John "Duane" Schimmer

John “Duane” Schimmer

Spencer, Iowa

          Services for John “Duane” Schimmer, age 90, of Spencer, formerly of Sutherland, who passed away on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at the Spencer Hospital.  His funeral mass will be 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Primghar with Father Tim Hogan ~ officiating.

            Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Sutherland with military honors presented by American Legion Post #152 of Sutherland.

            Visitation with family present will be from 5 to 7 P.M. on Monday, April 3, 2023, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Primghar.

            Arrangements are under the care of the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina.

John “Duane” Schimmer of Spencer, Iowa and formerly of Sutherland passed away on March 30, 2023, at the Spencer Hospital.  “Duane” was born in Cherokee, Iowa to Roy and Sylvia (Hardenbrook) Schimmer on June 30, 1932.  He graduated from Sutherland High School in 1950.  Following graduation, Duane worked at Slagle Lumber for a time and J & R Hakes where he sold feed and had an egg route.

In January of 1953 Duane entered the Army, he attended basic training at Camp Roberts in California.  He was stationed in Korea and honorably discharged in 1954.

After he returned home he worked with his dad, Roy, in his plumbing business.  In 1956, he moved to the farm northeast of Sutherland and began farming with brother Dale for a time, then on his own.  He milked cows for 20 years and farrowed pigs for a while.  

Duane was united in marriage to Marilyn Miller on February 16, 1957.  They were blessed with four daughters, Terri, Peg, Lynn and Sue.  As the girls grew up, they became his chore helpers.  In the summer, usually after he would finish the milking, he would come in for breakfast and would come find us girls and when he said “it’s a beautiful day in happy valley” we knew we were in trouble, we were either going to have to sort cows or pigs or watch the gate all day.

Duane loved to bowl and bowled for the Sutherland Farmers Coop team for many years.  Team members were Don Ebel, Roger Negus and Robert Negus, Oscar Adams, Steve Carnahan and Todd Sohn.  They were all good bowlers and won the league numerous times.

Duane was a good neighbor and was always willing to help out.  He usually had a part-time hired man, (usually a high school fella) who became a “brother” to the girls and a part of the family.

In the fall of 1995, he and Marilyn remodeled the house he grew up in, in Sutherland and moved in.  Marilyn told him since he didn’t have any hobbies he better find a part-time job.  So, he went to work for Chuck Virgil and later John Platt at Independent Dental in Sutherland from 1996-2001.  Duane and Marilyn enjoyed time at their cabin at Okoboji in the summers and went to Mesa, Arizona in the winters.  They enjoyed sightseeing and meeting new people.

Duane was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church until its closing where he served on the council several years.  He served a term on the Sutherland Coop board, was a 50 year member of the Sutherland American Legion Post.  He was a member of Sutherland Ruritan for 20 years.  He served as a commissioner on the O’Brien County Veterans Affairs Board for 20 years.

Duane was privileged to go on an Honor Flight for Veteran’s to Washington D.C. in September 2015 at the age of 83.  Peg accompanied him.  It was a very special day for him, jam-packed with many of the historical sites in D.C.

Duane had a wonderful sense of humor and quick wit.  He had many “sayings”.  “Same stuff, different day”, “That’s the way it goes, first your money, then your clothes”.  He was an Iowa Hawkeye fan and during a football game the Hawks weren’t doing very well and he said “Coach Ferentz should quit chewing that gum and chew some ass”!  We always thought we should make T-shirts of that!

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Marilyn, daughter, Lynn, brother Dale Schimmer and sister-in-law, Norma Schimmer.

He is survived by daughters, Terri Carnahan and husband Steve, Peg Schimmer, Sue Christofferson and husband Jamie.  Grandchildren, Chris Carnahan, Robin Lambertus (Brad), and Andrew Christofferson, nephews, Brian Schimmer and Brad Schimmer, other relatives and many friends.