Ackerman, Harry R.

Harry R. Ackerman, 89, of South Amana, died Monday, August 8, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 12, the Middle Amana Church with Elder Betsy Momany officiating. Burial will follow at the South Amana Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Amana Church Society. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is in charge of arrangements.

Harry was born on April 13, 1922, to Henry and Maggie (Leichsenring) Ackermann in South Amana, Iowa. He graduated from Amana High School in 1940, and served in the U.S. Army for 37 months during World War II. Thirteen of those months he was stationed in the Philippines with the First Convalescent Hospital Unit.

He was employed as a butcher and furniture builder for the Amana Society before being appointed Iowa County Assessor in 1968. He retired from that position in 1986, allowing him more time to spend in the woods pursuing his love of hunting and fishing. He eagerly awaited the appearance of the first morel mushrooms each spring and searching for Indian arrowheads in freshly plowed fields.

Harry married his high-school sweetheart, Louisa Meyer in 1943. In 1954, they started Ackerman Winery, which they operated together for 21 years. Their son, Les continues to operate the family business today. Louisa died in 1989, after 46 years of marriage. In 1991, he married Rosa Sanford. They had been married for 18 years at the time of her death in 2009.

He is survived by his children Peggy (Leslie) Roemig, Les (Linda) Ackerman and Wendy (Ekhard) Ziegler; a sister, Mildred (Henry) Meyer; grandchildren Todd Tarvin, Tami Tarvin, Danyelle Kohler, Aaron Roemig, Carrie Godes, Greta Zude, Maggie Fields and Jacob Wendler; and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother; his first wife, Louisa Ackerman; his second wife, Rosa Ackerman; and a daughter, Judy Tarvin.

He was a generous and devoted father and Opa, leaving many precious and loving memories. He will be greatly missed.

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