Obituary of Eugene Joseph Vorwald

Eugene J. "Gene" Vorwald, 79, of 880 Sunshine Street, Holy Cross, Iowa, passed away at home surrounded by his family at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. Friends may call from 2 - 8 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2012, at Kramer Funeral Home in Holy Cross where a vigil service will be held at 4 p.m. and a Sherrman-Peterson American Legion Post 656 service will be held at 6:30 p.m with the Auxiliary following. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, in Holy Cross, Iowa with burial in the church cemetery where military honors will be accorded. Rev. Raymond Burkle will officiate with Rev. Al Vorwald concelebrating. Gene was born on December 23, 1932, in Holy Cross, Iowa, the son of Norbert L. and Lavina (Lynch) Vorwald. He married Delores "Dorrie" Goerdt, daughter of Alfred and Edna (Benton) Goerdt, on January 11, 1953. Gene was assigned to the 82nd Air Borne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 1983 he started his own construction company of Gene Vorwald and Sons. He worked construction all his life. All through the countryside, Gene left behind evidence of his love for operating heavy equipment. Be it a pond, a waterway, a road or a bridge, he beamed with pride at his accomplishments. Many a Sunday afternoon he and Dorrie drove the countryside to be sure any dirt that he so precisely moved was still where he thought it should be. Story telling was a gift he happily shared with his family and friends. Survivors are his wife, Dorrie of 59 years, two daughters: Linda (Stanley) Steffen of Luxemburg, Debbie (David) Then of St. Catherine, IA; two sons: David (Mari) Vorwald of Dyersville, Donnie (Julie) Vorwald of Holy Cross; 15 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, one brother, Jerome (Kathy) Vorwald, one sister, Lu Cushing, brothers and sisters-in-law: Urban Herbers, Lois Goerdt, Dale Goerdt, Rosie (Gene) Breitbach, and Don Koster. He was preceded in death by his son, Mark in 1980, his parents, his sister, Eileen Herbers, his brother, Robert (Agnes) Vorwald and several brothers and sisters-in-law. Thanks to the doctors and staff of the Oncology Departments of UIHC & Finley Hospital. A special thank you to Hospice of Dubuque, especially Edna and Amy. Say a prayer for those who have done what we have left to do and pray for those whose lives will be forever changed because another angel was called to the home of our Father.