LEO H. DEMMER 1924 - 2003

OLLENDIECK, DEMMER, GOEDKEN, HEINISCH, COLEMAN, VASKE, MANTERNACH, JOHNSON, WILGENBUSCH, HERMSEN, BRUNSMANN, BOCKENSTEDT, ENGELKEN, CLEMEN, ROLFES, OSTERHAUS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 9/12/2003 at 12:54:24

Leo H. Demmer

Telegraph Herald - Friday, July 25, 2003

Leo H. Demmer, 78, of 4998 Asbury Circle, Dubuque, formerly of Peosta, Iowa, died at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at home, following a peaceful acceptance of terminal cancer.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Peosta, with the Rev. Richard Kuhn officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today at Reiff Funeral Home, Farley, Iowa. Friends also may call after 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.

He was born on July 25, 1924, in Dyersville, Iowa, the youngest son of Henry and Theresia (Ollendieck) Demmer. On Aug. 26, 1947, he married Stella Goedken at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Petersburg, Iowa; she preceded him in death on March 2, 2002.

He was a member of St. John the Baptist Parish and its Holy Name Society. He served on the parish council and was a school board member for the parish school. Leo also was a Peosta 4-H leader, a past member of the Dubuque County Dairy Association, the Iowa Holstein Association, the National Holstein Association, the Iowa Farm Bureau, Swiss Valley Milk Producers and a committee member of the Dubuque County Fair Open Class Dairy Show.

Leo was a loving husband and father, who farmed in the rural Dyersville and Peosta area, retiring to Dubuque from the family farm in 1990.

Over the years, in addition to raising nine children, he enjoyed playing euchre, pinochle, solo, black jack, watching and discussing Major League Baseball, attending high school sporting events that involved his children and grandchildren and following their 4-H and open class activities.

He was very proud of his family and their accomplishments and enjoyed the numerous family get-togethers. Leo also enjoyed the company of his friends, especially when there was a card game involved.

Surviving are eight children, Ken (Jean) Demmer, of Platteville, Wis., Jim (Carol) Demmer, of Farley, Marilyn (Rich) Heinisch and Marge (Scott) Coleman, both of Dubuque, Diane (Joe) Vaske, of Freeport, Ill., Joe (Dixie) Demmer and Rick (Kathy) Demmer, both of Peosta, and LuAnn (Brian) Manternach, of Cascade, Iowa; a daughter-in-law, Mary Lynn Demmer, of Dixon, Ill.; 28 grandchildren, Lisa Demmer, of Dubuque, Tony and Tim Demmer, of Platteville, Brian, Erin, Tom and Molly Demmer, of Dixon, Brett Johnson, of Dubuque, Brenda, Carla and Laura Vaske, of Freeport, Gena Lee and Amy Demmer, of Peosta, Kayla, Kristy, Kyle, Riley, Rachel, Royce and Regan Demmer, of Peosta, Jay, Craig, Todd, Tara and Ben Manternach, of Cascade, and Meagan, Madeline and Mitchell Coleman of Dubuque; a great-grandchild, Bryanna Demmer, of Dubuque; a brother, Lawrence Demmer, of Epworth; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Demmer, of Dyersville; as well as brothers and sisters-in-law, Gilbert (Germaine) Goedken, of Dubuque, Helen Wilgenbusch and Inez (Francis) Hermsen, of Manchester, Iowa, Norma (Vernon) Brunsmann and Valeria (Irvin) Bockenstedt, of New Vienna, Iowa, Mary Lou (Elmer) Engelken, of Epworth, Carol (Dale) Clemen and Laverne (Pat) Goedken, of Holy Cross, Iowa, John (Marilyn) Goedken, of Petersburg, and Marvin (Janet) Rolfes, of Earlville.

He was also was preceded in death by a son, Daniel Demmer, on Oct. 24, 2000; his parents, Henry and Theresia Demmer; three brothers, Henry, Clem and John Demmer; and a sister, Irene Osterhaus.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of Dubuque and to the Leo H. Demmer Memorial Fund.