Maurice "Mauri" Welte 1932-2010

WELTE COLLINS BINDNER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/4/2011 at 20:44:39

Sioux City Journal
30 November 2010

SERGEANT BLUFF -- Maurice "Mauri" Welte, 77, of Sergeant Bluff died Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010, at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. from a short-term illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix, Iowa, with the Rev. Patrick O'Kane officiating. Immediately following the service a funeral lunch reception will be held at the Salix City Hall. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in Danbury Catholic Cemetery, Danbury, Iowa. Visitation with the family will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a vigil wake service at 7 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary and Chalice service at 8 p.m., at the church. Armstrong Funeral Home of Danbury and Mapleton, Iowa has been entrusted with the arrangements and can be contacted regarding memorials.

Maurice Daniel Welte was born in a farmhouse outside of Danbury, Iowa, on Dec. 20, 1932, to Daniel and Josephine (Collins) Welte. Mauri attended Danbury High School and received his bachelor's degree from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

Mauri married Gloria Bindner on Nov. 24, 1956, in Marcus, Iowa.

Mauri was an auditor for the government working in Illinois. He was transferred several times in this capacity including positions in Minnesota and Indiana. The family moved back to Danbury to take over the family farm. He also started an accounting business and Agfood Fertilizer in Danbury. He owned the accounting service for 37 years while he continued to farm. He served as president and chairman of the Iowa Association of Accountants. He was active in the soil conservation board and also wrote several tax books for the IRS.

Mauri was a member of the Western Iowa Farm Business Association acting as president and board member. He was also instrumental in starting the Loess Hills Alliance, which continued his passion for the preservation of our land.

Mauri caught the political bug when he was a write-in candidate for mayor of Danbury. He held that position for nine years and is remembered as "Boss Hog" in his white tuxedo, a character he played at local events and parades. He then ran and won the position of Woodbury County Supervisor. He held this position for 12 years, acting as chairman for several years. He was very active in his position acting on up to 14 boards at one time.

Mauri has been a long-term Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Salix, Iowa.

Mauri's retirement was spent with the things he loved, his family, his friends and viewing the land from the driver's seat of their RV.

Mauri is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Gloria (Binder) Welte; his five children, Ann Vandivort and her husband, Dave of Kansas City, Mo., Karen Stotz and her husband, Mike of Sloan, Iowa, Lynn Boyle and her husband, Pat of Danbury, Don Welte of Sergeant Bluff, and Renee Welte of Sioux City; their nine grandchildren, Jenny Vandivort, Jessica Vandivort, David Vandivort, Christopher Stotz, Melissa Gulbrosen, Sheri Jensen, Brenda Neubaum, Terry Boyle, and Riley Price-Welte; their four great-grandchildren, Eleanor Stotz, Bradley Jensen, Haley Jensen, and Kadance Neubaum; one brother, Larry Welte of Minneapolis; and two sisters, Mariam Cooper of Mapleton, Iowa, and Alice Paulsen of Cushing, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Earl Welte; and one sister, Mary Geraldine Steckleberg.