Leon Karl GELNER

GELNER, STIEHL, NELSON, KOERNER, STOKESBARY, WHITEHURST, THOMPSON, FEAVER, WEIS, SPHON, HANSON, BOYD, WILLIAMS, JANSSEN, RENNER, THORSON, GILLAND, SCHUPANITZ, CAGLE, BEWT, HARRISON, GREIMAN, BROWN, ISAACSON, NONNWEILER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/12/2010 at 13:03:56

KLEMME, IA — Leon K. Gelner, 95, of Klemme, died Monday (Aug. 29, 2005) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Klemme United Methodist Church with the Rev. Paddy Druhl officiating. Burial will be in Madison Township Cemetery, Forest City. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. Fourth St. in Garner, and one hour prior to services on Thursday at the church. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa or the Klemme United Methodist Church.

Leon Karl Gelner, the son of Ferdnand and Amelia (Stiehl) Gelner, was born March 12, 1910, on a farm south of Forest City. He attended school at Madison Township No. 6 and farmed with his parents. On April 7, 1934, he married Wava Nelson at Northwood. To this union four children were born, Janice, Jerald, Shirley and Leora. Leon worked for Hancock County as a Caterpillar operator and later for Herman Buns Construction. While farming, they sold Hybrid corn seed and Triple F feed. On March 2, 1956, he married Nova T. Koerner Stokesbary at Albert Lea, Minn. They made their home in Klemme and later started the Mix-Mill Feed Business. They enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Europe, wintering in Hawaii. Leon was active throughout his life, enjoying boating, square dancing, camping, bowling, playing softball and especially golfing at the Slippery Elm Golf Course in Klemme, where he was not only a board member, he was also a mentor to all. He always looked forward to visiting with his friends at congregate meals in Klemme. He was a member of the Klemme United Methodist Church and I.O.O.F.

Leon is survived by his children, Janice Whitehurst of Clear Lake, Jerald (Suzee) Gelner of Laveen, Ariz., and Shirley Feaver of Aguanga, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, Janice (Eugene) Weis, Jeannine (Douglas) Thompson, Jeri (Steve) Sphon, Kenneth (Jean) Hanson, Ronald (Celeste) Hanson, Ronda Ryan, Ryan Gelner, Michael Boyd, Dana Williams and Randy Gelner; 25 great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Janice (Marvin) Janssen of Garner, Jerry (Sharon) Stokesbary of Mason City and Julie (Bill) Renner of Garner; stepgrandchildren, Dr. Steven (Sheryl) Stokesbary, Jill (Todd) Thorson, Sue (Tom) Gilland, Sandra (Brent) Schupanitz, Jodi (Jason) Cagle, Angela (Michael) Best, Stacie (Lance) Harrison and Crystal (Wade) Greiman; 16 step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ruth Brown, of Garner, and Doris Isaacson, of Northwood; a sister-in-law, Blanche Gelner of Britt; along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Wava Nonnweiler in 1986; second wife, Nova, on Dec. 17, 2001; daughter, Leora Gelner McComb; son-in-law, Orvin Whitehurst in 2003; brothers, Donald and Harvey Gelner; sister, Bernice Dahlhauser; nephew, Carol Dahlhauser; and a niece, Patricia Dahlhauser. Cataldo Funeral Home.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
August 31, 2005