Gary Lettow

Gary J. Lettow, 76, of Cedar Falls, died Sunday, December 28, 2014, at UnityPoint Heath-Allen Hospital in Waterloo. He was born January 28, 1938, in Eldora, Iowa, the son of Emil H. and Leah (Johnson) Lettow. Gary married Lucille Ziesman July 25, 1964, in Hubbard, Iowa. He graduated from Eldora High School in 1956, the University of Iowa in 1964 and received his master of arts degree in music education in 1967 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was an instrumental music instructor in the Y-J-B Schools at Bagley, Columbia Schools, Columbia, Missouri, and retired in 1997 after teaching 30 years in the Cedar Falls Schools. Gary served in the U.S. Army (Korea) and retired from the U.S. Army Reserves in 1992. Gary was a member of Nazareth Lutheran Church, where he ushered, played in the bell choir, and volunteered in the library. He was a Civil War scholar who saw to it that many veterans' graves were identified and marked. Until recently, Gary performed in the Cedar Falls Municipal Band, Marengo Civil War Band, UNI Horizons Band, and the Iowa Veterans Band. He is survived by his wife, Lucille, of Cedar Falls; a son, LCDR Karl (Heather) Lettow of Norfolk, Virginia, and three grandchildren, Logan, Chloe and Layton Lettow. Gary was preceded in death by his parents and a half-brother, Charles J. Hartman. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2015, at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls with burial at 2:00 p.m. in Eastlawn Memorial Garden Cemetery in Eldora. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 2, 2015, at Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls. Memorials may be directed to Nazareth Lutheran Church, the Cedar Falls Municipal Band, or the Wounded Warrior Project. Condolences may be left at www.DahlFuneralHome.com.