Velere D. Stromer, 61, of Klemme, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, December 1, 2006. He died at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, following a heart attack.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, December 5, at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner, with the Rev. Tim Diehl officiating. Music was provided by organist, Margaret Jass who accompanied soloist, Joleen Rolland and congregational hymns. Ushers were Al DeWitt, David Stromer, Daniel Stromer and William Stromer.

Honorary bearers were his six grandchildren and three sons-in-law. Casket bearers were Kevin Stromer, Dean Stromer, Al DeWitt, Virgil DeVary, Terry Anderson, Clayton Prestholt, Eric Stromer and Jon Rollefson. Burial was in the Concord Township Cemetery in Garner. The Cataldo Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Velere Delane Stromer, the son of Verner and Verna (Alford) Stromer, was born on October 2, 1945 in Mason City. He was baptized and confirmed at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner. Velere graduated from the Klemme High School in 1963.

Following his schooling, he drove school bus for the Klemme Community Schools. He graduated from the Reisch Auction School in Mason City and was an auctioneer in his family's business, Stromer Auction Service, for many years.

On July 30, 1966, he married Juanita Marie Cordes at the Ramsey Reformed Church in Titonka. They lived north of Klemme where Velere farmed and raised hogs and cattle for many years. He also managed hog lots for large corporations in the area and owned and operated his own trucking business.

Velere loved his wife, three beautiful daughters and being a "Papa" to all of his grandchildren. He also loved horses and hooking up his horse, Homer to the buggy to go for rides with his family and friends. He especially enjoyed giving rides at the Garner Duesey Days and Klemme Ag Days.

He also enjoyed traveling in his 18-wheeler praising and serving the Lord with every mile. Velere was very strong in his faith and always believed that through the power of prayer all things are made possible. Velere would want to be remembered by his message on his truck, "We Give You Praise Lord Jesus."

He was a member of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner, where he served as a deacon and usher.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Juanita of Klemme; his three daughters, Andrea (LeMunne) Robinson of Plymouth, Minnesota, Jackie (Eric) McGrail of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania and Vallie (B. J.) Martin of Northwood; six grandchildren, LaRiessah Thompson, Dre'Stan Thompson, Kohlee Weizenegger, Nakia Stromer, Abigail Martin and Katherine McGrail; three brothers, Byron (Mildred) Stromer of Garner, Val (Mildred) Stromer of Alleman, Iowa and Lyndon (Jeanne) Stromer of Spokane, Missouri; and many nieces and nephews.

Thomas L. Busch, 1946-2006

December 13, 2006

Thomas Leroy "Shrub" Busch, 60, of Cedar Rapids, died on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, at the St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, following a brief illness.

A Mass of Resurrection was held on Saturday, December 9, at the St. Ludmilas Catholic Church. The Rev. Tom McDermott officiated. Burial was in the Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. The Cedar Memorial Funeral Home of Cedar Rapids was in charge of the arrangements.

Tom was born on July 8, 1946, in Garner, Iowa, the son of LeRoy Busch and Charlotte (Kelly) Ziesmer. He married Diane K. Fisher on June 9, 1995, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tom graduated from the Garner-Hayfield High School, where he earned All-State awards in football, basketball, track and baseball. Torn received a football scholarship to Iowa State University, where he earned a BS Degree and set many school and Big 8 Conference records as a wide receiver. He was honored in his senior year at ISU, when he was selected to play in the Blue Gray Game in Montgomery, Alabama and in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

He was then drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals professional football team, where he played one year and then went on to play for a year in the Canadian Professional Football League. For the last 37 years Tom went on to coach and teach school in Klemme, Cedar Rapids-Washington and Jefferson High Schools, and Wilson and Roosevelt Middle Schools.

Torn had many hobbies and especially enjoyed playing on various slow pitch softball teams as well as many major fast pitch softball teams, including Butt'r Topp out of Clear Lake, The Bombers out of Des Moines, Collins Radio out of Cedar Rapids, JSK Engineering and Mahoneys in Cedar Rapids, where he made life-long friends. He was inducted into the Iowa Fast Pitch Hall of Fame in 1998, the Cedar Rapids Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Iowa High School Football Hall of Fame.

He was a member of the CREA and St. Ludmilas Catholic Church. Tom especially enjoyed spending time with his family and close friends, along with golfing, fishing and coaching high school and middle school football, basketball, track and girls softball.

Surviving in addition to his wife, Diane; are two sons, Bob Busch of Marion and Tom Busch (Meg) of Marion; three step-children, Jason Boyle (Kelli) of Cedar Rapids, Josh Boyle (Genevieve) of Des Moines and Tara Boyle and fiancée, Mike of Cedar Rapids; two grandchildren, Alexis and Austin Busch; and two step-grandchildren, Madison and Logan Boyle.

Gerald L. Schmidt, 82, of Mason City, died on Friday, December 8, 2006, at the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Mason City.

Funeral services were held on Monday, December 11, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mason City, with the Rev. Harry H. Koelker officiating. Burial was in the Elmwood-St Joseph Cemetery, Mason City. The Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel of Mason City was in charge of the arrangements.

Gerald was born on April 8, 1924, in Garner, the son of Leo Francis and Rose (Roach) Schmidt. He graduated from the Garner High School in 1941.

