Norman Speltz
November 11, 1924 ~ October 30, 2018
Norman "Red" Speltz age 93 of Lawler, IA, died Tuesday, October 30, 2018, at his home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, with Rev. Aaron Junge and Deacon Jim Zajicek presiding. Bob Huinker will be the organist and Cantor along with Sam Reicks and Deb Speltz, soloists. Mass servers are Josie Speltz, Brady Speltz, and Traejin Kell. Lector for the service is Joe Scally.
Interment will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery, Lawler with Red's granddaughters serving as pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers are Jack McKone, Don Blazek Sr., Pat Sheridan, John McEnnany, Ron Dunn and Gary Holst.
Friends may greet the family 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 2, 2018, at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Saturday. Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home in Lawler is entrusted with arrangements.
Norman "Red" Speltz was born November 11, 1924, in Rudolph, WI, the son of Ben and Marie (Mersch) Speltz. Norman's parents moved back to Iowa in 1930 and share cropped on a farm five miles south of New Hampton. In 1942 the family moved to a 360 acre farm located five miles south of Lawler. On September 15, 1945, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, he married Marie Woods of Lawler. To this union 11 children were born.
Red started working at the Lawler Hardware Store soon after their marriage. Later his brother Gordon and himself purchased the Hardware Store where they were prominent Lawler businessmen until they retired in 1990.
Red was very involved with the town of Lawler all his life. Town council, parish council, volunteer fire chief, Knights of Columbus, boy scout leader, hot dog nights and fireworks at Junko Park, and "flooding" the Lawler Park in the wintertime for ice skaters. It seemed like his home phone was always ringing with someone in a crisis, and no matter what he was doing, he stopped and came to their aid. Yes, quite often it was a plumbing problem and sometimes Marie wished she could throw the phone out.
He worked hard and played hard, bowling, Lawler softball, hunting, fishing, boating, camping, cheering for the Cubs and Hawkeyes, water skiing, dancing with his beautiful wife, especially at the Inwood in Spillville and while celebrating many wedding anniversaries at Chips in Lawler. But always he came home, kissed his children, and put them to bed with a prayer on the way down the stairs reminding them that God is what is always the most important thing in our lives.
Survivors include his four sons, Steve Speltz, Joe (Mary) Speltz, Jim Speltz, and Tim (Deb) Speltz, all of Lawler; seven daughters, Connie (Paul) Deeny of Charles City, Cathy (John) Lechtenberg of Bettendorf, Norm (Dave) Creighton of Des Moines, Jenny (Bob) Mikota of Sigourney, Mary (Bryan) Mikota of De Pere, WI, Theresa (Brian) Jirak of Piedmont, OK, and Rose (James) Armstrong of Goodyear, AZ; 29 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great -grandchildren; two sisters, Nora (Ray) Vobor of Cresco, Mary (Dennis) Buckendahl of New Hampton; two brothers, Gordon (Vonnie) Speltz of New Hampton, Cyril (Joan) Speltz of Minnesota; two sisters-in-law, Kay Speltz of Cedar Rapids, Corrine Speltz of Palos Verdes, CA.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marie in 2012; three brothers, Ben, Arny, and Len Speltz; sister, Lorraine Ball.
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Speltz Family, You are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. I have many fond memories of “Red” at the country club in Fredericksburg. Dena Palmer
So sorry for your loss. Am so happy that I got to see and talk to him when I was home last December. Such a great guy!
Sue (Goss) Muth and family
Our deepest sympathy on the loss of your father, Red ! Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time ! 🙏
Sympathies and prayers to the Speltz Family! Red and Marie will always be remembered neighbors from Lawler growing up. Red enjoying his fishing time and the caring between Maries & Red stand out in my memories. 🙏❤❤
We extend our sympathy to all the Speltz kids. You had a great set of parents. Red and Marie can now dance forever at the Inwood.
Dearest Speltzes… You are all in our thoughts and prayers. We are blessed to have known Red, and we will forever carry our memories, stories, and laughs we shared with Red at center stage. Ruth and Jack are in Alabama and sadly cannot make it back to honor Red and see all of you. Sending our love.. Jackie
Our sympathy and prayers go out to all the Speltz Family. Red will be remembered by us and so many for his calm demeanor and love of friendship. He has definitely earned those wings. Such a wonderful family man, with raising a great Speltz team! Mother Marie will be waiting to greet him like she was so many days at the front door for one or another of you all! What a blessing he was to so many. May Red rest in peace. Take care Speltz Family – Love, Laura (Nulty) Hutchens and family
Our sincere Sympathy to the Speltz family.
Sorry to all the family for your loss. Butch & Louise Cutsforth
Deepest sympathy to the Speltz family.
Red and Marie were my parent’s next door neighbors for thirty some years. And they became best friends. Love to the Speltz family.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you on the passing or your Dad.He was a very special man who always had a smile for you no matter what.Marie and Red ,two of the finest people i ever knew who raised the greatest family you could ever know.
