John E. Sereg, 78, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines surrounded by his family.

Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday November 19, 2008 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Indianola, Iowa.

John was born February 8, 1930 at home in rural Eddyville, Iowa to Peter and Anna Sereg. He graduated from Eddyville Community High School in 1949.  John served in the US Army during the Korean War from 1951-1953.

John married Donna Lee Sterling on February 1, 1951 at Jackson, South Carolina.  Together they raised nine children.

John owned and operated Merrill Axle & Wheel Service in Des Moines since 1970, a company he had worked for since 1954.  John retired in 1993 from Merrill Axle & Wheel Service to fulfill his life-long dream of farming full time.

John was very active in his parish, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church of Indianola, helping with the Lenten fish fry dinners, renovating the church, maintaining the church grounds and helping with the church youth group activities. He was also very active in the Knights of Columbus Council 5032; serving as Grand Knight, District Deputy, and a Fourth Degree Honor Guard.  In 2003, John was selected as Knight of the Year.

John loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them, hunting, fishing or just being together.  Family gatherings were favorite times for him as he loved to joke and tease everyone.  John loved to tinker and spent many hours building a variety of things for his children and grandchildren.  His family enjoys recalling stories of the many projects, trips or gatherings.  He will be greatly missed by all.

John is survived by his wife, Donna; his children, Barbara (Daniel) Roby, Des Moines; John Michael (Karen), Indianola, Robert (Josephine) Des Moines, David (Pam), Woodburn; Charles (Brenda), Des Moines; Patricia (David) Alexander, Indianola; Ruth (Mark) Van Oort, Indianola; Carol (Terry) Jensen, Indianola; Jane (Kevin) Bachmann, Wake Forest, North Carolina; grandchildren: Stephen, Matthew, Douglas, Carrissa, Nicki-Lee, Jamie, Mary, Josephine Maria, Catherine, Elizabeth, Anthony, David John, Steven, Stephanie, Anna, Ashley, Marcus, Kaila, Samuel, Amber, Mark, and Kate, and seven great grandchildren; sisters Catherine Caudill & Dorothy Lewis of Albia, Iowa and brother Thomas Sereg, Hedrick, Iowa as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother and five brothers and sisters.

The family will greet friends from 4 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola with a Rosary Service at 6:30 p.m.  Memorial contributions can be made to the Knights of Columbus Council 5032.