Obituaries

Leonard Sporrer, age 93, of Dedham, Iowa, died unexpectedly on Monday, November 17, 2008, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., Friday, November 21, 2008, at St. Joseph Church in Dedham. The Celebrant will be Father Anthony Pick assisted by Deacon Louis Meiners. The casket will be taken to the church at 8:30 A.M. Friday to lie in state until the time of the funeral mass. Lectors will be Trish Wieland-Lingenfelter, Bev Ramsey, Joel Flug, and Jennifer Handlos. Gift Bearers will be Marvin Sporrer, LaVonne Thobe, Jan Wieland, Joan Irlmeier, and Cletus Sporrer. Mass Servers will be Jesse Sporrer, Chris Sporrer, and Mike Behrens. Eucharistic Ministers will be Arlene Wanninger, Bernice Thobe, Audrey Behrens, and Melvin Sporrer. The Templeton Knights of Columbus will form an honor guard at the church for the funeral mass. Casket Bearers will be Doug Wanninger, Chad Sporrer, Kevin Sporrer, Terry Thobe, Mike Thobe, Brian Wieland, Dan Behrens, Jason Sporrer, Paul Irlmeier, Phil Irlmeier, and Brad Sporrer. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Dedham. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. Thursday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Thursday by the Templeton Knights of Columbus. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Thursday by St. Joseph Parish. In lieu of flowers memorials may be left at the funeral home or church for the Dedham First Responders. Mr. Sporrer was born on September 10, 1915, at Dedham, Iowa, the son of Joseph and Rose (Sextro) Sporrer. He spent his lifetime in the Dedham community and attended St. Joseph School. On October 27, 1936, he was married to Sabina Heithoff at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton. The couple farmed west of Dedham and in 1945 moved to Dedham where they owned the meat market until 1954 when they moved back to their farm. They retired in 1971 and moved to their home in Dedham. In addition to farming Mr. Sporrer operated a bulldozing business for many years. He was a member of St. Joseph Parish, Knights of Columbus, Dedham Booster Club, and the Carroll County Fair Board. Mr. Sporrer was elected to the Carroll County Board of Supervisors in 1974 and served until 1992. He was a former member of the Dedham School Board, Dedham City Council, Carroll County Soil Conservation Board, and the Des Moines Watershed Committee. He enjoyed his family, horses, hunting, and practicing soil conservation. Survivors include his children, Arlene Wanninger of Coon Rapids, Marvin Sporrer and his wife Susie of Dedham, LaVonne Thobe of Carroll, Bernice Thobe and her husband Marvin of Audubon, Jan Wieland of Templeton, Audrey Behrens and her husband Bob of Manning, Melvin Sporrer and his wife Kathy of Portsmouth, Joan Irlmeier of Coon Rapids, and Cletus Sporrer and his wife Bev of Templeton; daughters-in-law, Wanda Sporrer of Carroll and Betty Klocke and her husband Tom of Coon Rapids; 51 grandchildren; 70 great grandchildren; 7 great great grandchildren; brothers, Joseph Sporrer and his wife Mary Kay of Dedham and Harold Sporrer and his wife Rita of Manning; sisters, Sally Heithoff of Coon Rapids, Mary Trecker of Carroll, and Arlene Kasperbauer of Dedham; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Harold Heithoff of Templeton, Helene Heithoff of Manning, Helen Heithoff of Audubon, Elaine Sporrer of Templeton, and Lawrence and Marjorie Schultes of Carroll. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Sabina Sporrer, in February 2007; a daughter, Joyce Irlmeier; a son, Jerry Sporrer; two sons in infancy; sons-in-law, Don Wanninger, John Thobe, and Gary Irlmeier; a granddaughter, Mary Ann Wanninger; brothers, John and Clarence Sporrer; and sisters, Alma Forke and Rosie Hacker.