Austin Lee HARTEMA

HARTEMA, KLUITER, TRAMPEL, GRAM, KEOUGH, KENDRICK, DEBOWER, SWEITER, MURDOCK, BROUNDA, VANDERWOLDE, TREINEN, MCGLAUGHLIN, BRINYARK, DIETRICK, ADELMUND, DOVE, KORLESKI, NELSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/21/2012 at 12:13:18

September 5, 1991 ---- April 12, 2012

KLEMME — Austin Lee Hartema, age 20, of rural Klemme, died unexpectedly at his residence on Thursday, April 12, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, at the Goodell Community Center, 315 East Broadway, Goodell. The Rev. Rod Hopp will be officiating. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, at the Goodell Community Center and continue one hour prior to the service at at the center on Wednesday. Public graveside services will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Parkersburg Cemetery, Parkersburg. Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Austin's name may wish to direct them to Austin's family at 1365 Van Ave., Klemme, IA 50449.

Austin L. Hartema, the son of Michael Dean and Tracy Jo (Kluiter) Hartema, was born Sept. 5, 1991, at Waterloo. He attended school at both Belmond-Klemme Schools and Waverly-Shell Rock Schools, where he graduated with the WSR Class of 2010. Following graduation, he had worked for periods of time at the Five Star Co-op in Rockwell, Krysilis, Inc., and had recently been employed with Bell Recycling and Sanitation in Belmond. Austin was anxiously anticipating continuing his education in the Wind Energy Cooperative field later this year at Red Stone College in Broomfield, Colo., where he would have received training in the construction of wind turbines, a perfect career fit for his love of the outdoors and courageous, adventuresome spirit.

Austin's life was for sure all too brief, but was a twenty-year adventure filled race, filled with love for his family, friends, hunting, fishing, racing, demo derbies, monster trucks, and, of course, his love for music and dancing. Austin was definitely a character through and through and loved all that life had too offer. If his life had a soundtrack of music it would definitely include tunes from the Back Street Boys, Jason Aldean, Scotty McCreary, oldies, country, and rock music. His personal and diverse collection of music was vast. Whether he was in the car or at home listening to music, Austin was always sharing with others his newest favorite song, as he would often say to whoever was near, "have you heard this one!" and then of course, the volume would go up as he would sing the words, and if he was able, show his dance moves as he would smile and make others do the same. He truly was a barrel of boundless energy. Austin was constantly trying to cure the hurts of others, and was often referred to as their "Healing Stone." One could not help but be uplifted and renewed by his soft heartedness, kind words, wonderful humor, gentle mannerisms, warm smile and caring eyes. He loved to make others smile. Austin loved to give of himself and lend a hand to others no matter what the task. His "true high" was being surrounded by his friends and family and his love for others was eternal and overflowing. Almost to his own detriment, he shared so much of himself with those around him. Those who knew Austin well will remember him as a "big romancer" with a huge heart, who would have bought every girl the biggest and best. His family remembers Austin's love to dress up and, of course, strike a pose for the camera.

Once again, his smile and the twinkle in his eyes would be the focus of the photo, whether he was posing in front of his favorite vehicle, on the dock, river bank, or paddle boat at his favorite fishing spot, hoisting a stringer filled with channel cats, bass, or another catch of the day, posing along side a deer, raccoon, or other game he had bagged, arm and arm with his buddies, or a in snapshot taken with his family. He just loved to be captured in the moment. Austin was not one to let the grass grow under his feet. In high school at Belmond-Klemme Schools, he had participated in cross country for a couple years and for many years he loved the excitement of participating in ranch rodeos. He looked forward to the adrenaline rush of bull and dirt bike riding. He loved to attend fairs, demo-derbies, figure-eight races, and various dirt track races throughout the region. He was an avid Dale Earnhardt, Sr., fan. His "love of the race", was often times overshadowed only by his "love for the chase." Austin truly enjoyed "the chase" and pursuit of fish and game. Be it a day spent on the river after some catfish or on his favorite Lake Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. He was truly in his element on the water or in the fields and timber, searching for an elusive white tail deer, or other game. One of his favorite hunting activities included excursions into the woods to follow the howling of his coon hound "Dolly" and other hounds as he and others raced to score and harvest a treed coon.

Those who had the privilege of crossing in the tracks of his life will remember his boundless love for others, his gentle nature, passion for the outdoors and boundless love for life's journey and for all life had to offer him. His life truly was a "dance", though all too brief. The stars, moon, and sun will burn brighter in heaven now that an angel named Austin dances and sings in heaven.

His legacy will live on in the lives of his mom and step-dad, Tracy and Terry Trampel, Klemme; his dad Mike Hartema and Tammy Gram, Waterloo; his brother, Tanner Hartema and companion Sharai Keough and Austin's nephew, Brayden Hartema, all of Allison; his step-brothers Kody and Kasey Trampel, both of Ames; Brandon and Shuree Kendrick and step-niece and nephew Aden and Elenor, all of Cresco; step-brothers, Zach DeBower, Plainfield, and Doug and Josh DeBower, both of Waverly; grandparents Donald (Sharon) Kluiter, Shellrock, Dennis (Sharon) Hartema, Parkersburg, and Ruth Trampel, Klemme; aunts and uncles Sheila and Brian Sweiter and cousins, Dike, Dawn and Tom Murdock and cousins, Beulaville, N.C., Julie Borunda, Beulaville, N.C., Richard Trampel, Klemme, Joanne VanderWolde, Belmond, and Dixie and Larry Treinen, Klemme; also surviving are a step-brother, Eric McGlaughlin and his children, Ayden and Janie, and step-brother Nathan McGlaughlin, all of Waterloo, and a step-sister Bobbi Jo Gram and her son Landyn Brinyark, Waterloo, along with countless friends and other extended family. Austin was preceded in death by his great-grandparents Jerry and Evelyn Kluiter, Robert and Shirley Dietrick, John and Dorothy Adelmund, Ed Hartema, and Angie and Wally Dove; his grandpa Clarence Trampel; aunts Bev Korleski and Diane Trampel; and uncles Greg Nelson and Jerry VanderWolde. Funeral arrangements are with Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond.

Globe Gazette -Mason City, IA
April 15, 2012