Loecke, Jerome 'Jerry'

Jerome “Jerry” Loecke, 67, of Dyersville, formerly of Petersburg, died of cancer Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Regional Medical Center in Manchester. Funeral Services, celebrating Jerry's life, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg, with Father John O'Connor officiating. Burial will be at St. Francis Cemetery in Dyersville, with full military honors afforded by the Dyersville American Legion Post 137. Friends and relatives of Jerry may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at Reiff Funeral Home in Dyersville, with a wake service held at 5 p.m. and an American Legion service at 7 p.m.

Jerome Joseph Loecke was born May 27, 1945, in Dyersville, son of Bill and Modesta Loecke. Jerry married Rosemary Clemen on June 14, 1967, at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Jerry worked for Olberding Brothers Construction before moving to the home farm located in Petersburg in 1969. In September 2011, Jerry and Rosie moved to Dyersville.

Jerry served in the National Guard from 1965 to 1971, on the Delaware County Dairy Board, and was a member of the Dyersville American Legion Post 137. He attended St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg, where he was active as an usher, and served on the parish council, the picnic committee, and the cemetery board.

He valued his faith, family and friends. He enjoyed farming the land as well as the challenge of taking something broken and returning it to working order. During the last nine years, while living with lung and brain cancer, he remained active by restoring an antique Melroe skid loader and Farmall M tractor with loader.

Jerry is survived by Rosemary, his wife of 45 years; children, Suzanne (Chris) Dunn of Amana, David (Heidi) Loecke of Kansas City, Mo., Brenda (Brian) Platz of Solon, and Dana (Rob) Williams of Bettendorf; grandchildren, Eva and Weston Platz, Celia and Thomas Dunn; his sister, Laura (Ray) Wille of Guttenberg; brothers, Allen (Carol) Loecke of Manchester and Glenn Loecke of Petersburg; in-laws include Gib Clemen (Diane Dunkel) of Holy Cross, John and Darlene Clemen and Merlin and Susie Clemen of Dyersville, Verna and Tom Kintzle of Edgewood, Julie and Larry Kruse of Petersburg, Sister Pat Clemen of Morton, Miss., Dorothy and George Gray of Cuba City, Wis., and Millie and Wayne Arnold of Worthington; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Bill and Modesta (Willenborg) Loecke; infant brothers, Martin and Loras Loecke; parents-in-law, Gregor and Marie (Willenbring) Clemen; and in-laws, Pam Loecke, Lisa Wille, Bob Vaske and Carol Clemen.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com

In lieu of gifts or plants, the family request memorials be given to St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Beckman Catholic High School, the Anna Purna Ghosh Cancer Foundation, or the charity of your choice.

The family graciously thanks Dr. Scot Christiansen and the nurses and staff at Regional Medical Center in Manchester. A special thanks goes to Dr. Chirantan Ghosh and staff at the Ghosh Center in Cedar Rapids for their excellent care and compassion the past nine years.

Published Sept. 2, 2012 in The Gazette