MASON CITY - Rod Siemers peacefully returned to his heavenly Father Sunday, August 19, 2012. He passed at home, surrounded by his wife, daughters, sons-in law and grandchildren.
Born on May 28, 1946 in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Rodney Lester Siemers was the son of Lester and Ione (St. Louis) Siemers. Rod attended school in Marshfield and graduated from Marshfield Columbus High School in 1965. He was employed by Weyerhaeuser Company in Marshfield as a printer until 1971, and was then promoted to print shop supervisor until 1993. Rod was united in marriage to Denise Radlinger on August 31, 1968 at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Marshfield. To this union, three beautiful daughters were born: Victoria, Jennifer, and Amy.
Rod continued his career at Heinzen Printing before moving with Denise to Monroe, Wisconsin in 1995, where he was employed by New Life Press. In 2004, the couple moved to Greeley, Colorado where Rod was a quality control inspector of medical x-ray film at Kodak in Windsor, Colorado. Rod and Denise then moved to Mason City, Iowa in 2006 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Rod enjoyed meeting many new friends as an employee-shuttle bus driver for Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, and later as a pharmacy technician at the same hospital until his retirement in October 2011.
Rod enjoyed life to the fullest. While in Marshfield he spent many summer evenings and weekends pitching softball for his Weyerhaeuser team, with his young and growing family cheering him on from the stands. Rod was an avid lifelong golfer who rarely missed the annual golf outings in Northern Wisconsin with his Marshfield buddies. Rod relished the opportunity to teach this sport to his eldest grandson, Isiah. He was a devoted fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers, and the Green Bay Packers. All of Rod's interests included friends and family, whether it was playing cards, bowling, fishing, traveling, dancing, or cookouts. Family was most important to Rod, and his pride and support for each of the grandchildren's talents and interests led to many cherished trips back home to Wisconsin for visits with them. He treasured spending time with his daughters, their husbands, his grandchildren, and his dog, Curly, but most importantly with Denise, his beloved wife of 44 years. It was Rod's heart's desire to be a grandfather, as his had passed when he was very young. His five granddaughters and three grandsons bear witness to him being the "best grandpa ever."
While living in Monroe and Mason City, Rod and Denise were fortunate to own homes which were located on parade routes, providing special occasions to play host to family and friends. The Cheese Days parades in Monroe and the Band Festival parades in Mason City would spur Rod to spend hours decorating the homes in theme appropriate attire and with Denise, planning festive meals. His love of the Christmas season was expressed by the care he took in lighting the landscape and homes' exteriors, decking the halls with collections of snowmen and Santas, and finding the perfect Christmas gift for each family member. Rod was a gentleman and a gentle man. He was known for his ready smile, kindness and genuine interest in the well-being of all he met. He lived his life focused on the needs of others and was a generous, giving man of his time, talents and love.
Rod was a devout Catholic and a Third Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus, a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Marshfield, Wisconsin for most of his life.
Rod will be dearly missed by his wife Denise; daughters, Victoria (John) Schmitt, Lancaster, WI, Jennifer (Jerrod) Getter, Viroqua, WI and Amy (Britt) Gempeler, Monroe, WI; grandchildren, Margaret "Maggie" Schmitt, Jenevieve Getter, Juliette Getter, Jessie Getter, Jansen Getter, Isiah Siemers, Jack Gempeler, and Danielle Gempeler; brother Terrence "Terry" (Colleen) Siemers, San Antonio, TX; nephews, Shawn (Paige) Siemers, Katy, TX and Ryan Siemers, Alexandria, Virginia, and niece, Erin (Doug) Brooks, Fairport, NY. Rod's Minnesota cousins hold close in their hearts relationships with Rod and Denise and lifelong memories of time spent together.
He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and parents-in-law. Memorials can be designated for Hospice of North Iowa, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, Radio Station KCMR 97.9 FM, Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, and CaringBridge.org.
A funeral Mass for Rod will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 25, 2012 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 112 East 11th Street, Marshfield, Wisconsin with the Reverend Kenneth Gehling and Reverend James Logan, concelebrating. Burial will follow in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
A visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, 1000 4th Street SW, Mason City with a scriptural wake service beginning at 6 p.m. Visitation will continue on Friday, August 24, 2012 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Rembs Funeral Home, 300 South Oak Avenue Marshfield, Wisconsin with a Knights of Columbus rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral mass on Saturday.
Condolences may be sent to the family at CaringBridge.org at the site titled rodsiemers or ColonialChapels.com.
