Randal G. Poshusta

Randal (Randy) Gregory Poshusta, age 77, of Calmar, Iowa, passed away peacefully from complications of pneumonia on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, surrounded by his family, after a courageous 5-year battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 304 N. Maryville St., Calmar, Iowa 52132, with Father Huber presiding. Burial with full military honors will follow at the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 304 N. Maryville St., Calmar, Iowa 52132. There will be no visitation prior to the service on Thursday. Please come in and be seated.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials and donations can go to the family.

Randal was born April 1, 1948, the son of Wilmer and Mildred (Frana) Poshusta. He was the fourth of five children. After the passing of his father at the age of 12, he and his siblings were raised by their devoted mother, with the loving support of the Frana and Poshusta families.

He graduated from DeSales High School in Ossian in 1967. Following school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and proudly served his country, including 13 months of service in Vietnam. On September 11, 1971, Randal married Lois Haugstad. Together, they built a life filled with love, laughter, and family, raising four children: Andrea Renee, Jeremy Randal, Aaron Randal, and Katie Lynn. He was proud of his country, which inspired him to be the Commander of the Calmar American Legion Post 266 for over 40 years. He treasured the special camaraderie he had with his fellow Veterans and often cooked meals for them, even when he could no longer eat the meals himself. He was a lifelong member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church and served on the Parish Council, also working at church dinners and events. Service was important to him by being a volunteer fireman for Calmar Fire Department and Chairman of the City of Calmar Zoning Board of Adjustment for several years.

Randal worked at Carey’s Machine Shop in Decorah, owned Randy’s Repair Shop in Ossian and worked at CamCar in Decorah for almost 30 years. In his retirement, he worked for Knutson Farms Custom Chopping and owned and operated a sawmill outside of Calmar.

Being outdoors with friends and family was one of his favorite places to be. In earlier years, he raced stock cars and spent many days fishing with his brothers. The Mississippi River was summer enjoyment for Randy and Lois, and with family and friends, enjoying boating/pontooning. He was an avid gardener growing flowers and vegetables, which he always shared, and could often be found digging in the dirt barefoot. The simple pleasures in his life included sitting on his back deck with Lois with a beer and admiring his garden and lawn, and feeding and watching birds. Attending the annual Frana family reunion was an event he never missed and proudly kicked off the horseshoe tournament by clanking his horseshoes together and announcing it was time to start. The Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Chiefs were his favorite teams to watch. He loved going out to eat and could often be found tearing up the dance floor at weddings. Listening and dancing to music or watching Western and Classic movies brought him enjoyment – all with the volume on high. It wasn’t uncommon for him to walk into a room, change the channel, and say, “Did you see what’s on?” watch a scene, and then leave the room. Above all else, he was proud of his family and attended many of the sports and events of his children and grandchildren.

Known for giving genuine hugs, his “signature” big hand wave like his Mother, and a hearty, contagious laugh, he brightened up the room! If he picked on you, you knew you held a special place in his heart. He was known for rarely throwing anything away, always coming up with ways to repurpose something others might call junk.

Randal is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 54 years, Lois; his children, Andrea (Mark) Knutson, Aaron (Tanya Gray) Poshusta, and Katie (Ryan) Teslow and Chris Freland (Jake’s fiancé); his grandchildren, Christopher (Maria) Knutson, Jenna Knutson, Calvin (fiancée Brooke Courtney) Knutson, Joshua Knutson, Hudson and Brooks Poshusta, Landon, Lennox, and Luca Teslow; his great-granddaughter, Mabel Bea Knutson; his sister Althea Murphy and brother Steve (Nancy) Poshusta; his sister-in-laws Gwen (Jon) Allen, Carol (Don Schatz) Arneson, brother-in-law Keith (Carrie) Haugstad and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Jeremy “Jake” Randal Poshusta on October 10, 2025; his parents, Wilmer and Mildred Poshusta; his sister, Stephanie “Sally” Davis; his brother, Michael Poshusta; his brother-in-laws Robert Davis, James Murphy and Byron Haugstad, his sister-in-law Dorothy Poshusta, and his mother- and father-in-law, Enster and Gertrude Haugstad.

His memory will live on in the stories, laughter, and love he shared with all who knew him.

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