John William Rema 1925-2009
KOLSRUD, REMA, JEGLUM, GRANT, FULMER, GARCIA, LIND
Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 1/1/2010 at 18:04:40
John W. Rema, Jr., 84, of Waukon died Sunday, December 20, 2009 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 23 at 11 a.m. at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating. Burial will be at Old East Paint Creek Cemetery. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, December 22 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.
John William Rema, Jr. was born June 7, 1925 on the rural Waterville farm of his parents, John, Sr. and Clara S. (Kolsrud) Rema. He was baptized and confirmed at the Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church, where he remained a life-long member, and attended Waterville area rural schools.
Following his schooling, John began farming, initially with his parents and other relatives. John, his twin brother Norman, and their brother-in-law, James Jeglum, operated a saw mill for many years along with the farming operation. Later he farmed on his own, first renting the Anderson farm and then in the late 1960s he purchased the Roe farm, where he ran a dairy herd and raised hogs, chickens, and grains.
John married Florence Grant in June of 1955. They were later divorced. In 1994 John sold the farm and moved to Clermont to be near several members of his family. Since 2005 he has been a resident of Good Samaritan Center in Waukon.
John had a number of special interests outside his farming. Sunday afternoons he and the kids would go fishing or to the local airport, where they looked at the planes and he often took them for short flights. He loved music and played Hawaiian guitar with his brother Norman and some other local musicians in a band they called the “Offbeats”. They performed at Rainbow Gardens, community events at the Waterville Fire Station and even at private residences when they could get a group of friends together. Snowmobiling, coon hunting, and occasionally square dancing were some of his other pastimes.
Survivors include his six children, Jean (fiancé Craig Grotegut) Fulmer of Waukon, Richard (Tammy) Rema, Rodney (Marie) Rema, and Janet (Rick) Garcia, all of Clermont, Randy (Rhonda) Rema of Postville, and Russell (Robin) Rema of West Union; 16 grandchildren, Levi, Michal, Jackie, Reggie, Tamara, Cassandra, Amber, Kelly, Katie, Neil, Catina, Tara, Travis, Cory, Callie, and Dave; 17 great-grandchildren; a brother, Norman (Ione) Rema of Waterville; two sisters, Emeline Jeglum of Waukon and Florence (Milton) Lind of Scottsdale, AZ; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three children, a son, Ronald, who died in 1988, and infant children Ricky and Ruth; and a brother-in-law, James Jeglum.
Honorary casketbearers are his grandchildren. Casketbearers are Richard, Rodney, Randy and Russell Rema, Rick Garcia and Craig Grotegut.
Waukon, Iowa newspaper, THE STANDARD, December 23, 2009.
Contributor is not related and has no further information.
Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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