Graveside Memorial services for Elmer G. Hemsath, 79, of Omaha, NE will be 2:30pm July 7, 2007 at Dillavou Cemetery, Greene County, Iowa. Prior to the graveside service there will be visitation with the family at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson beginning at 1:00pm.

Preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dolores Woods Hemsath; his daughter, Rebecca Anne; parents Henry William Hemsath and Mary Marie Eldridge Hemsath; siblings Frances, Floyde, Doris, Lloyd, Russell, Clyde, Clifford, Verna, Joanne, and Gladys.

Survived by daughter and son-in-law Debra and Geoffrey Paterson of Omaha; sons and daughters-in law David and Michelle Hemsath of Round Rock, TX; Greg and Bonnie Long-Hemsath of Newbury Park, CA; son Mark Hemsath of Flagstaff AZ; sister and brother-in-law Wanda and Delbert Timson of Waterloo IA; grandchildren Alex David Hemsath of Houston, TX; James Michael Paterson and Elizabeth Anne Paterson of Omaha; Aunt Jessie Buchmann of Jefferson IA; and many, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Elmer George Hemsath was born Dec. 16, 1927 in Waterloo, Iowa. He was a Trojan Hall of Fame Football player (Tackle) for 1944 at Waterloo East High School. He played college football when he got out of the Navy at Iowa Teacher’s College and the University of Iowa.

He was a veteran of WWII, having served in the U.S. Navy from August 1945 until August 1946, and was an eyewitness to the first post-war A Bomb tests (Operation Crossroads) at Bikini Atoll, serving on the support ship USS Oneota (AN-85).

While attending the University of Iowa, he met his wife, Dolores Ruth Woods. After their marriage on March 4, 1949, they were forever “Elm” and “Dee” to all family and friends – a marriage lasting 53 years 9 months and blessed with 5 children. His wife, Dee, died January 8, 2003.

Elmer had a career with Northwestern Bell/AT&T for 35 years, from lineman, to yellow page sales, to PBX installer, to Com Rep, ending his career as an Account Executive responsible for IBP and ConAgra.

He loved his family, gardening, hunting, fishing, skeet and trap shooting, and photography. Elmer’s greatest joy was living to see all his grandchildren grow to adulthood. He died June 25, 2007 in Omaha NE.

There will be visitation/remembrance with the family at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home, 119 W. Lincolnway St, Jefferson, IA beginning at 1:00pm Saturday July 7, 2007. All will then proceed to the Graveside Memorial services which will begin at 2:30pm at Dillavou Cemetery, Greene County, Iowa.