John H. "Jake" Besler 1945-2014

BESLER, WESTHOFF, DIGMANN, WASILLA, SIEPMAN, HAGEMAN, DILLON

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 2/9/2015 at 21:19:47

Gazette, The (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA) - Tuesday, September 16, 2014

John H. "Jake" Besler, 69, of Farley, died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at home in Farley. Friends and relatives of Jake may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Reiff Funeral Home in Farley, where a Scripture wake service will be held at 2 p.m. The Farley Fire Department will meet as a group at 6:45 p.m. and the Farley American Legion service will be held at 7 p.m. Services for John will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Farley, with the Rev. Michael Schueller presiding. Burial will be held in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Farley.

Jake was born Aug. 27, 1945, in Dyersville, Iowa, son of Frank and Frances (Westhoff) Besler. He was a graduate of the former St. Joseph's High School in Farley. On July 22, 1967, he was united in marriage to Nancy Digmann at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Worthington. He served in the Army National Guard from 1963 until 1971 and was a member of the Governor's Gray Honor Guard.

Jake was a member of St. Joseph's Parish and Choir in Farley and a member of the Farley American Legion Post No. 656. He was also a retired member of the Farley Fire Department and Reiff Ambulance Service. John also served on the Farley Commercial Club, Farley Industrial Development board and was a Little League coach for many years.

Jake worked all his life in the lumber business starting at Armstrong Lumber in Dyersville, Spahn and Rose in Dubuque, and Great Plaines Lumber Company in Farley, until they closed.

At that time, Jake began his own business, Farley Building Supply, which he owned and operated until 1994. Jake then began to work for Lumber Specialties and later Spahn & Rose Lumber in Dyersville, until his retirement in 2010.

Jake loved spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters, and watching the girls play sports. He also enjoyed fishing and gardening.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Besler of Farley; three children, Tim Besler and Terry (Carmen) Besler, both of Farley, and Nicole (Pat) Martin of Wasilla, Alaska; six granddaughters, Jade, Ally, Meg, Ava, Elise and Finley; four brothers, Don (Cooie) Besler of Dubuque, Ken (Darlene) Besler and Jim Besler, both Farley, and Mark (Diane) Besler of Iowa City; two sisters, Suzanne (Jim) Siepman of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Diane (Kevin) Hageman of Dyersville; and one brother-in-law, Mark Dillon of Lakewood, Colo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one nephew, Joshua Dillon; and one sister, Darlene Dillon.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.