Lumir Newmeister

LUMIR JOHN NEWMEISTER

Cedar Rapids

Lumir John Newmeister, 94, of Cedar Rapids, passed away at his home at MethWick Manor on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. A visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home on Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. There will be no funeral service. A private family graveside service with military honors will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Lumir was born in Cedar Rapids on May 2, 1922, to Joseph and Bessie Neumeister. He attended St. Wenceslaus and graduated from McKinley High School in 1940. Shortly after graduation, Lumir enlisted in the Navy and served on the Battleship USS Arkansas, sailing over 100,000 miles seeing action in both theaters of war. A highlight of his later years was his participation in an Honor Flight in 2014.

Following the war, Lumir worked at Iowa Steel and Iron Works and Iowa Manufacturing. He retired in 1981 as production manager from Iowa Manufacturing after 43 years of service. While employed, he was a member of American Society of Tool Engineers.

On April 28, 1946, he married Norma Pagel of Tama. He was blessed to celebrate the 70th year of that union with most of the family.

Lumir was a self-made man. With a hammer and handsaw, he built a home for his family in the late 1940s and resided in that house until the fall of 2015. He was known as "Mr. Fix It" in the neighborhood.

Lumir also was a man of passion for all things attracting his interest. He was active in all phases of his sons' scouting activities. He surrounded his home with trees and gardens, stuffing the fruits of his labor into far too many mason jars. He most enjoyed being out in nature, camping, boating, hunting, fishing and mushrooming. He left his family with many keepsakes from his love of woodworking and carving. Lumir was an active volunteer at Indian Creek Nature Center.

Lumir had the good fortune to travel to all 50 states and all 10 Canadian provinces with Norma. They also enjoyed two European holidays.

He is survived by his wife, Norma of Cedar Rapids; three sons, John (Marcia) Newmeister of Tulsa, Okla., Michael (Gayla) Newmeister of Eagle River, Wis., and Jeffrey (Becky) Newmeister of Eldridge; grandchildren, Joy (Sean) Flanagan of London, England, Julie (Joe) Newman of Bixby, Okla., Troy (Amanda) Newmeister of Waukesha, Wis., Nate Newmeister and significant other Katherine Timm of Pewaukee, Wis., Shea (Nicolas) Taulbee of Kansas City, Mo., and Chelsea ( Kurt) Liske of Davenport; six great-grandchildren, Jackson Newman, Iyla Flanagan, Ellie and Lily Newmeister, Sawyer and Eliza Liske; and a nephew, Jon Fussell.

He was preceded death by his parents; sister, Mildred; and niece, Anne Fussell.

Memorials in Lumir's name may be directed to UnityPoint Hospice (St. Luke's) or Indian Creek Nature Center.

Online condolences may be conveyed at www.cedarmemorial.com.