Zeno Lefty N. Loehr
November 29, 1910 — March 29, 2008
Zeno "Lefty" Loehr was born on November 29, 1910, to Jacob and Josephine (Petsche) Loehr in Westphalia, Iowa. The Loehr family moved to Defiance in 1919 where Lefty attended the Defiance Public School. He played baseball for high school and the town team, earning his nickname. Lefty graduated from Defiance with the Class of 1929 and went on to enroll at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Although he had never played football before, he made the college team his freshman year but was only able to play for one year due to the Great Depression. During the Depression, Lefty attended a C.C.C. Camp for thirty-one months, sending most of his wages home to help with family expenses.
Lefty was united in marriage to Eleanor Sontag on October 26, 1953, at St. Peter�s Catholic Church in Defiance. He worked as a carpenter and as a tax consultant since the very first year taxes were paid. He was also the Officer in Charge of the Kimballton Post Office before he retired.
During his lifetime, Lefty was a volunteer fireman for the Defiance Fire Department, he served for six years on the City Council, and had managed a baseball team for five years and a basketball team for six years. He coached the St. Paul High School boys� basketball team and served as secretary for ten years for the Defiance Independent School District.
Lefty loved to travel and went on many trips all over the United States with the Commanders Club. He also loved spending time with his fishing buddies on their many fishing trips.
Lefty became a resident of Little Flower Haven in Earling, Iowa, before being admitted to the Hospice Program at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa. It was there that he died on March 29, 2008, having attained the age of ninety-seven years, four months, and two days. He was preceded in death by his wife Eleanor, his parents and his brothers and sisters: Fred, Edwin, Eleanor, Dorothy, Lorraine, and Louise.
Lefty is survived by his sister Helen Eggers of Omaha, Nebraska, nieces and nephews, other family members, and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, with Rev. Tom Coenen celebrating the 10:00 AM service at St. Peter�s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were John Goeser and Urban Schneider. Serving as casket bearers were Ron Jorgensen, Jerald "Bud" Bieker, Jason Christensen, Bill Dotzler, John Wells, and Jerry Heller. Interment was at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Defiance.
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Lefty was united in marriage to Eleanor Sontag on October 26, 1953, at St. Peter�s Catholic Church in Defiance. He worked as a carpenter and as a tax consultant since the very first year taxes were paid. He was also the Officer in Charge of the Kimballton Post Office before he retired.
During his lifetime, Lefty was a volunteer fireman for the Defiance Fire Department, he served for six years on the City Council, and had managed a baseball team for five years and a basketball team for six years. He coached the St. Paul High School boys� basketball team and served as secretary for ten years for the Defiance Independent School District.
Lefty loved to travel and went on many trips all over the United States with the Commanders Club. He also loved spending time with his fishing buddies on their many fishing trips.
Lefty became a resident of Little Flower Haven in Earling, Iowa, before being admitted to the Hospice Program at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa. It was there that he died on March 29, 2008, having attained the age of ninety-seven years, four months, and two days. He was preceded in death by his wife Eleanor, his parents and his brothers and sisters: Fred, Edwin, Eleanor, Dorothy, Lorraine, and Louise.
Lefty is survived by his sister Helen Eggers of Omaha, Nebraska, nieces and nephews, other family members, and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, with Rev. Tom Coenen celebrating the 10:00 AM service at St. Peter�s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were John Goeser and Urban Schneider. Serving as casket bearers were Ron Jorgensen, Jerald "Bud" Bieker, Jason Christensen, Bill Dotzler, John Wells, and Jerry Heller. Interment was at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Defiance.
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