Ivan F. Brandow Obituary (1943 - 2015)

Ivan F. Brandow, 71, of Bloomington, passed away at 11:24 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2015, at his home.A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bloomington, with Pastor Peter Weeks officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. A private interment will be held at East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bloomington or Habitat for Humanity.A memorial service to be held in NE will be announced at a later date.Ivan was born Aug. 28, 1943, in Yankton, SD, son of Frank and Mabel Ballinger Brandow, who precede him in death.He enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. in 1965. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant E-5 in 1970 and was a decorated Vietnam veteran.He began his career at State Farm Insurance Company in data processing in Lincoln, NE and after 36 years, he retired from the Network Firewall Security team in 2005.He was very active and a long-time volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and with Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Some of Ivans greatest enjoyment came from gardening, riding his Harleys and helping with the family farms when he traveled back to Nebraska.Surviving are one son, Jeremy (Tori) Brandow of Champaign, IL, one daughter, Alison (Andrew) Gray of Bloomington, and three grandsons, Oliver and Miles Brandow of Champaign and Alexander Gray of Bloomington. Also surviving are two brothers, Dwight (Kaye) Brandow of Coleridge, NE, and David (Lanette) Brandow of Cadillac, MI, and one sister, Dorothy "Sally" Larson of Dakota City, NE.Ivan touched many lives with his kind heart and will be deeply missed.To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.