Edward R. Stevens

MASON CITY, IOWA Edward R. Stevens, 98, of Mason City, died Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, March 12, 2011, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with Rev. Sid Bohls officiating. Interment will be held in Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Edward was born October 30, 1912, in Hanford, Iowa, the son of Roy and Elsie (Johnson) Stevens. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1929. On August 27, 1938, he was united in marriage to Gertrude Ficken, and to this union came three children. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pleasant Ridge Club, Board of Directors for Portland Cooperative, and served on the school board for a number of years. Edward was a lifelong farmer, raising cattle and hogs in the area. He was honored for master swine producer at a banquet at Iowa State University in Ames in 1951. He enjoyed fishing and hunting trips to Northern Minnesota and Canada, and traveling with his wife.

Edward is survived by his children, Phillip (Ann) Stevens of Gilbert, AZ, Kay (David) Johnson of Mason City, Kenneth (Cathy) Stevens of Mason City; grandchildren, Cynthia (Michael) Iannacone of Gilbert, AZ, Kathleen Stevens of Lake Forest, CA, Jeffrey (Dawn) Johnson of Ida Grove, IA, Lara (T.J.) Diekema of Mason City, Rebecca Stevens of Nora Springs, Dawn Stevens of Nora Springs, Barbara (Jason) Grunklee of Brooklyn, IA; nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 72 years, Gertrude, on February 21, 2011; sister, Eloise.

Memorials:
Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Cemetery:
Interment will be held in Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery.

Visitation:
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Service:
Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, March 12, 2011, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with Rev. Sid Bohls officiating.