Meier, Loraine 'Blondie'

Loraine “Blondie” Meier, 94, of Garnavillo, died Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at the Guttenberg Care Center. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Garnavillo, with the Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating. Interment will be at Garnavillo Community Center. The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Tuecke-Allyn Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 001 S. Industrial Park Rd., Garnavillo, and one hour before service time at the church.

He was born Sept. 5, 1916, in Garnavillo, to Elmer and Martha (Shutte) Meier. Loraine graduated from Garnavillo High School in 1934 and farmed almost his entire life. On June 20, 1937, Loraine was united in marriage to Gertrude Moen at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. Three children were born to this union. Loraine was on the Garnavillo Bank Board for several years. He was a member of the Lions Club, Lutheran Men's Brotherhood, St. Paul Church Council and various committees at church.

Loraine enjoyed playing cards and board games in his later years. He was an avid reader and traveler. He and Gertie traveled all over the United States, with many of those trips taken with his sister Elma and her husband. Most of all, Loraine was a farmer and he spent over 40 years farming side by side with his son James.

Those left to cherish his memory are his children, Mary (John) Takeuchi of Fairfield, Calif., and James (Brenda) Meier of Garnavillo; loving companion, Marie Dickman of Garnavillo; five grandchildren, Matthew (Christine) Meier, Mark (Janel) Meier, David Takeuchi, Susan Shepard and Joel (Alexis) Takeuchi; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Elma Peck.

Loraine was preceded in death by his parents, wife and one daughter, Joanne Meier.

In lieu of flowers and all other gifts, memorials are preferred to be distributed to various organizationsof which Loraine was a part.