Stephan, Joseph Louis

Joseph Louis Stephan, 85, of Dyersville, died Sunday, March 21, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with burial in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Petersburg. Officiating will be the Rev. Robert Gross. Military rites will be accorded by Dyersville American Legion Post 137. Friends may call from 2 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where a parish scripture service will be held at 5 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited at 7 p.m.

Survivors include his wife, Lorraine; two children, Joleen (David) Stephan-Mease of Charlotte, N.C., and David (Kitty) Stephan of Dyersville; four

grandchildren, Justin and Casey Offerman of Charlotte, N.C., Brian Stephan of Bernard, and Ashley (Ryan) Schultz of Grimes; one great-grandchild, Sophia Rose Stephan; one sister, Loretta Upmann of Stockton, Ill.; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert L. (Anna Mae) Scherbring of Dyersville, Elaine Scherbring of Edgewood, Harry McBride of Anamosa, Charles Burkle of Dyersville, Leon (Theresa) Burkle of Earlville, Walter (VernaMae) Burkle, Bernard (Lorraine) Burkle, Betty Gassmann, Harold (Gladys) Burkle, Gerald (Rose Ann) Burkle and Doris (Alvin) Hermsen, all of Dyersville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Eileen; three siblings, John (Margaret) Stephan and Pearl Stephan, and Florence (William) Huilman; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Walter (Mary) Scherbring, Lester Scherbring, George (Thelma) Burkle, Luetta Burkle, Jerry Hermsen and John Gassmann.

Joe's career was as a welder in several factories until retiring to make a career of volunteering. Among many things, Joe ministered to the prisoners at the Anamosa State Penitentiary - Men's Reformatory for at least 35 Information available and condolences accepted at