My sincerest condolences to the family of Red. Wish I could be there. I will always remember the great times I had catfishing on the Upper Iowa River and walleye fishing on the Mississippi with my dad and Red. Memories I have cherished and will cherish forever. Along with his favorite saying. “Doesn’t that Floyd Goss ever stay home?” Rest in peace Red.
One of my first memories of Red was my first Speltz family Christmas at his house when I joined the family. There were about 100 people there in that small house but he took it all in stride and still made time to get to know me. What a great man and a great family and I feel lucky to have known him. They don’t make them like that anymore!
I knew this great man my entire life, long before he became my grandpa. He was the kindest most decent and honest man I could ever know. I remember him giving me peanuts out of the nickel machine at the hardware store when mom stopped to pay an LP bill. Later in life a chubby little 12 year old kid walked into the hardware store looking for a new bat to play ball with. I pointed to the wooden bat in the corner of the store collecting dust and I asked to see it. Grandpa told me “there are quite a few hits in this bat” as he laughed in an encouraging way. The price of the bat was more than I had to spend. I saw the tag was 8 bucks but I wasnt supposed to see as Red was hiding the price from me…I had half…Red was looking at my wallet knowing I was short, Grandpa said “I can let it go for three dollars if ya have it, but ya gotta promise to do your best every time you swing it.” I was shocked at the price, and assured him I would do my best, and the purchase was made. Looking back, he got more joy out of that transaction than I ever could have imagined. 🙂 Grandma and Grandpa Speltz always made me feel welcome as their grandkids, and great grandkids. I appreciate that and I admire that. Grandpa loved the Cubs, our conversations would frequently turn to if the Cubs had a chance, or were they awful…cherish 2016 brother! I know you enjoyed that season! I always viewed Red Speltz as the Andy Griffith of Lawler…he knew what was going on, how to fix it, help you laugh it off take action. Grandpa Red I know you lived a great blessed life and you and Grandma are together again and dancing as you did in the past. You have positively influenced many people and raised great children, you should be proud of the legacy you left behind. Your work is done. Thank you for being a great man to so many people. May Jesus welcome you into his loving arms and give you peace and rest. J. Paul
My Deepest Sympathy to the entire Speltz family for the Loss of Your Loved One. Prayers and Thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
OUR PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE SPELTZ FAMILY AT THE LOSS OF YOUR LOVED ONE RED. HE WAS A VERY KIND PERSON AND ALWAYS HAD TIME TO VISIT. AS A KID WE WOULD GO TO THE HARWARE STORE IN LAWLER AND RED WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO VISIT WITH MY DAD (BOB MAYO) KEEP THE FINE TIMES CLOSE TO YOUR HEART
MARGE AND DAVE MAYO
1080 KELLY DR.
NASHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 27856
All our thoughts and prayers to Norman’s family. May his memories console you in the days ahead. David and Jeanne Roder
Our sympathy to the Speltz Family. Red was a great guy who I always enjoyed visiting with. Always a funny story or two to share. The family and the community will miss having Red around, but the memories of him will go on forever>
Sorry to all the family for your loss. Butch and Louise Cutsforth
My sincerest sympathy to you all on the passing of your dad. I remember stopping into the hardware store when I would be visiting my grandma during the summers. Red always had a smile on his face! You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Dee Dee Loewen Zahn
My deepest sympathy to the Speltz Families… especially Norma, my dear classmate. He shall be missed by the whole community.. May He Rest In Peace…
Duane Hackman
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of your families. Red was a great man loved by many! Dean and Judy Speicher
Lawler was a better place because of Red. Sympathy to his family. Bob Kuennen
Red Speltz was one of a kind and Lawler will never be the same without him. His quiet strength
and total commitment to the welfare of Lawler will be his lasting legacy. May God, The Infinite Light,
grant Red His Eternal Reward for a job well done.
Patrick L Murray
Chicago, Il
thanks for your kind words, Duane!
thanks for saying that Jake. So glad you got to know him🤗
Thanks JP. Ha, OJ said he got the car after he fou.d
thanks JP. OJ said he got the car after dad found out that you heard him say that Hahaha!
Thanks McKones. Dad loved all your family!
so many kind words! Thank you Jim!
thanks Jim. He sure thought a lot of you!
Thank you!
thank you for the kind words and candle,Dena
thanks for the kind words and candle, Dena! He loved tg at F’burg until his eyes hot so bad!
You have our deepest sympathy.
My sincere condolences to Tim, Debbie, Jenny, Jim, and all your families. It is hard losing a loved one. May the blessings be.
Love,
Jan (Wurzer) McCune
Sorry to say I never met him. But I do know his daughter who lives in my community in Ok. He raised her to be a faithful Catholic, and an outstanding friend who is well known for her generosity to all, especially the elderly. I’m sure he left that legacy to all his children. So sorry for all your loss.