Derrek D. Drexler 1988-2009

DREXLER, SIPPEL, MOOTZ, BUSS, KENDALL, DAVIS, OMARA

Posted By: J. N. (email)
Date: 3/25/2009 at 12:13:45

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, Iowa
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Derrek D. Drexler

Derrek D. Drexler, 21, of 1021 Tressa St., died Monday, March 23, 2009, his 21st birthday, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, surrounded by his family and many friends, following a courageous battle against a rare viral infection.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 27, 2009, at St. Columbkille's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Gabriel Anderson officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa. Friends may call from 3 to

8 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, where there will be a wake service at 2:45 p.m.

He was born on March 23, 1988, in Dubuque, son of David and Ann (Sippel) Drexler.

In 2006, he graduated from Wahlert Catholic High School, Dubuque, with highest honors and as most distinguished graduate. He was actively involved in soccer, tennis, golf and basketball. He earned the Eagle Award for academics and was named to the National Honor Society. He was the individual champion at University of Iowa Mathematics Competition. He was awarded an academic full tuition scholarship to St. Ambrose University in Davenport, where he was in his junior year, majoring in accounting and finance. At St. Ambrose, he continued to excel academically, making the Dean's List and the Phi Eta Sigma and Delta Mu Delta National Honor Societies. In 2008, he was awarded the George Thill and John Deere Accounting Scholarships. He served on the Campus Activities Board, Student Advisory Council, Accounting Club and was an intramural champion. He also passed on his academic gifts by serving as a private tutor at St. Ambrose.

Derrek worked as an intern at Prudential Retirement in Dubuque this past summer and was looking forward to a 2009 summer internship at HNI Corp. in Muscatine, Iowa.

He was an avid golfer, and during the high school summers, Derrek worked for Lacoma Golf Course in East Dubuque, Ill. After moving to Davenport, he worked for the Crow Valley Country Club. He also enjoyed a good poker game with his buddies.

Surviving are his parents, David and Ann Drexler, of Dubuque; grandparents, Faye Sippel, of Key West, Iowa, Robert (Pam) Sippel, of Marion, Iowa, and John and Lois Drexler, of Dubuque; his aunts and uncle, Pam (Gary) Mootz, of Hazel Green, Wis., Judy (Dr. Stephen Clifford) Buss, of Sherrill, Iowa, Scott (Ann) Sippel, of Key West, and Shauna (Tony) Kendall, of Liberty, Mo.; and cousins, Jamie (Steve) Davis, Brian (Kristi Joy) Buss, Heather (Casey) O'Mara, Tyler and Trevor Sippel, Carson O'Mara and Payton, Teagan and Reese Kendall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to the Derrek D. Drexler Accounting Scholarship Fund, c/o Saint Ambrose University.

Derrek's family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff of the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.