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Hermsen, Clarence E.
Clarence E. Hermsen, 73, of 1699 330th Ave., Dyersville, died Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque. Friends and relatives of Clarence may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at Reiff Funeral Home, 490 Field of Dreams Way, Dyersville, where a wake service will be held at 5 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Services for Clarence will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna, with the Rev. John O'Connor officiating. Burial will be held in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Farley.
Clarence was born Nov. 1, 1937, in Farley, Iowa, son of Frank and Olive (Schaul) Hermsen. He was a graduate of St. Joseph's High School in Farley. On Oct. 1, 1966, he was united in marriage to Theresa Grobstick at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Farley. He farmed in the rural New Vienna area and was also a Realtor with Bradley Realty/Prudential Friedman and most recently with Ruhl and Ruhl Realty.
He was a member of St. Boniface Parish in New Vienna, where he also was a member of the guitar and choir groups, a member of the Dubuque Board of Realtors, the National Guard, and the Dyersville Knights of Columbus Council 1734.
His passions were his family, gardening and singing.
He is survived by his wife, Theresa Hermsen of Dyersville; five children, Paul (Kim) Hermsen of Ankeny, Sue Hermsen of Cedar Rapids, Tim (Sandy) Hermsen of Dyersville, Joejoe Hermsen of Omaha, Neb., and Jenny Hermsen of Dyersville; two grandchildren, Payton Mae and Jack Hermsen; three stepgrandchildren, Kelsey, Courtney and Kylie Steffensmeier; one sister, Rosemary Rahe of Dyersville; three brothers, Alvin (Doris) Hermsen of Dyersville, Francis (Inez) Hermsen of Manchester and Dennis (Nancy) Hermsen of Farley; three sisters-in-law, Betty Gassman of Dyersville, Lucille Grobstick of Cedar Rapids and Helen Grobstick of Dubuque; and a very special friend, Father Carlos Paniagua-Monroy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Clarence and Augusta Grobstick; three brothers, Jerry, Charles and Elmer Hermsen; one sister, Theresa Hermsen; two sisters-in-law, Clara Mae Grobstick and Eileen Hermsen; and a brother-in-law, Tony Rahe.
A Clarence E. Hermsen memorial fund has been established.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com
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