Greg Remke

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 7:28 pm

Greg Remke, 97, of Ossian, died peacefully on Monday morning, May 13, 2024, at the Ossian Senior Hospice in Ossian.
Mass of Christian Burial is at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024,, at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Ossian, Iowa with Rev. Henry Huber officiating. Visitation is from 9:30 to 11 a.m.. Saturday at the church. Final resting place is St. Francis de Sales Catholic Cemetery, Ossian. Graveside military Honors by the Ossian American Legion Brockman Hammersland Post #503 and the US Army Honor Guard.
Memorial Fund is to Ossian Senior Hospice or the Ossian Ambulance Service. Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein, is assisting the family.
Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com
Gregory Henry Remke was born on Jan. 28, 1927, in Ossian, Iowa, the son of Albert Joseph & Anna
Catherine (Uhlenhake) Remke. Greg received his sacraments and education at St. Francis de Sales School
graduating from high school in the class of 1944. Following graduation, Greg was drafted into the United
States Army, was honorably discharged, and was a 77-year member of the Brockman Hammersland American
Legion Post #503. Greg was also a lifelong member of the Ossian Knights of Columbus Council #2073.
After his discharge from the army, Greg began a lifelong career working as a carpet and floor
installation technician at the Schmitz Furniture and Floor Covering Store in Ossian. He worked for Philip and
Florence Schmitz and later for Ken and Jane Schmitz as they continued the family business that ran for over 60
years. Greg retired in 1989. The Schmitz family became Greg’s extended family, and he cherished their love
and friendship until the day of his passing.
Greg’s passion was fishing, especially his Sunday ritual of heading to Harper’s Ferry with family and
friends. The day would begin with the “Fisherman’s Mass” at 5:30 A.M. as the late Msgr. V.J. Peters took a
liking to a long day on the river too. Every Fall, Greg and his fishing buddies would trek to Canada for a week
of rest and relaxation and the hope of catching a trophy fish. Greg was also a member of South Winn. Golf and
Country Club. Thursday nights were a welcomed chance to enjoy a couple of rounds of golf, supper, and
fellowship with his many friends.
Left to cherish his memory are nieces: Margaret (Jim) Elsbernd of Ossian, Ann (Philip) Brunkhorst of
Masonville and Jane (Carl) Thoresen of Cedar Rapids; great nieces and great nephews: Lara Moellers, Richard
(Kay) Elsbernd, Michael (Nichole Colsch) Elsbernd, Angela Adams, Katie (Mark) Weigel, Alicia (Tyler)
Metcalf, Stefanie (Kevin) Anderson and Jazimen Hewitt; great great nieces and great great nephews: Julissa,
Anthony, Ethan and Abigail Elsbernd, Connor Adams, Brennan, Adelynn, Mason and McKinley Weigel,
Baylee and Blayne Hewitt and Maggie Jo Anderson; Also, Greg’s extended families: The Bud and Judy Vagts
families and the Philip and Florence Schmitz families.
Greg was preceded in death by his parents: Albert in 1967 and Anna in 1982, sister: Marietta Remke
Moellers in 2009, brother-in-law: Leonard Moellers in 2000, nephew: Leonard J. Moellers, Jr. in 2016 and great
niece: Jennifer Ann Brunkhorst in 1998.
Greg’s family wish to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone who enriched Uncle
Greg’s life with your love and friendship. God bless all of you who in some way gave Uncle Greg a quality of
life when the struggles of aging and health made life challenging for him. Please remember he appreciated
every act of kindness you extended to him.
We invite all of you to please join us for fellowship following the service on Saturday. We would be
honored to share a good meal at Two Trees Pizza and good memories in Uncle Greg’s nam