John Fredrick Mehlert, 86

John Fredrick Mehlert, 86, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, died Sunday, February 12, 2023, at his home surrounded by his family.

John was born December 7, 1936, in Keystone, Iowa, son of Henry and Frieda Mehlert. John graduated from Geneseo High School. He honorably served in the United States Marine Corp. John married the love of life, Garnet Mae Jensen, on September 26, 1959, in Waterloo, IA.

John worked at John Deere and Iowa Public Service Company as a welder until he joined his Dad to work on the family farm until he retired at age 80.

John was a member of the Ascalon Lodge 393, El Kahir Shrine, Tama County Shrine Club, Tama County Farm Bureau, Tama County Cattleman, Dysart Lions Club, Zion Lutheran Church, Dysart American Legion and the Tama County Pork Producers. He also was integral in helping to start the Geneseo Generators 4H Club.

John enjoyed farming, loved his family and grandchildren and loved and served the Lord. John was an avid Hawkeye and Cubs fan and enjoyed watching the games. There wasn’t a person that John met that he didn’t strike up a conversation with.

John is survived by his wife of 63 years, Garnet; his three children: Michelle (Russel) Hunt, of Aurora, IL, Laura (Matthew) Kenney, of Golden, CO and Darrin (Pamela), of Chicago, IL; 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and one on the way; his sister, Marilyn (David) Soden from Crystal Lake, IL and many nieces and nephews: and special friends Woody and Mindy Houser and family and Debbie and Randy Hatanpa and family.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard and Donald; sister, Phyllis Wyatt; 2 nephews, Andy Soden and Jimmy Mehlert; and sisters-in-law, Marilyn Mehlert and Jan Mehlert.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, February 19, 2023, from 3-6 with a Masonic Service at 3:00 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Dysart, IA.

The Funeral will be held Monday, February 20, 2023, at 10:00am at Zion Lutheran Church in Dysart.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Polycystic Kidney Disease at pkdcure.org, Bright Focus for macular degeneration Research at brightfocus.org, Cedar Valley Hospice at cvhospice.org and Zion Lutheran Church in Dysart.