Loren G. Gottschalk, Loren G. Gottschalk

Loren G. Gottschalk, 65, of Walker, died Monday, Sept. 7, 2009, surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer. Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Urbana, by Father Paul McManus. The family will greet friends from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Center Point, where a vigil service will begin at 3 p.m. and one hour before the service at the church on Friday. Burial: Sacred Heart Cemetery, Walker.

Survivors include his wife, Betty; his mother, Georgina Horstman of Edgewood; 3 daughters, Tara (Bob) Kamin of Des Moines, Krista (Brian) Banyas of Altoona and Sara (John) Doyle of Ankeny; 6 grandchildren, Amanda and Paige Kamin, Brandon and Abigail Banyas, and Max and Claire Doyle; a sister, Lorraine (Ken) Ingwersen of Clive; sisters and brothers-in-law, Jean (Tom) Farrell of Prairie du Chien, Wis., Tom (Sheila) Neuhaus of Monona, Ann (Kim) Fields of Grafton, Wis., Paul (Billie) Neuhaus of Santa Clara, Calif., Jerry (Deb) Neuhaus of Monona, Virginette (Steve) Connor of DeWitt, Mary (Mike) Jaynes of Prairie du Chien and Al (Jody) Neuhaus of Hiawatha; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Gottschalk; stepfather, Alfred Horstman; father and mother-in-law, Alvin and Clara Neuhaus; and a brother-in-law, Larry Ihde.

Loren was born August 3, 1944, the son of Lawrence and Georgina (Tieden) Gottschalk, in Elkader, Iowa. A graduate from Central Community High School in Elkader, he served with the Army National Guard Reserves. On Nov. 27, 1971, Loren was united in marriage to Betty Neuhaus in Monona, Iowa. From 1972 to 2008, he worked as manager for Pro-Build, formerly Great Plains/UBC in Walker.

Loren was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Walker, Walker Lions Club, Walker Fire Department, Walker City Council and the Sacred Heart Board of Education.

He enjoyed woodworking projects, mushroom hunting, fishing, camping and most of all spending time with his family, especially the grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Mercy, Cedar Rapids, or The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Iowa City, in memory of Loren.

Please sign the online guest book for Loren at under obituaries.