Elmer M. Konzen
October 13, 1915 — August 29, 2014
Elmer M. Konzen, 98, Marion, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 29, 2014, at his Summit Pointe apartment. Visitation: Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Marion, Iowa, on Friday, September 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral Mass: Saturday, September 6, at 11 a.m., at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Marion. As per his wishes, his body has been donated to the University of Iowa. Inurnment will be at a later date, with military honors.
Survivors include his seven children and their spouses, Roger P. (Sharron) of Marion; Jeanne A. (John “Jack”) Rowe of Dundee, Illinois; Donna T. Green of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Diane L. (Richard “Red”) Jensen of Lynnwood, Washington; Gary E. “elmo” (former spouse Patly Clarey-Sage) of Marion; Kevin J. (Irene) of San Antonio, Texas; and John W. (Darla) of Marion.
Also surviving are brothers and sisters and their spouses Virginia, Larry (Margaret), Joseph, Marie O’Neill, Richard, Anna Jane Woods, Alice (David) Tauke and Kay Wood; sixteen grandchildren Hannah and Abbey Konzen; Brother Paul Rowe, Elaine (Ron) Parker, and Kathryn “Kate” Rowe; Melanie (Jack) Roepke, Michele Green (Mark Paprocki) and Melissa Green (Josh Webler); Nik, T. J. (Vinnie) and Ryan Jensen; Emily Flowergarden (Grant Munson) and Noah Konzen (Erin Foizey); and Lisa (Taylor) Bartholomew, Angela (Edwin) Donnelly, and Tim (Tara) Konzen; and two step-grandchildren Amanda (Brett) Pomeroy and Heather Loughren; fourteen great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rita, on April 9th, 2004, his parents, his step-mother, his brothers Ed (Winnie) and Bill and his son-in-law David Green (August 20, 2014).
Elmer Matthew Konzen was born on October 13, 1915, in Peosta, Iowa, the elder son of Nicholas Gregory “Nic” and Katherine Martha Conrad Konzen. Martha died after Ed was born and then Nic married Gertrude Susan “Gert” Kraus and they had nine more children.
They left the farm and moved to Earlville, where Elmer graduated from high school. After a stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps, working at Devil’s Backbone State Park, he was employed by the Post Office to work mail on the train, on the Milwaukee Road train numbers 19 & 20, Chicago – Marion – Omaha. He was a mail clerk from 1936 to 1972.
He met his bride, Rita Mathilda Hanna, of Ivesdale, Illinois, while playing baseball in Chicago, where she was living with her brother, who was also a railway mail clerk like Elmer. They were married on August 6, 1940, in Ivesdale. Their first four children were born in Chicago. The family moved to Marion in 1950 when their house in Bellwood, Illinois, was in the way of the new freeway – now the Eisenhower Expressway.
Elmer was a radioman in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II, interrupting his time in the railway mailcar.
In Marion, Elmer was a handyman on his time off, helping in various ways at St. Joseph’s church and school, and doing other building and electrical work. He volunteered at RSVP and at Crestview Nursing Home.
Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph School, Marion; Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids; Camp Courageous, Monticello; or to the family.
The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Mercy Medical Center, Willow Gardens Care Center, Summit Pointe Senior Living and Hospice of Mercy.
Survivors include his seven children and their spouses, Roger P. (Sharron) of Marion; Jeanne A. (John “Jack”) Rowe of Dundee, Illinois; Donna T. Green of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Diane L. (Richard “Red”) Jensen of Lynnwood, Washington; Gary E. “elmo” (former spouse Patly Clarey-Sage) of Marion; Kevin J. (Irene) of San Antonio, Texas; and John W. (Darla) of Marion.
Also surviving are brothers and sisters and their spouses Virginia, Larry (Margaret), Joseph, Marie O’Neill, Richard, Anna Jane Woods, Alice (David) Tauke and Kay Wood; sixteen grandchildren Hannah and Abbey Konzen; Brother Paul Rowe, Elaine (Ron) Parker, and Kathryn “Kate” Rowe; Melanie (Jack) Roepke, Michele Green (Mark Paprocki) and Melissa Green (Josh Webler); Nik, T. J. (Vinnie) and Ryan Jensen; Emily Flowergarden (Grant Munson) and Noah Konzen (Erin Foizey); and Lisa (Taylor) Bartholomew, Angela (Edwin) Donnelly, and Tim (Tara) Konzen; and two step-grandchildren Amanda (Brett) Pomeroy and Heather Loughren; fourteen great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rita, on April 9th, 2004, his parents, his step-mother, his brothers Ed (Winnie) and Bill and his son-in-law David Green (August 20, 2014).
Elmer Matthew Konzen was born on October 13, 1915, in Peosta, Iowa, the elder son of Nicholas Gregory “Nic” and Katherine Martha Conrad Konzen. Martha died after Ed was born and then Nic married Gertrude Susan “Gert” Kraus and they had nine more children.
They left the farm and moved to Earlville, where Elmer graduated from high school. After a stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps, working at Devil’s Backbone State Park, he was employed by the Post Office to work mail on the train, on the Milwaukee Road train numbers 19 & 20, Chicago – Marion – Omaha. He was a mail clerk from 1936 to 1972.
He met his bride, Rita Mathilda Hanna, of Ivesdale, Illinois, while playing baseball in Chicago, where she was living with her brother, who was also a railway mail clerk like Elmer. They were married on August 6, 1940, in Ivesdale. Their first four children were born in Chicago. The family moved to Marion in 1950 when their house in Bellwood, Illinois, was in the way of the new freeway – now the Eisenhower Expressway.
Elmer was a radioman in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II, interrupting his time in the railway mailcar.
In Marion, Elmer was a handyman on his time off, helping in various ways at St. Joseph’s church and school, and doing other building and electrical work. He volunteered at RSVP and at Crestview Nursing Home.
Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph School, Marion; Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids; Camp Courageous, Monticello; or to the family.
The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Mercy Medical Center, Willow Gardens Care Center, Summit Pointe Senior Living and Hospice of Mercy.
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