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Church, John W.
John W. Church, 89, of Belle Plaine, formerly of Ely, died Friday, July 23, 2010, at Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City. Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Open Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, by Pastor Charles Stevens. isitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Burial: Roger's Grove Cemetery, Ely, with military honors by Walter Johnson American Legion Post 721.
Survivors include his children, Charles “Chuck” (Wanda) Church, Cynthia “Cindy” (Kevin) Klein and William J. “Bill” Church; grandchildren, David (Dawn) Church, Candance (Joe) Irons, Allen (Pennie) Church, Jennifer Church, Erick Church, Shana (Bill) Chadwick, Samuel Church, Sarah Church, John Bartosh, Darlene (Matt) Hughes, Latricia (Tom) Skaar, Shai Skalsky, Kristin (Ross) Neal, Anne Church, Michelle Church and Susan Dollmeyer; 26 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; a sister, Thelma Stokes; and a brother, Duane (Mary) Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four sons, Wayne at birth, John Jr., Robert and Stephen; his wives, Emma, Mary and Georgia; and grandsons, Scott Church and Joel Church.
John was born June 22, 1921, the son of Howard and Gertrude (Wilson) Church, on a ranch near Hartley, South Dakota. In 1929, the family moved to Cedar Rapids where John attended and graduated from Wilson High School. He served in the United States Army during World War II with the 101st Airborne Division. John was in three major battles. In 1940, he married Emma Johnstone and later divorced.
For 45 years, John worked at Penford as a factory electrician, retiring in 1983. He married Mary Lesser and lived in the Ely area for 25 years. They divorced and John moved to Clinton, Arkansas, where he married Georgia Howe. After their divorce, he moved to Belle Plaine, where he resided for the last 15 years.
John was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Belle Plaine, Belle Plaine American Legion, lifetime member of Ely American Legion and past member of El Kahir Shrine.
Memorials may be directed to: Cindy Klein, 5503 J. Street SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, in memory of John.
Please sign the online guest book for John at under obituaries.
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