John F. Schnurr

John F. Schnurr, 88, of Mason City, died Monday, December 24, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. A funeral mass will be held 10:30 AM Friday, December 28, 2012 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Thursday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. A scriptural wake service will be held at 6:00 PM preceded by a rosary service at 5:40 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the North Iowa Humane Society, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, or Holy Family Catholic Church. John was born February 6, 1924 in New Hampton, Iowa the son of Art and Lillian (Roarty) Schnurr. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Hampton and graduated from New Hampton High School in 1942. Football and basketball were his favorite team sports. He was a member of the First Team All Conference North East Iowa Football League during his junior and senior years of high school. He continued his education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska on a football scholarship where he was a member of the final Creighton Bluejay’s football team. John also played basketball for Creighton. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and attended Officer’s Training School at St. Ambrose College in Davenport and DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He served on the USS Rawlins in the South Pacific during WW II, and was honorably discharged in 1946. John married Wilma Klassen May 2, 1949 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer. John and Wilma resided in Spencer, Oelwein, and Mason City where John served as a senior partner with Arnold Motor Supply. He was also a member of the Arnold Motor Supply and Merrill Company Advisory Board. He was known for his wit and “one-liners” that put a smile on everyone’s face. John was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan and attended many post season bowl games. He was also a Golden Hawk member of the University of Iowa I-Club for many years. After retiring in 1993, he and his wife Wilma traveled extensively throughout the world and enjoyed many adventures. They spent most winters in Fountain Hills, Arizona. His special interests included fishing, walking along the Wapsie River while duck hunting with his greyhounds Tanna and Blue Belle, golfing, boating, snowmobiling and traveling. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, American Legion, and the Mason City Country Club. John is survived by his wife Wilma of 63 years; daughter, Christina “Tina” Schnurr (Robert Lemon) of Mason City; sisters-in-law, Helen Schnurr of Lawler, Marg (Jim) Ashley of Bassett, Mary Ashley of Charles City, and Bonita (Larry) Boggess of Charles City; brother-in-law, William (Faye) Klassen of Ionia; nieces and nephews, Pam (Harvey) Schmitt of Raleigh, North Carolina, Paula Schnurr of Cedar Rapids, and Larry (Mary) Schnurr of Mason City; aunt, Marjorie Ferry of Lafayette, Louisiana; many special cousins. John was preceded in death by his mother, Lillian who passed away when John was one week old; father, Art; sister, Virginia Clem in infancy; brother, Walter; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, close friends, and his beloved poodle, Jocko.

North Iowa Humane Society, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, or Holy Family Catholic Church