GAST, Roger E. 1921-1988

GAST, CHAUDOT, OLTHOFF

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/16/2019 at 19:48:56

Roger E. Gast

Funeral services were held Saturday, February 20 at the Presbyterian Church in Steamboat Rock for Roger E. Gast, 66, who died Sunday in Mesa, Arizona.

Rev. Bruce Billie officiated at the services with Mrs. Lee Pieters as organist and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Taylor as vocalists. Flower ladies were Mrs. Irvin Schallau and Mrs. Wilma Luiken. Honorary casket bearers were Harold Luiken, Joe Cervetti, Herman Groote, Fred Kudym, Sr., Fred Kudym, Jr. and Charles Ruby.

Casket bearers were Laverne Gast, Irvin Gast, Ralph Gast, Tim Hoffman, Merle Kramer and Irvin Schallau with interment in the Steamboat Rock Cemetery. Military services were provided by the Hoover-Eiserman Post of the American Legion in Steamboat Rock.

Roger E. Gast was born March 31, 1921 at Eldora. He was the son of John C. and Marie Chaudot Gast. He received his education in the Steamboat Rock schools.

On October 3, 1942, he was married to Merriem Olthoff at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Wellsburg. He served in the US Army in the European theatre during World War II and received the Purple Heart.

After the war, the family lived at Steamboat Rock, where he had a grocery store for nine years and did carpentry work, and was a substitute mail carrier for a number of years. He was active in civic affairs serving as mayor of Steamboat Rock, city clerk, and commander of the Steamboat Rock Legion Post. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Steamboat Rock.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife; one son, Roger G. Gast and his wife, Mary of Cedar Falls; one daughter, Mrs. Duane (Sheryll) Skidmore of Colfax; four grandchildren; two brothers, Charles J. (Dally) Gast of Houston, Texas and Maurice (Peanuts) Gast in California; and one sister, Mrs. Frances Hoffman of Oelwein.

--Ackley World Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 25 February 1988, pg 5