'Matt' Kremer

MATTHEW C. "MATT" KREMER

Garrison

Matthew C. "Matt" Kremer, 83, died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids following a long illness.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Vinton with Father Ardel Barta and Father John Kremer as celebrants. Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a Scripture service beginning at 4 p.m. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton. Military rites will be performed by American Legion Post 475 of Garrison and Marine Corps Funeral Honors.

Matt was born July 6, 1933, in Independence, Iowa, the son of Matt and Matilda Lardy Kremer. He graduated from St. John Catholic School in Independence. Later in life, he received an electronics degree from Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo.

Matt proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean conflict from 1953 to 1956. He was a sergeant in Service Battalion, MCB, at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

On Feb. 14, 1957, Matt was united in marriage with Joyce L. Rice at St. Athanasius Catholic Church in Jesup.

Matt farmed in the Garrison area for most of his life. Following his graduation from Hawkeye Tech, his family moved to Brainerd, Minn., where he purchased and ran his own mobile radio business for three years. The family returned to Garrison and Matt resumed farming while working at John Deere in Waterloo for five years as an electronic lab tech in hydraulics. He retired at age 70.

Matt was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Vinton, where he was a member of Knights of Columbus and taught religious education. He also was a member of the Garrison Lions Club. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, reading and doing crossword puzzles, and was a gifted inventor. His greatest joy came from spending time with his family.

Matt is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joyce Kremer, of Garrison; seven daughters, Joan (Gene) Schmelzer, Mona (Gary) Garwood and Jenny (David) Janssen, all of Vinton, Diane (Kevin) Kuehn of Shoreview, Minn., Mary (Steve) Hilton and Patty (Ryan) Tresnak, both of Vinton, and Julie (Dwayne) Collingwood of Urbana; one brother, Robert (Ruth) Kremer of Corona, Calif.; three sisters, Rita Kies of Jesup, Lucy (Jack) Toal of Tucson, Ariz., and Terri Serafini of San Jose, Calif.; 20 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, with one on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings, Marie Soteros, Agnes Helmers, Tillie Temeyer, Joe Kremer, Rose Buhrow, Margaret Kraus and Alfred Kremer.

A memorial fund has been established.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Matthew and his family.

Condolences may be left at vsrfh.com.