Van Gerpen, Peter R. (1933-2015)
VAN GERPEN, BURMA, RUSS, STANLEY, HORNER, MILLER, BOEHM, HASSEBROCK, JOHNSON
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 5/11/2015 at 19:02:33
Peter R. Van Gerpen
February 2, 1933 - May 1, 2015Peter Ray (“Pete”) Van Gerpen, 82, of Garner, formerly of Rake, died peacefully on Friday, May 1, 2015, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa in Mason City with his family at his side after a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis and acute myeloid leukemia.
Pete, a son of Henry and Alice (Burma) Van Gerpen, was born on February 2, 1933, in rural Buffalo Center, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at the First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center.
Pete’s early education began in the country school near his home and later continued in Buffalo Center where he graduated in 1951. During his senior year, his family moved to a farm near Rake. Six weeks later, he met a girl, a freshman at Rake High School, named Lou Ann Russ. Thus, began a romance that continued for sixty-four years. Having helped his father on the farm since his early youth, he decided he wanted to follow a farming career as well.
On July 17, 1955, he and Lou Ann married at the Liberty Lutheran Church in Rake. They made their home on a farm one mile east of Rake where they raised their four children, milked a herd of thirty-five cows, and enjoyed their life together. An active member of Zion Lutheran Church, Pete served at one time as congregational president. He and Lou Ann enjoyed attending all of their children’s school activities, and in later years, those of their grandchildren.
They, also, enjoyed traveling, eventually visiting all fifty states and taking a trip to Germany where they visited the childhood home of Pete’s father and spent time with some of his relatives. In addition, they had fun cruising Caribbean and Alaskan waters and boating with their family on Clear Lake.
In 1990, Pete was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. He continued to farm as long as he could, but eventually, he had to cut down on the number of acres he farmed. By 2007, however, as Pete became more and more disabled, they decided to leave their home of over fifty years to move closer to one of their children. They purchased a home in Garner and learned to love their new community. They enjoyed attending their grandchildren’s activities, making many new friends along the way. In addition, they joined Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City.
In late 2014, Pete was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. He fought this disease bravely, but as complications set in, he, gradually, became weaker, and on May 1, 2015, he left us for the arms of God.
Pete is survived by Lou Ann, his wife of almost sixty years; his children: Lori (David) Stanley, of Decorah, Iowa, Michael (Stephanie), of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, Mary Jo (Todd) Horner, of Logansport, Indiana, and Paul (Traci), of Garner, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Nichole (John) Miller, of Newburgh, Indiana, Kimberly Horner, of Northfield, Minnesota, Kaleb and Lauren Van Gerpen, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and Alexander, Tiara, and Mackenzie Van Gerpen, of Garner; two sisters, Elaine Boehm, of Buffalo Center, and Lila Hassebrock, of Des Moines; a brother, Arnold (Julienne), of Lake Mills; and a sister-in-law, Irene Russ, of Crystal, Minnesota; as well as by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Alice Van Gerpen; his grandparents; a brother, Harold, who died at the age of two and a half; his parents-in-law, Odin and Lillian Johnson; several brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law.
He will be greatly missed and remembered as a kind, honest, and a very much loved gentle man.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Monday, May 4, 2015, at the Cataldo-Schott Funeral Home, 505 North Clark St., Forest City, Iowa. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, May 5, 2015, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Rev. Rod Hopp officiating. Private inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church in Rake or Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City.
Copyright © 2015, Cataldo Schott Funeral Home
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