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SCHOTANUS, Gerald Sherwood 1928-2004

SCHOTANUS, STEENSTRA, HOEFT

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/16/2009 at 09:07:02

GERALD SHERWOOD ‘JERRY’ SCHOTANUS

ST. ANSGAR, IOWA — Gerald “Jerry” Sherwood Schotanus, 76, of St. Ansgar, died Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar with the Rev. Byron Northwick officiating. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. today at the Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home in St. Ansgar.

Gerald “Jerry” Sherwood Schotanus was born Jan. 3, 1928, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, the son of Jacob and Sietske (Steenstra) Schotanus.

Jerry attended rural school near Mason City; Spring Valley Country School near St. Ansgar; St. Ansgar High School, and graduated from Grafton High School in 1946.

Jerry was united in marriage to Marilyn Hoeft on Jan. 11, 1953, in Ventura.

After serving in the Army during the Korean War, they lived and farmed grain and livestock in the St. Ansgar-Carpenter area until his death. He also drove truck part-time for Ruan for several years.

Jerry was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar, where he served as a trustee for 20 years, held numerous offices in LLL Men’s Club, and Friendship Club.

He also was active in the Carpenter Community Club and was on the school board in both the Carpenter and St. Ansgar school districts. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Lions Club for many years and in 2003 received the Melvin Jones Fellowship for his dedicated humanitarian services.

Jerry and Marilyn were host parents for four students in the International Foreign Exchange Student program.

Jerry enjoyed being outdoors and caring for his livestock and pets. When it came to taking care of his animals he truly was a good shepherd of his flock. He also enjoyed dancing with Marilyn at the Surf Ballroom and the Carpenter Community Club (where he was known as the popcorn man).

They traveled to Europe several times and enjoyed visiting with Jerry’s cousins in the Netherlands and their foreign exchange student families throughout Europe.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially taking them to the Minnesota Twins ball games, and playing cribbage, checkers and Go Fish. Attending school activites for his children and grandchildren was an important part of his life.

Jerry passed away on Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at the Mitchell County Hopsital after battling cancer for eight months.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 51 years, Marilyn; daughters, Sheila Schaefer and husband, Harlan, of Ellsworth, and Sheryl Haer and husband, Johnny, of Craig, Mo.; son Gary Schotanus and wife, Linda, of Grafton, and Kornel Romada, who joined the family from Slovakia in 1994 and his wife, Jennifer, of Fort Worth, Texas. Seven grandchildren, Jacob and Jason Schaefer, Luke Aaron and Jill Haer, and Nicole and Kyle Schotanus; one sister, Laura Helm, of Plymouth; two brothers, Clyde, of St. Ansgar, and Jack, of Grafton; also numerous nieces and nephews as well as other relatives, including cousins in the Netherlands, and friends. Extended family members include Berend Pastoor, Janneke and Arjan of the Netherlands; Peter Osce and Valerie of Belgium, and Julia Ganieva of Uzbakistan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to the Gerald Schotanus Memorial Fund.

Arrangements by Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, (641) 713-4920.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette
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NOTES:
According to the service folder, the bearers were: Don Knudtson, Brian Schotanus, Jim Koppin, Jamie Weaver, Ray Shuler, Butch Hyde and Kornel Romada. Honorary bearers were: Jacob Schaefer, Luke Haer, Jill Haer, Jason Schaefer, Aaron Haer, Nicole Schotanus and Kyle Schotanus.
(Credit: K. Robertson)


 

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