ROMMEL, Lester John 1926-2001

ROMMEL, LEPPER, HEFFELMEIER, BERG, MCELVANIA, PALO

Posted By: Jeffrey R. Phillips (email)
Date: 2/10/2004 at 21:12:39

Lester Rommel
By: 07/26/2001

Jan. 26, 1926-July 20, 2001

DALLAS, Texas-Lester John Rommel, 75, of Dallas, Texas, formerly of Iowa Falls, died Friday, July 20, 2001, in Dallas. Services will be held Monday, July 30, at 10:30 a.m. at Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls, with burial in the Alden Cemetery. Rev. Rhoda Preston will officiate. Full military rites will be provided by the Collins-Dunning American Legion Post No. 201 of Alden. There will be no visitation.

Lester was born Jan. 26, 1926, in Pipestone, Minn., to John and Lena Lepper Rommel. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School in 1944 and served in the United States Navy during World War II. On July 1, 1949, he married Shirley Heffelmeier of Ackley. He was employed by Alcoa for 18 years after which he founded Vast America Co. of Dallas, currently operated by his sons and grandson. He was a member of the Spring Valley Methodist Church, VFW, and the American Legion.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years; a daughter, LaVonne Berg and husband, Jack, of Chicago, Ill.; two sons, Jon Rommel and his fiancŽ, Judy Webster, of Dallas, and Ryan Rommel and his wife, Jill, of Dallas; two sisters, June McElvania and husband, Lyle, of Liberal, Kan., and Jean Palo and husband, Bob, of Iowa Falls; a sister-in-law, Esther Heffelmeier of Ackley; and six grandchildren, Blake and Melissa Berg, Cash and Brittany Rommel, and Megan and Paige Rommel. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, LaVonne.

©Iowa Falls Times-Citizen 2004