Jody Erb

Jody "Joe" Erb age 66 of Fredericksburg, IA died Saturday, May 2, 2020, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, IA. Memorial services will be held 5:00 p.m. Saturday, August 1, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton with public visitation beginning at 4:00 p.m. A reception will follow the service at the funeral home. Private family interment will take place at a later date. Joe was born on Feb. 24, 1954, at the Postville Hospital to Ronald Erb and Nyla DeSotel, and he spent the first 10 years of his life growing up in Luana and attending schools there. He was baptized at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Monona on March 21, 1954. The family moved to Waukon, where Joe was confirmed on April 16, 1967, at the United Methodist Church. Joe graduated with the Waukon Senior Class on May 23, 1972. Joe loved the outdoors and, in some ways, was a farmer at heart. While his parents and siblings would go on vacations to Wyoming and elsewhere, Joe always went to stay with his cousins, Harold and Duane, who lived on a farm near Luana because driving tractor was a lot more fun to a teenager than traveling. After graduating from high school, Joe began his long career as a truck driver, mostly working shorter routes but also spending a little time doing over-the-road trucking. In 1981, he was dropping off a load at a ConAgra plant, where he met Deb Christensen, who worked in the plant’s receiving department. It took a while, but they finally went on their first date — a semi-truck trip to Marshfield, Wisconsin, with a stop at a truck stop in Tomah for a bite to eat. It must have gone well, for Joe and Deb were together for the next 38 years. The couple loved to hunt and fish, and Joe would readily admit that Deb was a “better shot so I have to watch myself.” He also “chaperoned” Deb and her sisters, Denise and Diana, on their shopping trips. They talked, he listened, and he drove. But the three girls will tell you that Joe “learned a lot from us.” Joe, Deb, and Matt, his step-son, also took a dozen or so fishing trips to Canada, and they did their share of camping and Dutch Oven cooking. And he loved the couple’s annual Fourth of July party that included trapshooting, yard games, campfires and, of course, fireworks at their place. He liked watching TV, although he couldn’t always tell you what was on, he played cards occasionally and he was definitely a people watcher. When he’d come home from Wal-Mart, he shared some great stories. Joe loved his dogs, especially Mazzy, who was half Lab, half Britany, and all sweetheart. He and Deb were members of the Volga River Riders, and he was most at home in the country where he could enjoy the peace and quiet. Joe was a one-of-a-kind guy, and Deb, his step-son and his family — including Deb’s sisters — will miss him, but they are also grateful for the many memories he has left them and the fact that he is reunited with his dogs, especially Mazzy. Joe is survived by his father, Ronald Erb of Prairieville, Louisiana; his companion for almost four decades, Deb Christensen of Fredericksburg; his step-son, Matt (Angie) Christensen of Ryan; his grandchildren, Brooke and Cole of Ryan; his siblings, Jim (Candy) Erb of Keystone; Julie Baxter of Stoughton, Wisconsin; Joy (Cary) Moser of Westby, Wisconsin; Jordin (Christy) Erb of Titus, Alabama; and Jay Erb of Waukon; brother-in-law, Dave (Lori) Wickman of Clear Lake, sisters-in-law, Diana Speltz of New Hampton and Denise (Gary Moeller) Straw, of New Hampton; numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nyla DeSotel; his grandparents, Arlene and Elmer Erb and Emil and Irene DeSotel; and his three dogs, Gypsy, Brandy, and Mazzy.