Bernard Alter

Bernard "Bernie" Frederick Alter, 87, of Cedar Falls, died Wednesday, August 29, 2012, at the Western Home Communities Elizabeth Martin Health Center. He was born April 13, 1925, in Grundy County, Iowa, the son of Ernest & Flora (Kalkwarf) Alter. Bernie married Hazel Dirks August 3, 1948 at Salem Lutheran Church, rural Parkersburg. He worked on farms in Grundy County and later at Henderson's Furniture in Cedar Falls. Bernie was employed at Viking Pump Company in Cedar Falls for 34 years, retiring in 1987 as head of the Production and Inventory Control Dept. Survivors include his wife, Hazel, of Cedar Falls; his daughter, Jane (Louis) Steele, of Durango, Colorado; his son, Joel (Peggy Lexau) Alter, of St. Paul, Minnesota; seven grandchildren, Aaron (Simone), Mason (Jamie), Sarah, and Jessica Steele, and Kevin, Anne, and Mary Alter; two great grandchildren, Izabella and Kaelan Steele, and two sisters, Margaret (Lawrence) Aalfs of Parkersburg and Dorothy (Paul) Foster of Indianola, Iowa. Bernie was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Carl and Reinhard Alter, and a sister, Marie Madlom. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at St. John Lutheran Church, with burial at Fairview Cemetery, both in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday at Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home, and one hour before service at the church. Memorials may be directed to the church. Condolences may be left at www.DahlFuneralHome.com. Bernie loved Christ and his church, and served the church in many capacities, but especially loved teaching the word of God.