James Diers

NEW VIENNA, IOWA James Diers, Sr., 85, of New Vienna, Iowa died Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at the Edgewood Convalescent Home, Edgewood, Iowa. Friends may call from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 31, 2013, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1, 2013, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colesburg, IA with burial in St. Patrick's Cemetery. Rev. Stephen Lundgren will officiate. James was born February 19, 1928, in rural Colesburg, Iowa, the son of Isadore and Alma (Ferring) Diers. He married Verna VonHondorf on October 4, 1950, in Colesburg, Iowa. Together they farmed near Colesburg on the home farm. Jim also worked at John Deere Dubuque Works and completely retired in 1985. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Verna; 3 children: James (Janet) Diers, Jr., Robert (Debra) Diers and Kay (Jim) Diers-Jones, all of Colesburg; 7 grandchildren: Jessica (Mitch) Kirby, Jason Diers, Jared (Amanda) Diers, Heidi Diers, Amanda Diers, Jake Jones, Ike Jones; 6 great grandchildren; 1 sister, Jeanette (Conrad) Tegeler of Manchester; and brothers-and-sisters-in-law: Jerry Ellerbach of Holy Cross, Eunice Diers, Donald (Jean) VonHondorf, Lester (Nancy) VonHondorf, Ken (LouAnn) Brown, all of Colesburg, and Roger (Marilyn) Schrunk of California. He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters: Alice (Edward) Rausch, Joan Ellerbach, and Anna Mae (Edmund) Steffen, and a brother, Paul Diers. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.