Donald Diers, 85 of Arcadia, died early Tuesday morning, May 20, 2014 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll surrounded by his family.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2014 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. The Celebrant will be Fr. Gary Snyder. Music for the funeral mass will be by Darlene Leiting and the St. John’s Choir. Mass servers will be Tanner and Travis Freese. Lector for the funeral mass will be Robin Hromadka and Morgan Neary. Gift bearers will be Nikki Wagner, Heather Wolf, Heidi Elser, and Shanna Schroeder. Eucharistic Ministers will be Randy and Betty Schmitz. Casket bearers will be: Todd Schroeder, Nick Schroeder, Eric Fischer, Greg Fischer, Chad Wolf, Tyler Neary, Cole Neary, Matt Wagner, and Tom Hromadka. Burial will be at St. John’s Cemetery in Arcadia.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4 p.m. on Friday where there will be a rosary at 5 p.m. by the Carroll Knights of Columbus and a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Don’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family of Don Diers, and will be forwarded to various charities.
Born on March 30, 1929 at Arcadia, Iowa, Donald was the son of Art and Loretta (Niehaus) Diers. He spent his entire lifetime in the Arcadia community and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1946. On September 13, 1949, Don was united in marriage to Ruth Hannasch at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia with Fr. Mathias Stork officiating.
Don was employed at Schroeder Construction until 1950 when he then owned and operated Arcadia Oil Company, retiring in 1991. A lifetime member of St. John’s Church, Don was active in the parish as a Eucharistic Minister and also a member of St. John’s Choir for over 30 years.
In his spare time he enjoyed boating, fishing, golfing, was a 30-year member of the Arcadia Fire Department, and was also a member of the Carroll Knights of Columbus. Don’s greatest joy was his family, especially his wife, his daughters, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Ruth Diers of Arcadia; his daughters: Deb Schroeder and her husband Terry of Broomfield, CO, Nancy Wagner and her husband Mark of Castle Rock, CO, Carol Fischer and her husband Mike of Medford, OR, Lori Wolf and her husband Curt of Omaha, NE, and Mary Neary and her husband Don of Carroll, IA; 13 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; his sister, Inez Winker of Cedar Rapids; his brother, Lon (Rosie) Diers of Carroll; his sisters-in-law and brother-in-law: Eileen Schmitz of Arcadia, Donna (Ed) Murphy of Carroll, and Betty Schechinger of Carroll; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives.
Don was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law Albert and Margaret Hannasch; and his brothers-in-laws, Elmer Schmitz, Don Schechinger, and Daryl Winker.
