Friends and family of the late Iowa Congressman Berkley Bedell will take part in a boating memorial on West Lake Okoboji this Saturday.
Bedell, a businessman who served in congress for 12 years, died in December at the age of 98.
His son Tom Bedell says a planned memorial service was cancelled due to the pandemic — and a boat parade seemed the perfect tribute.
OC……….very, very fitting.” :20
Berkley Bedell was a Spirit Lake native who founded a fishing tackle business after serving in the Army in World War II.
He tied fishing lures as a high schooler and sold them to earn money during the Great Depression.
OC…….almost every day.” :07
The parade is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday on West Lake Okoboji, in front of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, led by “The Queen” excursion boat.
The guests will hear pre-recorded messages from former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and current Senator Chuck Grassley.
Grassley, Harkin and Bedell were all first elected to Congress in 1974.
OC…….little bit different.” :10
Bedell, a Democrat, did not seek re-election in 1986 after being diagnosed with Lyme Disease.
