John E Gerholdt

John E. Gerholdt, 86, of Cedar Falls, died Friday, December 4, 2009, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo.  John was born August 13, 1923 in Cedar Falls, the son of Truman & Elizabeth (Siepert) Gerholdt.  He married Lavon Gersema March 21, 1946 in Cedar Falls.  She preceded him in death February 3, 1985.  He married Mary Strub August 14, 1989 in Cedar Falls.  John was a First Lieutenant and pilot in the Army Air Corps during WWII.  He farmed in rural Cedar Falls from 1946 to 1960 and then had a career in agri-business in southwest Iowa until retiring in 1983.  John was a lifetime member of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Gerholdt, of Cedar Falls; one son, John R. (Kay) Gerholdt of Wichita Falls, Texas; two daughters, Cathe (Pete) Bynum, of Spring Branch, Texas and Mary (Charles) Larson, of Ames, Iowa; two stepsons, Dr. Tom (Char) Strub, of Cedar Falls and Jim Strub, of Atlanta, Georgia; one stepdaughter, Jolene (John) Murray, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and step grandchildren.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, and two brothers, Delbert and Paul Gerholdt.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home with burial in Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens.  Military Honors will be conducted by Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49.  Public visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, and for one hour prior to service time Tuesday at the funeral home.  Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or Central Iowa Honor Flights.  Online condolences may be left at www.DahlFuneralHome.com

John felt very honored to be on an Honor Flight in August.