Kremer, Joseph M.

Joseph M. Kremer, 88, of Jesup, Iowa, died Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at the Buchanan County Health Center Long Term Care Unit in Independence, Iowa following a lengthy illness.

He was born August 19, 1921 at rural Jesup, son of Matt and Matilda (Lardy) Kremer. He married Ellen Janice Harn, June 11, 1947.

He graduated from Jesup Community School in 1939; served in the U.S. Army and discharged in December 1946; was a lifelong farmer retiring in 1986; and also served 12 non-consecutive years in the Iowa House of Representatives.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen Kremer, of Jesup; four daughters, Mary Ann Myers of Springfield, Ill., Nancy (Dale) Kies of Jesup, Barbara (Steve) Cox of Tucson, Ariz., Katherine (Brian) Rohrig of Orient, Iowa; one son, Leo (Deb) Kremer of Jesup; 13 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Alfred (Helen) Kremer, Amarillo, Texas, Matt (Joyce) Kremer of Garrison, Iowa, Robert (Ruth) Kremer of Corona, Calif.; four sisters, Margaret Kraus and Rita Kies of Jesup, Theresa Serafini of Lincoln, Calif., Lucille (Jack) Toal, Tucson, Ariz.; and one brother-in-law, Paul Buhrow of Jesup. He was preceded in death by three sons, Carl in 1979, and infants Richard (1958) and Clarence (1960); and four sisters, Marie Soteros, Agnes Meisch Helmers, Matilda Temeyer and Rose Buhrow.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Athanasius Catholic Church, Jesup, with military rites and burial at St. Athanasius Cemetery, Jesup.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today at the White Funeral Home, 1315 Main Street, Jesup, IA, where there will be a Knights of Columbus rosary at 3 p.m. and vigil service at 7 p.m. today. Visitation also will be held an hour before services Saturday at the church.

Memorials will be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice, Buchanan County Chapter, Independence, IA. Online condolences may be sent at