Alan D. Huisinga, 76, of Mt. Pleasant, formerly of Carlisle, IA, died Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.
A celebration of life for Alan will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 23, 2020 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The Reverend David Bracht-Wagner, Senior Pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, with graveside military honors conducted by the Henry County Honor Guard and the Iowa Military Funeral Honors Detail.
Visitation will be from 12 Noon to 8 PM on Friday, April 22, at the First United Methodist Church. The family will be present to receive friends from 4-7 PM. An additional visitation will be held on Sunday, April 24, from 2-5:00 p.m. at the Family Life Center of the Carlisle United Methodist Church, 405 School Street, Carlisle, Iowa.
Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to either the First United Methodist Church, the Midwest Old Threshers Foundation or the Carlisle Area Dollars for Scholars.
The celebration of life may be viewed on the First United Methodist Church YouTube Channel or Facebook page.
The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant, is caring for Alan’s arrangements.
Al was born August 20, 1945, in Williams, Iowa; he was the son of Joe and Ruth Ione (Smedley) Huisinga. Upon graduation from high school, Al joined the U.S. Army and served as a Specialist in NATO’s Central Army Group stationed in Seckenheim, Germany. After being (honorably) discharged from the Army, Al enrolled in the AIB College of Business in Des Moines where he met his future wife, Melinda Shepp. After graduating, they were married on Valentine’s Day 1971 and recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. They both later attended Upper Iowa University, earning their B.S. Degree in Business Administration.
In 1970, Al began his career in insurance as the Chief Accountant for Farmland Insurance Company in Des Moines. Two years later he joined EMC Insurance Companies as Accounting Manager of Employers Modern Life Company, retiring in 2009 as President, Chief Operating Officer and board member of EMC National Life Company.
Al’s favorite quote was “volunteerism is the rent you pay for the space you occupy” and he lived up to that quote while a resident in both the Carlisle and Mt. Pleasant communities. Al was the founder and charter board member of the Carlisle Area Dollars for Scholars chapter and served as co-chair of the steering committee to build the Carlisle Aquatic Center. Al also served as Administrative Council chair, treasurer, Sunday school teacher, UMYF leader and KIDS HOPE USA mentor for the Carlisle United Methodist Church. While working in Des Moines, Al served as a board member of the South Suburban YMCA, a board member of the Iowa Dollars for Scholars, a Tocqueville Society Member of the United Way of Central Iowa and chairperson of the District Superintendent Board of the Des Moines District of the United Methodist Church.
Upon his retirement from EMC National Life and moving to his wife’s hometown of Mt. Pleasant, Al said it took a while before people quit referring to him only as “Melinda’s husband.” He soon became involved in the community by volunteering to serve as Executive Director of the Old Threshers Foundation and joined both the Noon Rotary and the Kiwanis Club. Al also served a four-year term as a member of the Mt. Pleasant City Council, Healthy Henry County Communities board, Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, Mt. Pleasant Community High School Foundation board, founding steering committee member of the Mount Pleasant Festival of Lights and served as Endowment Chair on the Administrative Council of the First United Methodist Church.
Al earned the Golden Tassel Award from Citizens Scholarship Foundation of America and Volunteer of the Year from the Carlisle Area Dollars for Scholars. He also received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International. Together Al and Melinda received Citizens of the Year from the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance, Chamber Ambassadors of the Year, Iowans of the Day from the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation and the Volunteer Award from Midwest Old Threshers. Out of all the awards received or positions held, Al’s favorite title was “Papa”.
Survivors include his wife, Melinda (Shepp) of Mt. Pleasant (also of Carlisle, Iowa); daughter, Kristin Sieren of West Des Moines, Iowa; grandsons, Lincoln and Conrad; brothers Robert (Cindy) Huisinga of Denison, Iowa, Phillip (Debbie) of Denison, Iowa, Richard (Cindy) of Surprise, Arizona; sister, Pauline (John) Tyer of Des Moines, Iowa, eleven nieces and nephews and numerous cousins, including double cousins. Al was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother, Larry, and his son, Chad Michael Huisinga.
Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to either the First United Methodist Church, the Old Threshers Foundation or the Carlisle Area Dollars for Scholars. The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, is caring for Al’s arrangements. The Celebration of Life church service may be viewed on the First United Methodist Church You Tube Channel or Facebook page. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com