Le Mars, Iowa – Earl R. Tammes, 87, of Le Mars, Iowa passed away on Monday, June 29, 2015 at Park Place Estates in Le Mars. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2015 at the United Methodist Church of Le Mars. Rev. John Battern will officiate. Burial will follow at Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Military Honors will be conducted by Wasmer Post #241 of the American Legion. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2015 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. The family will be present to greet friends from 5-7 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church on Friday.
Earl Raymond Tammes was born on October 27, 1927, in rural O’Brien County, Iowa to Herman and Effie (Erkes) Tammes. He attended school in Sheldon, Iowa, graduating in 1946. He furthered his education at Sheldon Junior College and earned his degree in 1948. Earl was drafted into the United States Army on September 16, 1950. He served overseas in Germany and earned his Honorable Discharge on September 16, 1952, having attained the rank of Sergeant First Class.
On July 19, 1952, Earl and Dorothy Mauer were united in marriage in Le Mars, Iowa. Following the service, Earl and Dorothy moved to Cincinnati, Ohio so Earl could attend the Cincinnati College of Embalming. He finished school in 1954 and the family returned to Le Mars. It was then that Earl began his lifelong career with the Mauer Funeral Home with his father-in-law, Lloyd Mauer and brother-in-law, Robert Mauer. Earl retired in 1989 after having served the Le Mars area for 35 years.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Le Mars where he served as a trustee. Earl was also a member of Masonic Floyd Lodge #537 in Orange City, Abu Bekr Shrine Temple and Scottish Rite in Sioux City. He was a charter member of Le Mars Sertoma and served on the Le Mars Zoning and Adjustment Board for 15 years. In 1973, Earl served as the President of the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce. Retirement summers were spent at Lake Winnibigoshish in Minnesota where fishing was the main pastime.
Earl will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 62 years, Dorothy of Le Mars, IA; a daughter, Ann Hammond and her husband, Elliott of Dakota Dunes, SD; two sons, Marc Tammes of Atlanta, GA and Eric Tammes of Chicago, IL; a sister, Evelyn Dekkenga of Sheldon, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters, Alida Kroese, Kate Drenth, Jacoba Wildeman and Henrietta Tammes; and two infant brothers, both named Herman.
Expressions of sympathy may be directed to Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary.
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