Freddie W. Degner, age 85, of Albert City, Iowa died Sunday, April 24, 2016 at the Pleasant View Nursing Home in Albert City.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Albert City. Burial will follow in the Varina Cemetery in Varina, Iowa. Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 27, 2016 from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Sliefert Funeral Home in Albert City. The Sliefert Funeral Home in Albert City is in charge of the arrangements.

Frederick William Degner, Jr. of the son of Frederick and Arvilla (Gloss) Degner, was born on a farm north of Newell, Iowa, on October 9, 1930. He spent his youth on a farm northwest of Varina and received his education at the Varina School through the 8th grade. Freddie was employed by neighboring farmers and also worked for Hy-Grade in Storm Lake.

On January 4, 1952, Freddie was inducted into the United States Army and honorably served his country until his discharge on December 5, 1953. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean Conflict.

On December 19, 1953, Freddie was united in marriage to Thelma Jane Erickson at St. John’s Lutheran Church and this marriage was blessed with 4 children. Their first year of married life was in a home near Albert City and they then moved to a farm one mile from the home place northwest of Varina, where they resided for the next 38 years. Freddie and Thelma moved into the town of Albert City in 1990, and they were blessed to share 59 years of marriage.

Freddie had a lifelong devotion and love for the farm. In the early years of farming, he milked cows and raised hogs. Throughout his farming career, he raised cattle and hogs, did custom corn shelling and baling, spraying and trucking. Freddie prided himself on having his rows straight and weed free and worked diligently to make sure that happened. He was a good steward of the land, and retired from farming in 2011. He will be remembered as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend. His family held a very special place in his heart and he was proud of each one of them.

Freddie was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. He loved family vacations and some of the places he enjoyed visiting were the Black Hills, the Iowa State Fair, and the Wisconsin Dells. On their 40th wedding anniversary, Freddie and Thelma’s four children gave them tickets to Germany and the couple also traveled to Hawaii in 1979.

Freddie’s life will always be loved, honored, and cherished by his family which include his children: Lucinda (Bill) O’Neall of Havelock, Iowa; Michael (Mel) Degner of Albert City, Iowa; Suzanne (Dan) Shold of Albert City, Iowa; grandchildren: Damon (Jamie) O’Neall of Algona, Iowa; Leigh (Jason) Schultz of Albert City, Iowa; Misti (Carlos) Garcia of Pocahontas, Iowa; Michael (Laura) Degner of Newell, Iowa; Kelli (Mike) Vick of Marathon, Iowa; Josh Shold of Superior, Iowa; Rachel (Dan) Bernhardt of Newell, Iowa; Shayla (Brian) Iehl of Newell, Iowa; and Shane Degner of Albert City, Iowa; great grandchildren: Jagger and Javelin O’Neall, Chelsey and Nathaniel Schultz, R.J., Atonio, and Gregorio Garcia, Jordan and Peyton Degner, Alycia and Tyler Vick, Tristan and Decklan Bernhardt, McKenna and Jase Iehl; brother, David Degner of Newell, Iowa; sister, Barbara Waggie of Storm Lake, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Arvilla; wife, Thelma; son, Ron; and family: Robert Degner, Sophie and Willis Erickson, Eleanor Martin, and Ruth and Leonard Paulson.

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