Charles Edward Zahren

SUTHERLAND, Iowa - Charles E. Zahren, 69, of Sutherland died Friday at his home in Sutherland. Services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in Sutherland with Rev. Dean McPherson officiating. Burial will be in the Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present at 7 p.m. and a Masonic service at 8 p.m. by the Abiff Masonic Lodge 347 of Sutherland, at the Gaudian-Eldridge Funeral Home in Paullina, Iowa. Mr. Zahren was born July 22, 1929 in Westport Township, Dickinson County, Iowa, the son of Edward and Alva Mae (Vandemark) Zahren. He attended Sutherland schools, graduating from Sutherland High School in 1947. He married Darlene Braunschweig in 1950. They owned and operated the Standard Service Station in Sutherland for 20 years. In 1973, he began employment as a psychiatric aide at Cherokee Mental Institute. He was married to Frances Draper on Nov. 18, 1982. He retired from the hospital in 1993. He was active in the Sutherland Volunteer Fire Department for 17 years and was a relief policeman in Sutherland. He was co-owner of the Sutherland Gun Club and enjoyed hunting and camping. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Sutherland, Abiff Masonic Lodge 347 of Sutherland, Research Lodge 2, Scottish Rite, York Rite, Abu Bekr Shrine Temple of Sioux City. He was proud to have been appointed as a Potentate Aide. As a member of the Shrine Funsters, he was better known to many as "Chuckles the Clown". He volunteered as a van driver for the Shrine Children's Hospital. Survivors include his wife; one son and his wife Terry and Judy of Baltimore, Md.; two daughters Mary and her husband Miles Puhrmann of Paullina, Iowa and Tammy Zahren-Lowery of Kansas City, Mo.; three grandchildren Shawn and Shannon Puhrmann and Bennett Lowery; five stepchildren, Robert and his wife Mary Draper of Sutherland, Geraldine and her husband Nick Bristow of Sherrard, Ill., Dale Draper of Cherokee, Gloria and her husband Jim Siverling of Prospect, Ohio, and Donald and his wife Sally Draper of Grand Forks, N.D.; and 10 step-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.