Dan Brandt, 80, of Marshalltown died Jan. 15 in Marshalltown surrounded by his family.

A miles-long funeral procession Friday afternoon accompanied by dozens of law enforcement vehicles from Iowa departments ranging from northwest to central to southeast Iowa accompanied the hearse from the local St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. The procession followed West Olive Street, South Sixth Street/South Third Street, West Main Street, county road E-45 and Highway 330/Marsh Avenue before arriving at its destination.

Fittingly, the procession was led by a 1966 Chevrolet Impala Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) cruiser that Brandt and others had restored.

Brandt had driven the vintage cruiser — the lead vehicle in many local Oketemberfest parades.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO — Members of law enforcement and reserve departments from throughout Iowa are shown in attendance at local resident Dan Brandt's funeral Friday morning at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Marshalltown.

At the cemetery, the combined American Legion/Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard conducted gravesite services, which included a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps.”

Honor Guard commander Mike Hanken of Marshalltown dutifully and solemnly presented the American Flag to Brandt’s widow, Donna, daughter Amy, son-in-law Cory and grandsons Devon and Lucas.

Despite temperatures in the single digits and a strong wind that would cut through the heaviest of coats, a large group of family, friends, law enforcement personnel and reservists and others paid their final respects.

But before his untimely passing from ALS, Brandt had raised a family with Donna (nee Nichols) and served in the U.S. Army. He was a resolute Emerson Process Management employee and volunteered more than 41 years as a Marshalltown police reserve officer.

“Dan was an extremely dependable, personable and a talented MPD volunteer reserve member,” said Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper, who attended the church and graveside services with many of his MPD colleagues. “We could always count on him – from directing traffic to data entry to other tasks which, importantly, frees up our officers to do law enforcement work.”

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY — Joint Marshalltown American Legion/VFW Honor Guard commander Mike Hanken presents a U.S. flag to Donna Brandt, the widow of U.S. Army veteran Dan Brandt, as friends and family look on Friday afternoon at the Marietta Cemetery near Marshalltown.

Brandt was a founding member of the Iowa State Reserve Law Officers association (ISRLOA) and served as its secretary treasurer for 50 years. He was honored in 2012 with the organization’s Distinguished Service Award.

In 1987, Brandt received the annual Respect for Law Award from the Marshalltown Noon Optimist Club. In 1995, he received the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame award for his work with the Marshalltown Police Reserve. In 2008, Brandt was awarded the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award for years of service as a reserve police officer. In 2018, he was given a 50-year award by the MPD for his significant contribution to law enforcement. In 2024, he was recognized for his 53 years of volunteer service to the MPD.

Brandt and his wife loved local history. Brandt was serving as president of the Historical Society of Marshall County (HSMC), a post he had recently been re-elected to, at the time of his death.

He joined the board of directors in 2014 and became president in 2015.

“Dan was the best HSMC president I have ever served under,” said veteran board member Julie Lang of Marshalltown at a recent HSMC annual meeting. “We will miss his enthusiasm, knowledge and ‘get the job done’ attitude.”

Marshall County Chief Deputy Ben Veren attended the church and graveside service with Sheriff Joel Phillips and other deputies.

“Dan was one of those people who made Marshalltown and Marshall County ‘work,'” Veren said. “We need more people like Dan to do the volunteer work now that needs to be done.”