Mere, Bart I.

Bart I. Mere, 48, of 104 19th Ave. Ct. in Hiawatha, died of cancer on Thursday, July 1, 2010 at St. Luke's Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Memorial Mass: 10 a.m. on Monday at St. Jude Catholic Church. Rev. Mark Reasoner will officiate. Inurnment at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery where there also will be military rites. Friends may call at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon; three sons, Ben, Caleb and Zach; and one daughter, Emily, all at home; his father, Duayne of Morley; three brothers, Ronnie (Brenda) of Fremont, Ohio, Frank (Peg) of Monticello, and Steve of Morley; three sisters, Linda (Gerry) Tenney of Cedar Rapids, Marie Havel and Renada Schoon, both of Geneseo, Ill. He is also survived by 69 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Stefanie, and a brother-in-law, Brad Schoon.

Bart was born on January 4, 1962 in Cedar Rapids, the son of Duayne and Stefanie Jankovic Mere. He married Sharon K. Kehrli on May 9, 1992 in Cedar Rapids. Bart was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 19 years. He was a member of the VFW and the NALC.

He enjoyed coaching and watching his children's sporting events as well as being an avid Kennedy Cougar fan. Bart served in the U.S. Navy and enjoyed all sports. He loved the Oakland As, Raiders and Iowa Hawkeyes. Bart was quite a history buff, especially the events surrounding the Civil War.

He was truly a wonderful husband, father, son, brother and friend who will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Bart's name. Please leave a message to the Mere family on our web page, under Obituaries.