Vergel Heitmeier

Vergel L. Heitmeier, 75, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Friday, February 26, 2010, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 1, 2010 beginning after 12 noon, at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel in Mt. Pleasant, where the family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening. Services will be held at Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel on Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m. with the Reverend Jeff McPheron officiating. Internment will be at the Long Creek Cemetery with full military rites. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Midwest Old Threshers and the Henry County Conservation Board. The son of Clayton and Mabel (Whipple) Heitmeier, Vergel was born on January 19, 1935, near Danville, IA. He attended rural Danville schools. For most of his life he lived in the Henry County area. In 1961 he married Sandra Helmuth. They later divorced. Vergel served in the United States Army during the Korean War. For nearly forty years, Vergel worked for the railroad industry. He began working for the CB Q line which later became the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line where he worked as a blacksmith and later as a boilermaker. For many years he also farmed in rural Henry County. Vergel was a longtime volunteer of Midwest Old Threshers, and for Henry County Conservation Board. In 1969, he became a founding member of the Mt. Pleasant Eagles Club. He also enjoyed fishing. He is survived by two daughters, Rita (Ray) Millard of New London, IA, and Valinda (Frank) Delahunty of Marysville, WA; one son, Russell Heitmeier of Mt. Pleasant, IA; seven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother, Gary Heitmeier of Mt. Pleasant, IA; and a sister, Darlene Gerdom of Burlington, IA. Preceding him in death are his parents, and two brothers, Larry Heitmeier and Robert Heitmeier.