Milton Joseph Gonner

Milton (Milt) Joseph Gonner passed away Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Mill Valley Care Center in Bellevue, Iowa. A celebration of his life will be held at the Hachmann Funeral Home in Bellevue, Iowa on Thursday, March 31, from 3 to 7 pm. Visitation will also be held from 9:00 to 10:00 am prior to a funeral mass at 10:30 am on Friday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Springbrook, Iowa. Fr. Bob Cloos will be officiating. Milton was born on June 2, 1930 in Springbrook, Iowa to George and Alverda (Scheckel) Gonner, along with three brothers and three sisters. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Bellevue in 1948. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, stationed at the Eagles Nest in Austria. He returned home to the family farm in Springbrook and on May 8, 1954 he married Betty Anastasia Frank. Together they raised seven children - Joan (Rich) McKim of Monticello, Iowa, Doug (Linda) Gonner of Maquoketa, Iowa; Gary Gonner of Maquoketa, Iowa; Mary (Mike) Petrek of Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania; Lori (Todd) Byerly of Davenport, Iowa; Paula Villhauer of West Branch, Iowa; and James Gonner of Andrew, Iowa. As the years passed they were further blessed with 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. While farming he also worked as a mechanic for Zeimets Garage and for Victor Frett as a carpenter until he started his own carpentry business. He served as Springbrooks mayor and was a Springbrook Volunteer Firefighter for over 50 years. After his mothers death, Milton and Betty moved to Andrew where he started a new chapter of his life at the age of 60, working at Precision Metal Works in Maquoketa. Miltons spare time was spent playing baseball, hunting and fishing, golfing and putting puzzles together. Later in life his hobby was doing woodworking in his shop as evidenced by the many gifts made and the missing bit of his right thumb. When with family or friends a card game of Euchre or Ponder would quickly break out. Milton was also a life-long Chicago Cubs fan. A major highlight was his Military Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in Sept. 2013. His sense of humor was widely known and he maintained it up to the end. Milton is survived by his wife, children and a brother Merlin, a sister Glenna (Mark) Kueter, brothers-in-law James Cloos and Tom Crouch, and sisters-in-law Judy Kolker and Karen Gonner. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Lloyd and David, and sisters Kathleen Cloos and Norma Crouch. Miltons family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Mill Valley Care Center and the Hospice of Jackson County.