Peter Van Gerpen
VAN GERPEN, BURMA
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 6/17/2022 at 10:08:10
Peter Van Gerpen, 88, of Iowa City, died on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Bird House – Hospice Home of Johnson County surrounded by his family.
A gathering to celebrate Peter will be from 11am-2pm on Saturday, June 11 at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City. A graveside service will follow the gathering at Memory Gardens Cemetery, Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed toward The Bird House or Hospice Compassus, Cedar Rapids.
Peter was born on June 25, 1933 near Buffalo Center, IA, the son of Reinhard and Katherine (Burma) Van Gerpen. He attended Morgan Township Country School by Dows, IA and graduated high school in Alexander, IA.
He was in the Air Force from 1953 until 1957 and was stationed on an island in the British West Indies and helped build an air strip until 1955 when he came back to Iowa and married Patricia Carol Ammerman on July 15, 1955 in Mason City, IA. He was then stationed in Albuquerque, NM where his first child (Jeffrey) was born in 1956.
Peter and Patricia had two more children, Susan, born Belmond, IA in 1957 and Kristi, born Iowa City, IA 1972.
For many years, Peter was a painter and carpenter in Iowa City until he retired in 1996. He was a member of the Painters Local Union No. 447 and after he retired, he was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and continued to do painting and carpentry for people.
Peter was also a longtime member and Deacon of the First Presbyterian Church.
Peter loved to travel with his wife Pat and see the sights, visit friends and family and going to the beach in Florida. He enjoyed spending time with his family and doing stained glass work, horseback riding, bike riding, deep sea fishing, hunting, bird watching and putting puzzles together with Pat as well as coffee with friends at Hy-Vee every morning.
Peter is survived by his three children Jeffrey Van Gerpen, Susan (Curt) Moore and Kristi Salasberry (Nick Hippert), all of Iowa City; five grandchildren Michael Van Gerpen, Amanda Salasberry, Molly Hippert, Melody Hippert and Zach Moore; four great grandchildren Xander, Michael, Hana and Solon; one sister June (Allan) Christensen; two brothers John and Larry and many extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patricia in 2020 and one sister and 5 brothers.
A special thank you to The Bird House for taking such wonderful care of Pete.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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