Freese, Jerome – 1932-2009

DYKSTRA, FREESE, HANDFELT, KLASS, MASON

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 3/7/2009 at 08:43:28

Jerome Freese, 76, of Baxter died Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, at Skiff Medical Center in Newton.
A funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father William E. Reynolds officiating. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at the funeral home.
A private family burial will be held at Restland Cemetery. Memorials to the American Cancer Society or the El Salvador Mission may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home & Crematory in Newton or at the church the day of the service.
The son of Edward and Elvina (Klass) Freese, Jerome was born April 19, 1932, in Haverhill, Iowa. On Nov. 10, 1952, he was united in marriage to Jo Mason in Marshalltown, Iowa. He grew up in Haverhill. After he and Jo were married, they farmed by Marshalltown for four years and then by Melbourne. They moved to a farm by Baxter in 1965.
Jerome was a lifelong farmer, retiring in 2002, and also was a part-time rural mail carrier for 20 years. He was a member of the Farm Bureau, Baxter school board and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He loved to farm and watch ball games, whether it be the Chicago Cubs on TV or his grandchildren playing softball. He enjoyed coffee time with his friends and going out for supper. In his younger days, Jerome and Jo did a lot of dancing.
Survivors include his wife, Jo Freese of Baxter; three sons, Jerry (Kathy) Freese of Newton, Doug (Deb) Freese of Hudson, Iowa, and Randy (Barb) Freese of Baxter, Iowa; six grandchildren, Brad (Andrea) Freese, James (Holly) Freese, Mike (Amanda) Freese, Jill (Scott) Dykstra, Michael Freese, and Courtney Freese; 11 great-grandchildren, Ashlee, Grant and Natalee Freese, Ethan and Colin Freese, Jacob, Brianna and Katelyn Freese, and Autumn, Savannah and Brooklyn Dykstra; two brothers, Clarence (Janet) Freese of Sully and Elmer (Priscilla) Freese of Marshalltown; a sister-in-law, Geraldine Mason of Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a special aunt, Louisa Handfelt.
Source: Newton(IA) Daily News; Monday, March 2, 2009