LaVera Rehder

LaVera Rehder

Cherokee, Iowa

            Services for LaVera Rehder, age 102, of Cherokee, formerly of Calumet who passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Accura Healthcare of Cherokee.  A prayer service will be held at 5 P.M. on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina.

            Visitation with family present will be after 4 P.M. until the time of the prayer service on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina.

LaVera Rehder

            LaVera Dorothy Teresa Schmidt, 102, of Calumet, Iowa, passed away, Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Accura Healthcare in Cherokee, Iowa.

            LaVera was born on May 9, 1921, in O’Brien County, Iowa to George and Lillian (Wiese) Schmidt.  She spent her childhood years living in Calumet while attending school in the nearby town of Larabee.

            On December 1, 1940, she married Lloyd Rehder and moved to a farm near Calumet where they farmed the land for the next 62 years.  Later in life they moved to Calumet where they semi-retired.  LaVera was a longtime member of the Zion United church of Christ in Calumet, where she worked for many years.

            For leisure she enjoyed cooking, baking, mowing, and playing cards.  She also enjoyed traveling to various places in the US and Canada.  Most of all, LaVera enjoyed being with her family and friends.

            LaVera was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 77 years, Lloyd; sister, Evelyn; brothers, Wayne, Gerald, Wilfred (Bill), and Melburn.

            She is survived by sons, Darrell and his wife Sandra of Castle Rock, Colorado, Bob and his wife Julie of Newell, Iowa, and daughter, Kathy Fassler and her husband Mark of Cherokee, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Shelly (Paul) Fessler of Kansas City, Missouri, Lori (Earl) Dudley of Castle Rock, Colorado, Lisa (Mike) Christiansen of Newell, Iowa, Kristen (Steven) Mather of Urbandale, Iowa, Ryan Rehder of Storm Lake, Iowa, April (Michael) Buterbaugh of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and Beau (Kaylee) Menke of Meriden, Iowa; twelve great-grandchildren, Jade, Jordyn, Jared, Jill, Megan, Kate, Kiern, Alex, Manni, Asher, Dane, and Clay; five great-great grandchildren, Charlie, Colton, Brandy, Brayan, and Phoebe; sister, Dorothy Schmith of Paullina, Iowa. 

            Nephews, David Schmidt and Roger Smith, Meriden, Iowa, along with Shirley Fessler, Calumet, Iowa were especially helpful in caring for LaVera during the final years of her life.