Obituary of Henry Westhoff

NEW VIENNA, IOWA

Henry Joseph Westhoff, 80, of New Vienna died peacefully Saturday, August 27, 2022, at home.

Visitation will be held from 2 - 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where the New Vienna/Luxemburg Fire and EMS will attend as a group at 6:30 pm.  Visitation will continue Thursday from 9 – 10 am at the funeral home prior to funeral services.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Henry was born June 12, 1942, in Petersburg, IA, the son of Hubert and Marie (Scherbring) Westhoff.  He graduated from St. Boniface grade and high school in New Vienna.   He married Mary Jean Tegeler on June 2, 1962, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville.  They lived in Dyersville for two years and moved to New Vienna which became their home.  He was a member of the St. Boniface Parish and its Holy Name Society.

Henry was a farm equipment mechanic and owner of Hub’s Repair Shop, Inc.  He also worked for Scherrman Implement and as a parts man for Roeder Implement.

The Fire Service was a special place for Henry.  He served the New Vienna/Luxemburg Fire Department for 55 years – twenty of those as Chief.  Henry served four years as President of the Iowa Fire Chiefs Association, was a member of the Dubuque County Firefighters Association, the Iowa Firefighters Association, and the Iowa Fire Chiefs Association.  He was awarded the prestigious firefighter axe.  He received the ROGER MOODY AWARD from the Iowa Fire Chiefs Association in 2013, and the Dubuque County HALL OF FLAME award in 2014.  Although retired, he never stopped serving.

In his spare time, he enjoyed family, gardening, growing flowers, fishing and creating many memories.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Mary Jean, and seven children: Kurt (Amy) of West Des Moines, Brian (Judy Rosenow) of Dubuque, Doug (Gayle Kramer) of Dyersville, Chris (Sheri) and Sally (Jeff) Vetter, both of Altoona, Karen (Blake) Liles of Abilene, TX, and Andy (Alisa Gavin) of Dubuque; 15 grandchildren and 1 great grandson; siblings: Gerald (Mary Kay) Westhoff and Marilee (Chuck) Koelker, both of New Vienna, and a sister-in-law, Bev Tegeler of Bellevue.

He was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law, Dolores and Gregor Tegeler (Hubert Geistkemper, Ed Deutmeyer), daughter-in-law, Lynn Westhoff; in-laws: Herbert (Doris) Tegeler, Gib (Sedelle), Elmer (Edna), Donald (Patricia), Ray (Irene), Tony (Dorothy) Tegeler, Helen (Bill) Kramer, Norma (Herb Platz, Lawrence Deppe), Leona (August) Gudenkauf, Marcie (Fritz) Bries, Lu (Irv) Overmann, and Bernice (Earl) Holub.