Karl Henry RIETZ

RIETZ, AZELTINE, BRANDON, JORGENSON, ALDRICH-RIETZ, ALDRICH, LICKLIDER, SMITH, HEATHERSHAW

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/24/2006 at 00:40:21

Karl H. Rietz, 89, Rowan, died Saturday, June 22, 2002, at the Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. Funeral services will be Thursday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m., at United Church of Rowan with Pastor Janet Wearda officiating. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery near Rowan. Visitation will be Wednesday, June 26, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dugger Ewing Funeral Home in Belmond and one hour prior to services at the church.

June 25, 2002
©Belmond Independent 2002

Karl Henry Rietz, 89, of Rowan, passed away Saturday (June 22, 2002) at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. Funeral services for Karl Rietz will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the United Church of Rowan, with Pastor Janet Wearda officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery near Rowan. Visitation for Karl Rietz will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick Lane S. in Belmond and one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials may be made to the Rowan Public Library.

Karl, the son of August Carl and Olive Rose (Azeltine) Rietz, was born May 27, 1913, in Rowan. He grew up and attended school in Rowan and graduated from Rowan High School in 1930. Karl was united in marriage to Margaret Brandon on June 2, 1935, at her aunt's home in Clarion. The couple made their home in Rowan. Karl helped his father butcher cows and started working for Rowan Lumber and Grain Company at age 13. He and his brother Edward bought the lumberyard in 1958. Karl loved the lumber business and served the community for many years. After retiring in 1976, Karl and Margaret enjoyed traveling both within the United States and overseas. Their favorite trip was from Rowan to Lake Cornelia to Clarion and then back home. Karl also loved traveling in his RV, talking with friends, telling jokes, whistling at passers-by from his front porch, and coffee and doughnuts at the café. Karl was an active member of the Rowan community. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge, Commandry and Shriners, and Rowan Volunteer Fire Department. He was a charter member of the Rowan Lions Club. Karl was also a Boy Scout leader and served on the Rowan city council. He was an active member of the United Methodist Church and United Church of Rowan where he served on the church council, as Sunday School Superintendent, and sang in the choir. Karl moved to the Belmond Care Center in November of 1997 and then to Manor Care in Waterloo in the fall of 1999.

Karl is survived by a son, Roger and his wife, JoAn, of Cedar Falls; a daughter, Carmen Jorgenson and her husband, Ted, of Fremont, Calif.; four grandchildren, Thomas and his wife, Karen, of Iowa City; Sarah Aldrich-Rietz, of Iowa City, Chad Jorgenson and his wife, Angie, of Antioch, Calif., and Doug Jorgenson, of Fremont, Calif.; three great-granddaughters, Thea and Emma Jorgenson and Leah Rietz; a sister, Muriel Licklider, of Clarion; a sister-in-law, Jean Rietz, of Washington; a brother-in-law, Everett Smith, of Wyomissing, Pa.; and many loving relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Margaret, in 1999; brothers, Edward and Paul; sisters, Ann Smith and Nina Heathershaw; two infant siblings; and a great-granddaughter, Margaret "Molly" Rietz. Dugger Ewing Funeral Home.

Mason City Globe Gazette
June 26, 2002