116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Steven M. Shank
STEVEN M. SHANK
Rochester, Minn.
Steven Michael Shank, 43, of Rochester, Minn., formerly of Iowa City, Iowa, died peacefully Monday, Feb. 4, 2019, at St. Mary's Hospital, after courageously battling the complications of Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome. Steve was blessed with over two years of life following a double lung transplant in 2016.
Steve was born Dec. 2, 1975, in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Ronald and Sandra (Earle) Shank. He graduated from City High in 1994 and completed a bachelor of arts from Luther College in 1998. He married Caren Shank on Dec. 17, 2005, in Rochester, Minn. Steve worked as a manager at Hy-Vee stores in both Iowa and Minnesota. His welcoming presence and gregarious nature made him a community favorite at his stores. Steve was an avid cyclist and rode in various fundraising events. Post transplant, Steve used his spare time to raise awareness for organ donation, acting as an ambassador for Donate Life.
He is survived by his wife, Caren; children, Ani and Elliott; brother, Greg Shank of Otsego, Minn.; mother-in-law, Eileen (Marvin) Klema of Fountain, Minn.; sister-in-law, Jennifer Hanson of Austin, Texas; and so many good friends from childhood to adulthood.
Steve was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Dorothy and Harold Shank; maternal grandparents, Wayne and Genevieve Earle; his parents, Ronald and Sandra Shank; and his father-in-law, Dennis K. Hanson.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Rochester, Minn., with the Rev. Thomas Loomis officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home in Rochester. Immunocompromised friends can attend a special visitation time on Sunday from 4:30 to 5 p.m. There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.
Memorials are preferred to the family fund at www.onemission.fund/support/shank-family/?shopfor=165269.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.
Daily Newsletters