Additional condolences may be sent to www.rembsfh.com.
Born on May 28, 1946 in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Rodney Lester Siemers was the son of Lester and Ione (St. Louis) Siemers. Rod attended school in Marshfield and graduated from Marshfield Columbus High School in 1965. He was employed by Weyerhaeuser Company in Marshfield as a printer until 1971, and was then promoted to print shop supervisor until 1993. Rod was united in marriage to Denise Radlinger on August 31, 1968 at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Marshfield. To this union, three beautiful daughters were born: Victoria, Jennifer, and Amy.
Rod continued his career at Heinzen Printing before moving with Denise to Monroe, Wisconsin in 1995, where he was employed by New Life Press. In 2004, the couple moved to Greeley, Colorado where Rod was a quality control inspector of medical x-ray film at Kodak in Windsor, Colorado. Rod and Denise then moved to Mason City, Iowa in 2006 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Rod enjoyed meeting many new friends as an employee-shuttle bus driver for Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, and later as a pharmacy technician at the same hospital until his retirement in October 2011.
Rod enjoyed life to the fullest. While in Marshfield he spent many summer evenings and weekends pitching softball for his Weyerhaeuser team, with his young and growing family cheering him on from the stands. Rod was an avid lifelong golfer who rarely missed the annual golf outings in Northern Wisconsin with his Marshfield buddies. Rod relished the opportunity to teach this sport to his eldest grandson, Isiah. He was a devoted fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers, and the Green Bay Packers. All of Rod's interests included friends and family, whether it was playing cards, bowling, fishing, traveling, dancing, or cookouts. Family was most important to Rod, and his pride and support for each of the grandchildren's talents and interests led to many cherished trips back home to Wisconsin for visits with them. He treasured spending time with his daughters, their husbands, his grandchildren, and his dog, Curly, but most importantly with Denise, his beloved wife of 44 years. It was Rod's heart's desire to be a grandfather, as his had passed when he was very young. His five granddaughters and three grandsons bear witness to him being the "best grandpa ever."
While living in Monroe and Mason City, Rod and Denise were fortunate to own homes which were located on parade routes, providing special occasions to play host to family and friends. The Cheese Days parades in Monroe and the Band Festival parades in Mason City would spur Rod to spend hours decorating the homes in theme appropriate attire and with Denise, planning festive meals. His love of the Christmas season was expressed by the care he took in lighting the landscape and homes' exteriors, decking the halls with collections of snowmen and Santas, and finding the perfect Christmas gift for each family member. Rod was a gentleman and a gentle man. He was known for his ready smile, kindness and genuine interest in the well-being of all he met. He lived his life focused on the needs of others and was a generous, giving man of his time, talents and love.
Rod was a devout Catholic and a Third Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus, a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Marshfield, Wisconsin for most of his life.
Rod will be dearly missed by his wife Denise; daughters, Victoria (John) Schmitt, Lancaster, WI, Jennifer (Jerrod) Getter, Viroqua, WI and Amy (Britt) Gempeler, Monroe, WI; grandchildren, Margaret "Maggie" Schmitt, Jenevieve Getter, Juliette Getter, Jessie Getter, Jansen Getter, Isiah Siemers, Jack Gempeler, and Danielle Gempeler; brother Terrence "Terry" (Colleen) Siemers, San Antonio, TX; nephews, Shawn (Paige) Siemers, Katy, TX and Ryan Siemers, Alexandria, Virginia, and niece, Erin (Doug) Brooks, Fairport, NY. Rod's Minnesota cousins hold close in their hearts relationships with Rod and Denise and lifelong memories of time spent together.
He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and parents-in-law. Memorials can be designated for Hospice of North Iowa, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, Radio Station KCMR 97.9 FM, Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, and CaringBridge.org.
A funeral Mass for Rod will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 25, 2012 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 112 East 11th Street, Marshfield, Wisconsin with the Reverend Kenneth Gehling and Reverend James Logan, concelebrating. Burial will follow in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Marshfield, Wisconsin.
A visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, 1000 4th Street SW, Mason City with a scriptural wake service beginning at 6 p.m. Visitation will continue on Friday, August 24, 2012 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Rembs Funeral Home, 300 South Oak Avenue Marshfield, Wisconsin with a Knights of Columbus rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral mass on Saturday.
Condolences may be sent to the family at CaringBridge.org at the site titled rodsiemers or ColonialChapels.com.
Additional condolences may be sent to www.rembsfh.com.