He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. Following the service, he moved back to Garner. He married Rosella Koehler on July 3, 1947, and enjoyed 46 years with her.

Gerald attended Hamilton Business College, Mason City. He went to work for Mason City Millworks as a bookkeeper and later into sales where he became very successful and where he acquired numerous friends and business associates. He retired from Millworks after working for them for over forty years in 1990. Through the years he was known for his sense of humor and honesty.

He enjoyed playing cards, bingo, golfing, bowling, volunteering for different organizations and above all his caring and generosity for his friends and family.

He is survived by his five children, Patricia Weiler and her husband, Wayne of Aurora, Illinois, Linda Weiler of Phoenix, Arizona, Melody Walker and her husband, Dan of Rochester, Minnesota, Steve Schmidt and Jeff Schmidt both of Mason City; 18 grandchildren, Adam Weiler, Laura Weiler, Joe Weiler, Ben Weiler, Rachel Ossmo, Jake Weiler, Jesse Weiler, Annie Weiler, Abby Weiler, Amanda Weiler, Alexis Weiler, John Walker, Emily Walker, Ryan Schmidt, Cara Fernandez, Samantha Schmidt, Stephanie Schmidt and Gabrielle Schmidt; four great-grandchildren, Alexis Gasca, Christian Gasca, Elena Fernandez and Katilynn Stopski; two brothers, Roland Schmidt and his wife, Lucille and Darl Schmidt and his wife, Darlene, both of Garner; and many nieces and nephews.

Donella M. Erdman, 1923-2006

December 20, 2006

Donella M. Erdman, 83, of Garner, died on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, December 15, at the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner, with Fr. Henry Huber officiating. Donna Young was the lector. Music was provided by organist, Carolyn Kumsher who accompanied the church choir. Ushers were Robert Kral and Lawrence Engstler.

Casket bearers were, Dick Voortman, Ron Hejna, Gary Schisel, Cecil Noble and Elmer Young. Burial was in the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Garner. The Cataldo Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Donella Mae Erdman, the daughter of John and Aurelia Marie (McCoy) Erdman, was born on June 18, 1923, at Milford. She graduated from the Marshalltown High School and continued her education at a business college in Mason City. Donella worked for several years in Mason City before moving to California, where she worked at Boeing Aircraft.

She then moved to Des Moines where she was employed at Meredith Publishing for 12 years and later was an executive assistant for the American Chiropractic Association in Des Moines. Donella then moved to Washington D.C., where she helped with the training of chiropractors. She returned to Des Moines and was employed at the Polk County Courthouse. In 1986, she moved to Garner to help care for her family.

She was a member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner and the Rosary Society.

Donella is survived by her sisters, Kathryn McLeod of Ann Arbor, Michigan and Rose Nelson of Garden Grove, California; ten nieces and nephews, Diane, Sue, Lynne, Patrick, Paul, Anne, Joannie, Laura, Cindy and Val; and her special friend, "Pretty Kitty."

Douglas D. Adams, 46, of Garner, died on Wednesday, December 27, 2006, at the University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview Campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, December 31, at the Garner-Hayfield High School Auditorium, with the Rev. David Wagner officiating. Music was provided by pianist, Mary Kopacek who accompanied soloist, Bill Renner and congregational hymns. Ushers were Rob Legge, Jim Hill, Ted Hovda and Dave Steen.

Honorary bearers were Glen Greiman, Stan Greiman, Ron Bogle, Al Patten and Jim Knuth. Casket bearers were Brandon Stromer, Todd Christians, Paul Miller, Bruce Brinkmeyer, Paul Stolte and Greg Tidman. Burial was in the Concord Township Cemetery in Garner. The Cataldo Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Douglas D. Adams, the son of Deane R. and Janet L. (Hillygus) Adams, was born on November 6, 1960 at Marshalltown. He graduated from the Beaman-Conrad-Liscomb High School in 1979. He continued his education at Iowa State University in Ames graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Animal Science and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Service and Administration in Agriculture.

On June 8, 1985, he married Brenda Habben at the Presbyterian Church in Mason City. They lived in Garner where they raised their three children, Jessica, Lindsey and Jordan. Doug was employed as a financial officer for Farm Credit Services of America since 2000.

Prior to working at FCSA, he was employed by Cargill for 17 years. He was active in his children's activities and served as a youth sports coach and drama coach at the high school. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, raising, showing and judging sheep and helping with community projects.

Doug was a member of the United Methodist Church in Garner where he served as a Sunday School Teacher. He belonged to the National Suffolk Sheep Association, Northern Plains Club Lamb Association and was a 4-H Club Leader.

In 1995, Doug was honored with the Governor's Leadership Award. He was recognized for his service to his community by being named Garner Jaycee's Citizen of the Year in 1999. He also was awarded the Robert Hiscocks Memorial 4-H Award, received an honorary 4-H Member Award, was a Relay for Life Ambassador, and was a Cargill President's Club winner.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda of Garner; three children, Jessica Adams of West Des Moines, Lindsey Adams a freshman at Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri and Jordan Adams a junior in high school; his parents, Deane and Janet Adams of Marshalltown; two sisters, Lori Adams of Ames and Lana (Galen) Adams-Herr of Cedar Falls; a brother, Dan (Karen) Adams of Oskaloosa; and three nieces.