STEERE, Donald F. 1929-2004

STEERE, JOHNSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/18/2009 at 15:06:54

DONALD F. STEERE

GREENE, IOWA — Funeral services for Donald F. Steere, 75, of 312 W. Sixth St., St. Ansgar, formerly of Greene, will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Greene, with Pastor Gary Hatcher officiating. Military honors will be conducted by Tack Barnett American Legion Post No. 268 of Greene. Inurnment will be at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Greene at a later date.

Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Reid’s Funeral Chapel, 519 N. First St. in Greene, where there will be a public scripture service at 7 p.m.

Donald Forest Steere was born in Greene on Feb. 26, 1929, a son of Emil and Grace (Johnson) Steere and died Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2004) at the Good Samaritan Care Center in St. Ansgar.

He received his education in rural schools and attended the Greene High School.

He was drafted into the United States Army in 1951 and served in Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1953.

He received two awards from the American Legion in the spring of 2004 to honor his 50 years as a veteran.

Don farmed for many years around Greene while doing carpentry and concrete work. He retired from farming and continued doing carpentry work until retiring in 1999.

He built many houses and other buildings around Greene and surrounding communities. He was a very skilled craftsman.

He moved to St. Ansgar in 2001, where he resided until his death.

Don took his kids on snowmobile trips to Granger, Minn., when they were young. He enjoyed fishing and spending time with his family especially his grandkids.

Survivors include two daughters, Cindy (Kenneth) Boerjan, of St. Ansgar, and Renee (Michael) Betts, of Mason City; two sons, Forest Tracy) Steere, of Greene, and Randy (Lisa) Steere, of Mason City. Five grandchildren, Adam and Laci Betts, of Mason City, Grace and Katelyn Steere, of Greene and Evan Steere, of Mason City; and his special friend, Arlene Ringleb of Allison. He is also survived by his two sisters, Darlene (Gil) Dovey, of Cardiff, Calif., and Shirley McIntyre, of Ontario, Calif.; two brothers, Dallas Steere, of Palo Alto, Calif., and Robert (Ardith) Steere of Big Bear, Calif.; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, one brother-in-law, Russell Jewell; and a sister-in-law, Karen Steere.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the Donald Forest Steere Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Reid’s Funeral Chapel, (641) 823-4457.