Harold Diemer

Harold W. Diemer, 88, of Sumner and formerly of Hawkeye, died Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 13, 2018, at St. Peter Lutheran Church- Richfield with Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating. 

Interment followed at Richfield Cemetery with military rites provided by Arnold-Rogers American Legion Post #312 of Hawkeye. 

Becker-Milnes Funeral Home, Sumner, was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to St. Peter Lutheran Church-Richfield, Richfield Cemetery, or given to the family for later designation. 

Online condolences may be left at www.beckermilnesrettig.com. 

Harold Walter Diemer, son of Rev. Herman and Marie (Arndt) Diemer, was born on Dec. 17, 1929, in Belle Fouche, S.D. 

Harold graduated from Alpha High School in 1948 and served in the U.S. Army from January 1952 to December 1953, where he was stationed in Germany and served as a field artillery gunner. 

He worked at Rath Packing Co. in Waterloo and the Alpha Mill, before starting farming full time. 

On April 15, 1955, he was united in marriage with Barbara Mikes, at St. John Lutheran Church, Boyd of rural New Hampton. 

The couple farmed in the Richfield area for many years. 

Harold was a longtime member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church-Richfield, Hawkeye American Legion Post 312, and served on the Board of Directors of the Hawkeye Co-op. 

In retirement, he spent many hours crafting wooden toys and furniture. 

Harold is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara, of Sumner; four children, Kim (Kathie) and Mark (Janell) of Hawkeye, and Ann (Jeff) Reynolds and Carol (Scott) Westpfahl of Sumner; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Katie Diemer, Kyle Diemer (Lexi Fitzpatrick) and their children, Alika and Zola Diemer, Shelly Kruse and her children, Reece, and Rylee Kruse, Shane and Marcus Baumler, Nicole (Adam) Thimmesch and their children, Kenley, Riggs, and Roland, Megan Reynolds, Andrew, Abby and Zoe Westpfahl, Steffannie Collazo and her children Maya and Dayonna Collazo, and Bryan and Timothy Jarchow, Jordan (Matt) Sherman and their son, Parker, and Keith J. Westpfahl; two brothers, Gerhard (Joan) Diemer of Chicago and Kenneth Diemer of Sumner; and a brother-in-law, Doug Daechsel of Minneapolis.

In addition to his parents, Harold is preceded in death by his granddaughter, Deidre Westpfahl; brothers and sisters-in-law, Max (Dorothy), Marvin (Lois), Paul (Ruth) and Joyce Diemer; and sisters and brother-in-law, Doris Daechsel and Ruth (Ralph) Gaede.     11u11