. I pray that God will be with you and give you strength.
Jo Ann

Mike Fay on May 3, 2018

Dave Huinker Family,

We are so sorry to hear of Dave passing, he was a wonderful guy, and we were fortunate to have know him. Our interactions included being the test station manager in Ames, a swine judge at our county fairs, a Iowa State Fair Board member, and a fan at Cyclone basketball games. He had a great passion for his family and the swine industry and he will be greatly missed. You will be in our thoughts and prayers and hopefully you spend your time together celebrating his life, there is a lot to celebrate.

The Fay Family

David Norris on May 3, 2018

It was a privilege to know Dave. I am so sorry about his passing and want you to know my thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Dave Norris

Kent Schultz on May 2, 2018

Martha & Family:
Dave left a positive impression on so many lives over the years...I feel blessed to be counted as one of them. I often tell others about the great memories of my first college job working for Dave at the Test Station and I still use his reference to chicken as "foul" (rather than fowl) meat every time I get the opportunity to do so. May you cherish all of the fond memories of his life and find joy knowing his legacy will last for generations.
Kent Schultz

Jeanne Partlow on May 2, 2018

Martha and family, I have many fond memories of Dave, his sense of humor and wisdom given freely at each Iowa State Fair board meeting and especially at fair time. He will be missed. My condolences to all of you. Jeanne Partlow

Jolene and Larry Huinker on May 2, 2018

Martha and family, Jolene and I would like to send our condolences to you all. We won’t be able to make it back from North Carolina, but want you all to know we are thinking and praying for you all with Dave’s passing. Love, Jolene and Larry Huinker

Tom Baas on May 2, 2018

Dave Huinker Family,
I fondly remember my time working for Dave at the test station while I was in college and later when he served on the State Fair Board. He always had a keen sense of humor and was willing to share his expertise with others. Dave had a positive impact on the swine industry. Tom Baas

john carlson on May 1, 2018

Very sorry to hear of dave's passing. He was certainly a positive force in the swine industry and his work and progressive attitude certainly influenced my graduate studies in swine breeding and genetics. John Carlson

Jill Henry-Walton on May 1, 2018

Marty and family,
How I will miss being teased by Dave and seeing you two together. I have such wonderful childhood and young adult memories of Dave at Pork Producer functions, Winneshiek Co. Fair, Iowa State Fair and later years at the Iowa Assoc. of Fairs conference. I will miss being called "Queenie" and getting those great hugs. Bless you all and many thoughts and prayers.

Anita Fincham on May 1, 2018

Marty---I always loved his sense of humor--He will be missed, I know. He was such a kind man. With my sympathy, Anita

Frank Moore on Apr 30, 2018

The pork industry has lost a great one.

Videos

Photos

Add a photo

Visitation

May
2
Wednesday
Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care
414 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM


Iframe toggler
Find Us On Facebook
Plan Ahead
Free Grief Support
David Huinker

Sign in to add your memory

Login with Facebook

We will never post without permission

Just for verification: we never spam!

David Huinker

Share Photo/Memorial Tributes

David Huinker

Add to Your Calendar

David Huinker

Obit Checkin

David Huinker

Obituary Notifications

Grief Support

David Huinker

Get Updates - tribute notifications

David Huinker

Get Updates - SMS notifications

Thank you for sharing your memory of David

Help show your support by providing a gift of flowers and spreading the word.

Spread the Word

Help friends and acquaintances of David leave memories by sharing to Facebook

Share to Facebook Share on Facebook

"Faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love"