Charles Duane Moulds, age 90 of Fairbank passed away peacefully with his family at his side Friday, December 20, 2024 at his home in rural Fairbank. Chuck was born June 8th, 1934 in rural Dunkerton the son of Charles Edward and Kathryn (Niebuhr) Moulds. He grew up on the family farm and attended school in Fairbank, as well as Dunkerton. Chuck proudly served his country when he was stationed in Ulm, Germany as an active member of the United States Army from 1955 to 1957 and in the Army Reserve through 1962. He married Joan Keniston on May 10th, 1957 in Elkader, Iowa. They made their home in rural Fairbank where they raised their three children. Chuck was a lifetime farmer and an excellent steward of the farm expanding it and making many improvements. He was an adept bulldozer owner/operator and left his mark all over Northeast Iowa with the dozens of farm field waterways that he skillfully created to combat soil erosion. He especially enjoyed raising and caring for his cow/calf operation and was certainly a cattleman at heart. He had a special place in his life for the generations of Collies, Shetland Sheep dogs and Border Collies that grew up on the farm. His last Border Collie, Reba, was his close companion for the last 14 years. Chuck enjoyed traveling to see friends and family in Montana, California, Florida and Germany and going to the casinos in Las Vegas, Kansas City, as well as here locally. Decades of annual summer fishing trips with family and friends to Ontario, Canada provided hours of relaxation and many happy memories. He always very much enjoyed time spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For many years Chuck and Jo enjoyed playing “500” at the several card clubs that they belonged to. In his later years he enjoyed playing cards with his friends at Jerry’s Auto and he was a regular at the Fairbank Food Center Deli. He also served on the Wapsie Valley Board of Education for a number of years. His happy place was in his timber where he enjoyed cutting wood, lots of wood, so if you couldn’t find him in the house or outside working on equipment, he was most likely in the timber. Even after his health started to decline, he would drive his pickup or van to the timber just to check on the crops and the wildlife. Chuck is survived by his three children; Ron (Kelle) Moulds, LaDell (Jim) McCabe and Susan (Kelly) Ryan, five grandchildren; Michael Ryan, Elizabeth Escobedo (Adam Poock), Rachael (Patrick) Murray, Keith (Kate) Ryan, Staci (Luke) Kinney; three step-grandchildren, Joshua and Rachel VanErsvelde, Mandie Martin, eight great grandchildren; Mikaela and Briggs Escobedo, Calvin, Lane and Ryan Murray, Charles, Natalie and William Ryan, Evelyn Lendt and Annika Kinney and three step-great grandchildren, Harper, Cash and Whitten; two sisters; Helen Heth and Beverly Morris. Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, a brother, Elmer in infancy and a sister, Elizabeth at birth, sisters and brother and their spouses, Eileen and Harold Fratzke, George and Marjorie Moulds, Doris and Joe Weiden, Lois and Dave Enyart, and two brothers-in-law Elmer Heth and Paul Morris.
Visitation: 9:00-11:00 AM Friday, December 27, 2024 with funeral to follow at Woods Funeral
Home.
Interment: Private burial at Fairbank Cemetery immediately following the service.
Military Rites: Fairbank American Legion Fortsch-Duffy Post 552
Memorials: may be directed to the family for later designation.
Lunch will be served at the Fairbank American Legion following the service
Condolences for Charles “Chuck” Moulds
Dear Family,
I am so sorry for your loss.
Charlie was such a good friend to
Loren (Niebuhr) and they’re probably reminiscing right now up in heaven. When I had open heart surgery. he came to check on me in person to see for himself I was ok. What a man! May God give you all the strength to prevail..bless you all.
Shirley Riggle