Lyle M. Humphrey

MASON CITY: Lyle M. Humphrey, 92, died Thursday, September 3, 2009 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Friday, September 11 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating. Private family inurnment services will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Thursday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church or to the family to be used for nursing scholarships.

Lyle was born October 31, 1916 in Hesper, Iowa to John and Beata (Wold) Humphrey. He was preceeded in death by his parents, brother Harlan and sisters Geraldine Olson and Delores Oesterborg. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1934 and served in the Navy during WWII, stationed in San Diego and Oakland, CA. In April 1943 Lyle married Mary (Giere) Humphrey. They welcomed twin daughters Jan and Sue in 1945 and returned to Mason City. A third daughter, Julie, was born in Mason City to round out his sorority. Lyle completed a 30 year career at the US Postal Service in 1972. His highest calling, apart from his Lutheran faith, was on the golf course. Most local golfers and golf enthusiasts will remember him as a good caddy boy as he would humbly state. Highland Park Golf Course was his home course and where he worked to improve his game.

In 2005, Globe Gazette opinion page editor Tom Thoma wrote, If I could build a North Iowa Golf Hall of Fame, the first two people Id put in it are Anne Casey Johnstone and Lyle Humphrey.As for Mr. Humphrey, all he did was win the Mason City mens city tournament 11 times. Imagine that -- 11 time city champ in a city thats produced some very fine golfers. Its an accomplishment that will be very difficult to match, indeed. Years before Mr. Thomas article, when Lyle was winning his third Mason City championship, a Globe Gazette columnist gave a report on Lyles integrity.

The going in the first five holes had been mighty tough for him. He was 3 down and he had a chance for a birdie 4 on the sixth hole. With this in his thinking, he surveyed his lie with special care and took some extra swings with his putter.

All of a sudden he announced that he was shooting 5.

I touched my ball with my putter, he explained.

Those in the gallery hadnt noticed it.

As he teed off for the seventh hole, he was 4 down, with prospects for winning not too bright.

Such is the quality of Baldy Humphreys sportsmanship. He had placed sportsmanship above victory.

Lyle most of all loved his family and delighted in their successes as he would proclaim hooray for the home team!

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Humphrey; brother Jim (Mil) Humphrey, Iowa City, IA; daughters Jan (Charlie) Hall, Prior Lake, MN; Sue (Bob) Simons, Clive, IA; Julie (Rolf) Aronsen, Mason City; grandsons Jeffrey (Aubrey) Hall, St. Paul, MN; Matt (Dana) Simons, Brooklyn, NY; Andrew (Rachel) Hall, San Diego, CA; Steve Simons, San Diego, CA; Nicholas (Sarah) Aronsen and great-grandson Benjamin, Mason City; and granddaughter Erica (fiance Chris Axiotis) Aronsen, Ames, IA.

Lyles family extends special thanks to his long time friends Tom Waggoner, Jack Proscovec and Paul Blackie Espinosa.