Memorial services for Eldon “Shorty” Lofstedt, 85, of Grand Junction, Iowa, will be 10:30 am Friday October 13, 2006 at First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction.  Interment will be in the Junction Township Cemetery.  Following the memorial service and the interment, the family will visit with friends and relatives at the funeral luncheon at First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction. 

Eldon E. Lofstedt, only son of Otis Benjamin (O.B.) Lofstedt and Mabel (Gonder) Lofstedt was born November 28, 1920 at home in Grand Junction. After graduating from Grand Junction High School in 1938, he went on to study radio and television engineering at Valparaiso Technical Institute in Valparaiso, Indiana and electrical engineering at Iowa State College.

Shorty enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving 39 months during WWII, training as a radar specialist in the Signal Corps and as a B-17 navigator in the Air Corps.

After being discharged from the Air Corps, Shorty married Marjorie Alice Knodel of Cooper in 1946.  They were the parents of Gary (Becky) Lofstedt of Des Moines, Suzanne (Ross) Nelson of Sioux Center, and John Lofstedt of St. Paul, MN.

Shorty joined his father in the family business of concrete product manufacturing, managing Modern Construction Company in Grand Junction.  Shorty also operated a radio and television sales and service business.

One of his achievements was development of the first automatic concrete feed system.  This patented system made Modern Construction Company the first fully automated concrete drain factory in the world.

After a long illness, Marjorie passed away.

Shorty spent his retirement years with his wife of 30 years, Louise Bohlander Kaufman also of Grand Junction.  They enjoyed retirement years spending summers at the cabin on Big Pelican Lake in northern Minnesota and winters in Mesa, Arizona.

Shorty was a member of the Grand Junction First United Methodist Church and a member of the Boone Mic and Key Club, for ham radio enthusiasts. Ham radio friends around the world knew him by his call letters, WØHVF.  Shorty was a 50 year member of the American Radio Relay League.

Eldon E. “Shorty” Lofstedt died October 7, 2006 at the Greene County Medical Center.  He was 85 years of age.  Preceding him in death were his parents and his wife, Marjorie.

Survivors include his wife, Louise; children: Gary (Becky) Lofstedt of Des Moines; Suzanne (Ross) Nelson of Sioux Center; and John Lofstedt of St. Paul, MN; step children: Mary Acton of Minneapolis, MN; Carol (Dave) Toman of Atherton, CA; and Wayne (Deb) Kaufman of Ames; and grandchildren: Alyce, Kyle, Nathan, Scott, Sarah, Tim, Amanda, and Kevin.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Iowa or the First United Methodist Church of Grand Junction.

With all his interest in the Radio and all the communication to others… And for the final time, “This is WØHVF signing off and Clear.  Good Night.”