Bernhard "Bernie" Gluth

Bernhard “Bernie” Lester Gluth, age 94, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away, surrounded by his three children, on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah, Iowa.

Memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Calmar Lutheran Church, 200 East Street, Calmar, Iowa, with Pastor Daryl Thompson presiding.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 East Water Street, Decorah, Iowa. There will be no visitation before the service on Tuesday morning.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to the family at 401 West South St. Calmar, IA 52132.

Bernie was born in Redwood Falls, MN, the son of Lester and Erna (Panitzke) Gluth. The son of a farming family, he grew to understand the importance of family and hard work, especially through the Depression. As a student in the Redwood Falls school district, he was encouraged to explore his musical gifts, playing the tuba as his primary instrument.

After he graduated from high school, he farmed with Carl and Ida Jordan, who became like parents to him. In 1952, he was drafted and inducted into the United States Army, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. On the day he was inducted, he heard the division band playing, and one day after donating blood, with the rest of the day off, he followed the Lord’s leading and went to the band building. They gave him a tuba and had him warm up. He played some scales and part of a solo he remembered from high school. It was later, when posting assignments were given out, that he found he had been assigned to the 10th Division band, where he spent the remainder of his time in service. He was honorably discharged from the Army in February of 1954 and he returned to the Redwood Falls area.

Bernie attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in the fall of 1954, majoring in Instrumental Music Education. He played with the Luther College Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Weston Noble, also serving as Dr. Noble’s teaching assistant. Bernie graduated from Luther in May of 1959.

During his time at Luther, Bernie was part of a group who traveled to area churches to sing with their choirs. It was during one of those trips to Springfield Lutheran Church outside Decorah that he met Carol Ehler. He was smitten and the two married on September 6, 1958 at Springfield. They celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2018.

Within the first five years of their marriage their family grew to include three children: Jan, Kevin and Kari, and a dog, Banji. As a family they had numerous camping adventures, family vacations to the Redwood Falls area, and to Alabama to visit his siblings and their families. The pop up camper in the family became a regular fixture during the warmer months and was a wise investment on a frugal budget.

Bernie was employed as band director at Elkader Community Schools from fall of 1959 to May of 1964. In the summer of 1964, the family moved to Decorah and Bernie assumed the position of teaching Instrumental Music at North Winneshiek school. He built a successful band program instructing grades 5 thru 12. He retired from the program in 1989. In 1971, Bernie became the Assistant Director of the Luren Singers, and he arranged many of the pieces the Luren performs. He held this position until 2019, when he was awarded the position of Assistant Director Emeritus.

His love for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren is endless and abundant. The life of this very special man was experienced by those close to him as an extension of the love of Jesus. He modeled the way he thought people should behave as a fine example for us to follow. His patience, love, and faith are his living legacy.

Bernie was preceded in death by his parents, Erna and Lester Gluth; parents-in-law Bernard and Signe (Borness) Ehler; wife, Carol Ann (Ehler) Gluth; brother, Eugene Gluth; brothers-in-law Herb Parker, Gerald Ehler, Kenneth Kolaas, and Lester Johnson; sisters-in-law, Judy Gluth, Phyllis Jauert, and Gloria Johnson; great-granddaughter, Kristen Stortz.

He is survived by his children, Janann (Carl King) Gluth King; Kevin (Karol) Gluth; Kaarin (Marvin) Sears. Grandchildren; Megan Gluth; Carl (Heather) Stortz; Mollie (Tanner) Tjossem; Olivia King, Natalie (Derek) Estrem, and Emma Sears. Great grandchildren: Sara and Jolie Bohan, Ellinor and August Stortz, Evelyn and Edison Tjossem. Sister Bertha ‘Betty’ Parker, Sisters-in-law Christine Kolaas; Wanda (Mike) Johnson, and Judy Ehler; Brother-in-law Kenneth Jauert; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Aase Haugen Homes and St. Croix Hospice for providing such loving care to Bernie.