Wheatman, Roger M. 1923 - 2014

WHEATMAN, TWENGE, ERICKSON, ISENBERGER, INGLETT, IMMEL, ARMSTRONG, PETERSON, CROATT

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/14/2014 at 10:01:32

U.S. Veteran
Roger M. Wheatman, age 90, of Decorah, Iowa, died Saturday, March 08, 2014 at Barthell O.E.S. Home in Decorah.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Decorah Lutheran Church with Rev. Bryan Robertson and Rev. David Sorensen officiating. Inurnment will be held in the spring in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah with full military honors.

Visitation will begin at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church.

Roger M. Wheatman was born August 14, 1923 in Madison Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, the son of Robert and Selma (Twenge) Wheatman. He attended rural schools, but his father Robert died when Roger was seven and he and his mother moved into Decorah.

He attended the Decorah schools and graduated from Decorah High School in 1941 as student body president. He attended Luther College for about two years and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942. He was called into service in March of 1943 and served about three years in this country and in Europe. While in service, he also attended Montana State University. For his actions in Europe, he was awarded a meritous{sp} Bronze Star and was honorably discharged in January 1946.

On February 7, 1946, he married Frances Erickson and they had one daughter, Patricia. After a long illness, Frances passed away in 1981 at the age of 57. In 1982 he married Muriel Isenberger.

In 1948, Roger purchased a dry cleaning business in Decorah and owned and operated it for 37 years until he retired in 1986. He took great pride in the quality of work his business did, and did his best to treat all of his customers and their problems professionally.

He was a member and past president of the Decorah Lutheran Church, a member of the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars and The American Legion, The Elks, and a member of the Oneota Golf and Country Club, of which he was a past president. He had served as president, secretary-treasurer, or a member of the board of Union Prairie Cemetery Corporation since the early 1960’s. He was also an 18 year member of the board of Oneota Housing, serving as its treasurer for many years. He also volunteered as a Meal on Wheels driver and as an American Cancer, Road to Recovery driver.

In his earlier years, he was an avid bowler, hunter and fisherman. In his retirement years, he enjoyed manufacturing fishing lures and restoring antique bamboo fly rods. He also did some genealogy work on both sides of his family; one producing a 99 page booklet with a printing of 125 copies. His lifelong passion was golf. He started playing the game at age 15, and enjoyed it all of his life, having been a member of Oneota Golf and Country Club since 1947. He was club champion three times and in his later years shot his age many times. He enjoyed the fact that even though being small in stature, he was able to keep up with the big boys most of the time.

Roger is survived by his wife Muriel; daughter Patricia (Neil) Inglett of Janesville, WI; one granddaughter Christine (Del) Immel of Sun Prairie, WI; one great-granddaughter Emily Ann Immel; three stepdaughters: Janeen (Kent) Armstrong of Winnebago, MN, Susan (Chip) Peterson of Decorah and Tracy (Roger) Croatt of St. Lucas, IA; eight step-grandchildren and twelve step great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Selma, his first wife Frances, and an infant great-grandson Samuel Immel.

The family asks that any memorials to be designated to: Lutheran Cemetery, % Fjelstul Funeral Home, 306 East Water Street, Decorah, IA 52101.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Decorah Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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