Fern E. Stelter

STELTER, ZINK, WERNER, DANEHY, ANDREWS, HUNEMULLER, LIEBE, HEIER

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 1/15/2011 at 16:08:24

Fern E. Stelter, 90, of Independence, Iowa died Wednesday evening, January 12, 2011 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Fern was born on April 25, 1920 in Streeter, North Dakota the son of Frederick H. and Emma A. (Zink) Stelter.

He graduated from the Streeter High School, Streeter, ND, and played on the Streeter Basketball team who won the North Dakota State Championship. Following graduation he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. prior to entering the U.S. Army on February 6, 1942 serving during World War Two until his discharge on December 9, 1945. On May 12, 1946 he was united in marriage to Bertha V. Werner in Stockton, California. The couple made their home in the Waterloo, Iowa area where Fern worked for John Deere Company for a short time , and later farmed and worked for Rath Packing prior to his retirement in 1982. The couple moved to Independence, Iowa in 1982

Fern loved his family and his cats. He enjoyed woodworking, recycling scrap metal and working puzzles.

He is survived by his wife Bertha, Independence, IA., five children; Lydia (George) Danehy, Waterloo, IA., Cheryl (Ron) Andrews, Marion, IA., Gerald (Susan) Stelter and Kevin (Brenda) Stelter, both of Independence, IA., and Marsheila (Scot) Hunemuller, Reinbeck, IA., Fourteen Grandchildren, Twenty Two Great Grandchildren, Three Great-Great Grandchildren, and two sisters; Arlene Liebe, Duluth, MN, and Dorothy Heier, Jamestown, ND.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a granddaughter Judy Ann Danehy, a sister; Eileen Hieb, and five brothers; Alvin, Victor, Emmanuel, Henry, and Earl Stelter.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday at the Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory, Independence with Rev. Kurt Bockoven officiating.

Burial will be in the Wilson Cemetery, Independence, IA.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 P.M. Sunday and from 8 A.M. Till services Monday at the funeral home.

A Military Memorial Service will be held at 7 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home.