John & Jann (Rudd) Weitzel
WEITZEL, RUDD, SHAFER, HESS, HERRIG, GARRELLS, MEIERS, HARGENS, LEONARD, LENUS
Posted By: Errin Wilker (email)
Date: 12/30/2006 at 15:55:33
John (Jack) August Weitzel was born in Carroll, Iowa, on Oct. 3, 1948 to Betty Lou (Shafer) and Wilbur August Weitzel. The Weitzel family lived in Sac City where Wilbur worked as a heavy equipment operator for the county.
Wilbur's father, August Phillip, was son to Adam and Carrie, who came to the United States from Germany. His mother, Ella Hess, was daughter to August and Ruphine (Herrig) also of German descent.
Betty Lou's father, Vernon, was son to Conrad who was born in Germany in 1880 and later married to Anna Garrells. Betty's mother, Mayme Meiers, was daughter to William and Maria Hargens.
Jann, the daughter of Harold Jan and Barbara Anne (Leonard) was born in Heidelberg, Germany on Feb. 28, 1953. Her father was stationed in Karlscrue in the United States Army where he worked with the CID (Criminal Investigation Division). When Jann was three months old, the family returned to the states, and Harold was stationed at the Auburn Army Depot in the state of Washington. At the age of five, Jann lost her father after he suffered a heart attack, and her mother moved the small family back to her hometown of Sac City where she became involved with the Leonard Greenhouse business and worked as a seaetary at the local high school.
In the 1700s, the Leonard ancestors of Holland-Dutch descent settled near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania having fled their homeland to avoid religious persecution. Barbara's father, James Lenus, was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Sac County in 1913 with his father Henry and his family.
Jann's grandfather Rudd, Guile, after marrying Nellie, left Ireland during the potato famine. After losing his father, Harold was sent to be raised in Father Flanagan's Boys' Town.
Jack and Jann graduated from the Sac Community High School in 1966 and 1971, and Jack enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he worked as an Interior Communications Electrician. Jann attended UNI and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English. She went on to pursue a master's degree in gifted education.
After marrying in 1974, Jann and Jack moved to Waukon where Jann was employed by the local school system. They then purchased their first home at 201 Fourth Street SW which they spent ten years remodeling.
Their first daughter, Sarah, was born on August 5, 1979. Soon after, the family moved to 506 Fifth Avenue SW where they lived for three years. Their second daughter, Lauren, was born on January 9, 1983. The family then moved to a home which was buit in the early 1900s. They are presently restoring the home.
Following employment with Mark Mauss Motors, Jack attended eleclrician's school at NITI. He worked for Bob's Electric in Postville before beginning his own electrical business which he operated for ten years. He then became the manager of Rockweiler's Appiance in Waukon.
The family enjoys camping, biking, swimming, traveling, and restoring early model cars. They attend St. Paul's United Methodist Church, and Jack is active in the local Lions Club and works with the local ambulance service.
By Jann Weitzel
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Source: 1989 Allamakee County, Iowa History Book
Allamakee Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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