Dr. David ‘Dave’ Wilgenbusch

Dr. David “Dave” F. Wilgenbusch, 74, of Cresco, Iowa, died on Friday, April 29, 2022, at the Patty Elwood Center, with his wife, Linda, at his side, following 10 years of his Alzheimer’s journey, with his last two years as a resident at the center.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m.  Wednesday, May 4, with a public rosary at 3:30 pm, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco and will continue one hour prior to services at 11 a.m. Thursday at Notre Dame Catholic Church with Father Jacob Rouse officiating.

Dave was born on July 10, 1947, in Manchester, Iowa, to Edward and Leonetta (Thiesen) Wilgenbusch. He was one of six children who enjoyed playing cards, with euchre being especially a favorite, during games that got quite boisterous at times.

Dave graduated with a four-year bachelor’s degree from Loras College in Dubuque, IA, and a doctorate of veterinary medicine from Iowa State University in 1973. He began his work in veterinary medicine in Waukon, IA, with Dr. David Hahn, and later in Lime Springs, IA, with Dr. Don Lyons, In 1978, he became a partner in the Cresco Veterinary Clinic, with Dr. Orlo Haight, Dr. Paul Haight, Dr. Ken Moellers and Dr. Dan Huiskamp, where he continued to practice for 33 years. He was an active member of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, holding positions on the board and serving as president. Dave was proud to be a local veterinarian, and it was important to him to get to know the farmers he served, as well as their farming operations.

Dave married his soul mate, Linda Schmitt, on August 16, 1969, at Assumption Parish in Cresco. He was a man of great character and responsibility, as his children will attest, as they never heard the end of how chores and some of the harder parts of life tended to build those things. He loved taking a quiet fall day hunting squirrels with his brother-in-law Dan. The squirrels weren’t too worried. Another of his life joys was singing in the church choir and playing piano with his mom, children and granddaughter Hannah — to this day, they can all play and sing the squirmy wormy song. Dave was an active participant in his church, serving on the Parish Council and co-chairing with Barb Prochaska to raise money for refurbishing the Notre Dame Catholic Church. Dave loved gardening and had an amazing ability to grow “woopinsocker” potatoes, something that he picked up from his father and passed along to his kids. Long walks around their acreage with Linda to check out the spring wild flowers was followed by cups of coffee on the back porch watching the birds that would visit, bluebirds being a favorite.

Dave is fondly remembered by his family as having a love of pies and cookies. There was never a pie with ice cream that Dave didn’t like, and he always knew who had just baked a fresh one that needed some testing. Linda’s monster cookies were a close second. Coffee breaks were the best part of their day, of course!

David is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Jessie (Scott) Hovden of Decorah, IA, Matt Wilgenbusch (Andrea Nelson) of Denver, CO, and Mike (Sarah) Wilgenbusch of Lime Springs; granddaughters Emily and Hannah Hovden; siblings Lois Francois, Ken (Kathy) Wilgenbusch, Linda Goedken and Chuck (Merri Jo) Wilgenbusch, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Leonetta; brother Dale Wilgenbusch; brothers-in-law JJ Goedken and Leo Francois; nephew Keith Wilgenbusch and Keith’s daughter Corbin, and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Edmund and Gladys Schmitt.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the family to plant a tree at the nature center or to the Alzheimer’s Association.