Obituaries

Henry Busch
D: 2024-03-16
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Busch, Henry
Madonna Pick
B: 1930-10-12
D: 2024-03-13
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Pick, Madonna
Lori Merrill
B: 1961-02-09
D: 2024-03-12
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Merrill, Lori
Vernon Means
B: 1927-11-13
D: 2024-03-09
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Means, Vernon
Frank Vanden Bosch
B: 1933-06-12
D: 2024-03-09
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Vanden Bosch, Frank
Dean Harvey
B: 1935-07-21
D: 2024-02-18
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Harvey, Dean
Clara Hunter
B: 1947-06-11
D: 2024-02-14
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Hunter, Clara
Della Delperdang
B: 1922-02-11
D: 2024-02-06
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Delperdang, Della
Kathy Hansson
B: 1948-09-20
D: 2024-02-01
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Hansson, Kathy
Lorraine Foley
B: 1932-04-25
D: 2024-01-29
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Foley, Lorraine
Ellen Kerr
B: 1951-02-01
D: 2024-01-29
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Kerr, Ellen
Mary Fulton
B: 1939-01-06
D: 2024-01-27
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Fulton, Mary
Dean Dunn
B: 1930-05-08
D: 2024-01-26
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Dunn, Dean
Marilyn Wingert
B: 1937-01-06
D: 2024-01-22
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Wingert, Marilyn
James Foley
B: 1964-10-02
D: 2024-01-14
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Foley, James
Cynthia Plendl
B: 1941-06-22
D: 2024-01-09
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Plendl, Cynthia
Debra Daniels
B: 1954-11-08
D: 2024-01-06
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Daniels, Debra
Kevin Olson
B: 1959-07-30
D: 2024-01-05
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Olson, Kevin
Dean Rodenburgh
B: 1967-10-03
D: 2024-01-04
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Rodenburgh, Dean
Dennis Heimgartner
B: 1950-02-28
D: 2023-12-26
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Heimgartner, Dennis
Bernice Dixson
B: 1928-10-09
D: 2023-12-25
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Dixson, Bernice

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780 12th St. SW
P.O. Box 822
Le Mars, IA 51031
Phone: 712-546-4903
Fax: 712-546-4710

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Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Homes

780 12th St. SW, P.O. Box 822 Le Mars, IA 51031

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The pinnacle of memorialization, any family member or friends can take advantage of this free services by creating an account and a book to memorialize their loved one.

Immediate Need

If you have immediate need of our services, we're available for you 24 hours a day.

Obituaries & Tributes

It is not always possible to pay respects in person, so we hope that this small token will help.

Pre-Arrangement

Dying is one of the few events in life that's certain to occur, yet one we rarely plan for. Should we spend more time preparing for a two week vacation than we do our last days on Earth?

Expressions of Sympathy

It can be difficult to find the right words, so we have hand-picked a collection of sympathy and remembrance gifts that will be cherished.

Order Flowers

Offer a gift of comfort and beauty to a family suffering from loss.

Daily Grief Support by Email

Grieving doesn't always end with the funeral: subscribe to our free daily grief support email program, designed to help you a little bit every day, by filling out the form below.

Weekly Email Tips to Support a Grieving Friend

It's hard to know what to say when someone experiences loss. Our free weekly newsletter provides insights, quotes and messages on how to help during the first year.

Eulogies

Writing and delivering a eulogy is a noble gesture that is worthy of thought and effort. It is an opportunity to make a contribution to a memorial service, a contribution that your friends and family will remember for a long time.

Writing a eulogy, a tribute, a letter, or keeping a journal represents another equally valuable opportunity for you. The ability to use the writing process as a therapeutic tool to help you deal with your grief. The power of writing is undeniable and there is no better time than now for you to discover and take advantage of this.

What a eulogy should accomplish

There are two common misconceptions about the purposes of a eulogy. Some people think: 1) it should be an objective summation of the deceased's life; or 2) it should speak for everyone who is present at the memorial service. Both of these assumptions are unrealistic.

