Gintert, Donald A. 1922-2003

GINTERT, DICE, MURPHY

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/10/2008 at 21:34:50

LE MARS, Iowa -- Donald A. Gintert, 80, of Le Mars passed away Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003, at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars.

Memorial services will be at a later date at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Le Mars. Burial of the cremains will be at a later date in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Sheldon, Iowa. Visitation with the family present will be after 2 p.m. Wednesday, with a Scriptural prayer service at 7 p.m., at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Donald Albert Gintert was born Aug. 18, 1922, in Shellsburg, Iowa, the son of Albert and Merle (Dice) Gintert. He graduated from Sheldon High School in 1940. He enjoyed participating in the music programs and track and field. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on Oct. 1, 1940. He served as a cook with Company A of the 201st Infantry in Algeria, French Morocco and Tunisia. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 5, 1945.

He married Maxine Murphy on May 28, 1942, at Camp Junction, Kan. Following the service, the couple made their home in Sheldon and Luverne, Minn., where he managed grocery stores. The family moved to Le Mars and operated the Town and Country Drive Inn. During that time, he was one of the first employees to work for Harker's Meats during the winter season. The couple later opened Club Cafe and Catering and operated the restaurant for 30 years. He later cooked at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars for 10 years. They had enjoyed spending the last 10 winters in Mesa, Ariz.

He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Le Mars. He was president of the Iowa Restaurant Association in 1975 and was the first business to receive the Golden Chicken Award from McCormick's Distributing. He was a past member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree, and American Legion. He was a private pilot and enjoyed fishing.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Maxine of Le Mars; a daughter and her husband, Mary and Neil Boehmer of Le Mars; a son, Mike Gintert of Santa Fe, N.M.; a daughter and her husband, Patty and Rod Clark of Bend, Ore.; a son and his wife, Joe and Kathy Gintert of Henderson, Nev.; four grandchildren, Aaron Boehmer, Ryan Boehmer and his wife, Becky, and Alison Boehmer, all of Le Mars, and David Gintert of Henderson, Nev.; a great-grandson, Nathan Boehmer of Le Mars; a brother and his wife, Roger and Norma Gintert of Santa Cruz, Calif.; and two sisters, Alta Ruby of Sheldon, and Beverly Garman of Allen, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-in-law, Carl Ruby and Don Garman.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, Feb. 4, 2003--part of the D. Easton Obituary Collection