Boots, Norman

Norman Boots, 76, died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, at his home following a sudden illness. Funeral services will be held 10:30 Monday morning, Jan. 23, at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, where friends may call after 9:30. The Rev. Ed Moreano will officiate at the services. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, with military honors.

Surviving are six children: Randy Boot and his fiancee, Deb, Fort Worth, Texas; Dennis (Julia) Williams, Shellsburg; Darlene (Bud) Langhoff, Marion; Larry Williams, Monticello; Shirley (Mark) Snell, Marion; and Gary (Jann) Williams, Hot Springs, Ark.; 17 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Jeanie Boots, Cedar Rapids; many nieces and nephews; and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ruby in 2010; two sisters, Thelma Davis and Lyla Henderson; three brothers, Loren, Dale and Elnore; and three great-grandchildren.

Norman Richard Boots was born Nov. 3, 1935, in Hopkinton, Iowa, the son of Dennis and Nina (Willard) Boots. Norman attended the Hopkinton schools before enlisting in the United States Army during the Korean War.

Norman Boots married Ruby Christner on March 29, 1959, at the Methodist Church in Marion. The couple lived in Hopkinton, where she operated Ruby's Café and Norman worked for the City of Hopkinton. They moved to Branson, Mo., and operated K's Kabins Resort and Norman also worked at Silver Dollar City. They returned to the Cedar Rapids area before settling in Monticello, where they operated Boots Shoe Repair. Norman worked at Yeoman and Co. before he retired as well.

Norman enjoyed his horses and acreage, as well as hunting and fishing. He loved to tool leather and did many pairs of boots and other leather items for people. He was a member of Burns Masonic Lodge and the Monticello Eagles Club.

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Published Jan. 19, 2012, in The Gazette