GOVERN, Peter Joseph 1937-2000

GOVERN

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 3/17/2008 at 22:05:08

PETER JOSEPH GOVERN

RICEVILLE - Peter Joseph Govern, 63, of Riceville, died on Wednesday morning (May 3, 2000) at 11:25 a.m. at the Hospice of North Iowa in Mason City after battling cancer since 1988.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2000, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Riceville, with Father John Moser and Father John Cain officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Riceville.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the Lindstrom Funeral Home in Riceville, with a rosary at 4:30 p.m. by the Knights of Columbus and a scripture service at 7 p.m.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine, of Riceville; one daughter, Juliet, of Riceville; two sons, Christopher, of St. Joseph's, Minn. and Shawn, of Milwaukee, Wis.; his wife, Diane, and daughters, Kaitlin, Mikayla and Shannon.

Other survivors include his mother, Ella Govern, of Bancroft; two brothers, John and wife, Bonnie, of Eagle Grove and Tom and wife, June, of New Lennox, Ill.; sisters, including Delores Miller, of Marshalltown, Pat Mathre and husband, Roger, of Nora Springs, Phyllis Krause and husband, Robert, of Mason City, Priscilla and husband, Melvin DeGeeter, of Champaign, Ill. and Jean Govern, of Mason City.

Peter "Joe" was born northeast of Bancroft on Feb. 20, 1937, the son of John Patrick Govern and Ella Irene Trenary Govern. He attended St. John's School of Bancroft and then matriculated at Iowa State University for his bachelor of science degree in physical education and mathematics.

His master of science degree was received from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Ill. He taught at Columbus High School in Waterloo when that school opened in 1959 until 1962 in the math department and as the head baseball coach and as a basketball coach. He also taught at the Alden Community Schools, LaHabra, Calif., schools and mathematics classes at the Riceville Community Schools from 1965 until 1979. He received a Mitchell County Teacher of the Year award in 1970. He was a member of the Riceville Education Association.

Pete's other vocations included farming and real estate. He was a salesman with Kepple Real Estate of Charles City from 1970-1977. In 1977 Pete and his wife, Elaine, opened "Govern and Govern, Homes and Farmland, U.S.A." which served his neighbors and friends of northeast Iowa by providing real estate and farm management services.

In January of 2000, he became associated with Riceville Real Estate. In 1980 he received an Outstanding Conservation Farmer Award from Howard County SCD. For several summers, he did hail adjusting.

In the past he was an officer of the Cedar Valley Board of Realtors and a member of the Northeast Iowa Board of Realtors. For many years he was associated with the Realtor's Land Institute and a vice-president of the Northeast Iowa region. In 1994 he was named the Outstanding Farm and Land Broker of the State of Iowa. In 1999 the Institute recognized his years of service to the organization with a service award.

He served as a consultant for the Iowa Farm Business Association. Other responsibilities included work for the Howard County Board of Review, Howard County Economic Development Commission for the promotion and welfare of Howard County. This had a special place in his agenda with several industries and businesses added to the Howard County roster of accomplishments.

Local Riceville projects have included service on the Immaculate Conception Church Council and as a Trustee. In the past, he was active on the Archdiocesan of Dubuque Council. Offices held in the Riceville Industrial Corporation included secretary, treasurer and president for many years. Others included president of the Riceville Library Board, the Riceville Community Club, Riceville Jaycees and as an Outstanding Jaycee president in Northeast Iowa. He had served on the board of directors for the Riceville Community Golf Course and as the Riceville Chairman of the town's quasiquicentennial celebration. His town, country, school, church and family were enriched by his presence.