A eulogy is much more simple. It should convey the feelings and experiences of the person giving the eulogy. The most touching and meaningful eulogies are written from a subjective point of view and from the heart. So don't feel compelled to write your loved one's life story. Instead, tell your story.

Clearly, the burden of the eulogy does not have to be yours completely. If you have the time, ask friends or relatives for their recollections and stories. In a eulogy, it is perfectly acceptable to say, for example, "I was talking to Uncle Lenny about Ron; he reminded me of the time Ron came to our Thanksgiving dinner with half of his face clean-shaven and the other half bearded. It was Ron's funny way of showing that he had mixed feelings about shaving off his beard."

Honesty is very important. In most cases, there will be a lot of positive qualities to talk about. Once in a while, however, there is someone with more negative traits than positive qualities. If that is the case, remember, you don't have to say everything. Just be honest about the positive qualities and everyone will appreciate the eulogy.

Remember, you do not have to write a perfect eulogy. Whatever you write and deliver will be appreciated by the people at the funeral. If you are inclined to be a perfectionist, lower your expectations and just do what you can given the short time frame for preparation and your emotional state.

Tips for delivering a eulogy

If you decide to write a eulogy and deliver it, realize that it may be the most difficult speech you will ever make; and it may be the most rewarding. It is important to realize that people are not going to judge you. They will be very supportive. No matter what happens, it will be okay. If you break down in the middle of your speech, everyone will understand. Take a moment to compose yourself, and then continue. There is no reason to be embarrassed. Remember, giving a eulogy is a noble gesture that people will appreciate and admire.

If you can, make the eulogy easy to read. On a computer, print out the eulogy in a large type size. If you are using a typewriter, put extra carriage returns between the lines. If you are writing it by hand, print the final version in large letters and give the words room to breath by writing on every second or third line.

Before the service, consider getting a small cup of water. Keep it with you during the service. When you go to the podium to deliver the eulogy, take the water with you in case you need it. Sipping water before you start and during the speech if needed, will help relax you. If you are nervous before delivering the eulogy, breathe deeply and tell yourself that everything will be fine. It will be. Look around at your relatives and friends and realize that they are with you 100 percent. Realize that it is acceptable to read the eulogy without making eye contact with the audience, if that would be easier for you. Take your time. Do the best you can. No one expects you to have the delivery of a great orator or the stage presence of an actor. Just be you.

Proudly Serving the Communities of Le Mars, Kingsley, Marcus, Merrill, Hinton, Struble, Craig, Brunsville, Akron, Oyens, Seney, Remsen, Meriden, Cleghorn, Cherokee, Pierson, Correctionville, Grand Meadow, Washta, and Moville
712-546-4903 Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Homes | 780 12th St. SW | Le Mars, IA 51031 | Fax: 712-546-4710 | Email: mauerjohnson@frontier.com 712-378-3031 Johnson - Earnest Funeral Home | 313 Barre St. | Kingsley, IA 51028 | Fax: 712-378-3206 | Email: mauerjohnson@frontier.com 712-376-2727 Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home | 206 East Pine | Marcus, IA 51035 | Fax: 712-376-2620 | Email: mauerjohnson@frontier.com 712-546-4903 Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Homes | 780 12th St. SW | Le Mars, IA 51031 | Fax: 712-546-4710 | Email: mauerjohnson@frontier.com 712-546-4903 Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Homes | Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Homes | 780 12th St. SW | Le Mars, IA 51031 | Fax: 712-546-4710 | Email: mauerjohnson@frontier.com
712-546-4903
Mauer - Johnson Funeral Home
780 12th St. SW
Le Mars, IA 51031
712-376-2727
Earnest - Johnson Funeral Home
206 East Pine
Marcus, IA 51035
712-378-3031
Johnson - Earnest Funeral Home
313 Barre St.
Kingsley, IA 51028