Donald J. Pletchette

PLETCHETTE, MEISSNER, SCHULTES, LAMPMAN, KLOCKE, SCHRECK, TUNNING

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 3/17/2021 at 13:31:24

Carrol Daily Times Herald
20 March, 2000
page 44

Dedham - Mass of the Christian burial for Donald J. Pletchette of Dedham will be at 11 a. m. Thursday, March 23, 2000, at St. Joseph Church in Dedham. Mr. Pletchette, 71, died Sunday, March 19, at his home following a long illness. The Rev. Anthony Pick will preside at the Mass. Lectors will be Amanda Burmeister and Sarah Klocke. Petitions will be read by Rachel Snyder, Maggie Tunning and Abby Schreck. Gift bearers will be Matt Burmeister, Liz Klocke, Chase Schreck, Adam Tunning, Lacey Pletchette, Anna Klocke, Ben Klocke, Ashley Schreck, Colin Schreck, Jacque Pletchette and Grace Tunning. Servers will be Mike Burmeister, Chad Schreck and Kelly Pletchette. Eucharistic ministers will be Mary Lou Schultes, Floyde Klocke and Mark Schreck.

Casket bearers will be Alan Schultes, Jerry Irlbeck, Lynn Schultes, Mike Steinkamp, Dave Tigges and Leonard Snyder. Burial will be in the parish cemetery with military honors by DeWitt-Loustanau American Legion Post No. 20 of Dedham.

Visitation starts at 2:30 and a rosary will be prayed at 3 Wednesday afternoon at Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. There will be a rosary at 7:30 and a Christian wake service by St Joseph Parish at 8:30 Wednesday night at the funeral home.

A son of John and Margaret (Meissner) Pletchette, he was born Feb. 11, 1929, at Carroll. He attended St, Joseph School at Dedham and spent most of his life in that community. Mr. Pletchette graduated from Loras Academy (high school) in Dubuque then earned a bachelor's degree from Loras College in Dubuque in 1950.

He entered the Army in January 1951 and served with the 32nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade during the Korean Conflict, station in Sculthrope, England. He was honorably discharged in December 1952.

He and Marilyn Schultes were married April 18, 1953, at St. Mary Church in Willey. The Pletchettes settled in Dedham, operating the Briardale Store there from 1954 to 1970. Mr. Pletchette then worked for Dahl's Foods in Des Moines until retiring in 1985.

Mr. Pletchette was former vice president of the Iowa Amateur Softball Association, was instrumental in bring 16-inch slow pitch softball to Iowa and conducted the first six state tournaments. He played semipro baseball on several Carroll County teams and played fastpitch softball for the Dedham Merchants from 1953 to 1962. He was a member of the St. Joseph Parish in Dedham, the Dedham Legion post, Dedham Booster Club and the Iowa Softball Hall of Fame. He was also a former member of the Dedham City Council, past president of the Dedham Commercial Club, former finance officer for the Legion post and an early member of the Kuemper High School Knights of the Round Table.

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn, of Dedham; seven children and their spouses: Nina and David Burmeister of Coon Rapids, Catherine and Robert Lampman of Gilbert, Ariz., Lisa and Floyd Klocke of Dedham, John and Jean Pletchette of Winterset, Mary and Mark Schreck of Willey, Amy and Dan Tunning of Omaha, Neb., and Michael Pletchette of West Des Moines; 21 grandchildren; and a great-grandson. Mr. Pletchette was preceded in death by his parents and his parents-in-law: Mike and Catherine Schultes.