Charles Weesner

Charles Weesner of Des Moines, formerly of Earlham, died peacefully after a battle with pancreatic cancer at Kavanagh Hospice House on November 2, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, November 7 at the Saints Center for Culture and the Arts in Stuart with burial to follow in the Dexter Cemetery, Dexter. A visitation will be held 2 to 8 p.m., Thursday, November 6 at the Stuart Friends Church in Stuart, where family will be present to receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to Cottage Food Pantry in Stuart or to the West Central Valley FFA Alumni and online condolences may be left for family at ochiltree.com Chuck was born on February 10, 1952 in Dexter, Iowa to Max and Carol (James) Weesner and grew up on the family farm north of Dexter. The oldest of three siblings, he watched out for his brother and sister while attending high school and graduating from Dexfield. After high school he stayed on the family farm, in partnership with his father and grandfather raising Angus cattle. He was married on July 18, 1969 to Beverly Countryman and to this union were born three handsome sons, Bryon Marvin, John David and Jeffery Wayne. He served as a 4-H leader and on the Dexfield School board and worked part time for Minnesota Valley Breeders Association. When the family farm dissolved he pursued a career in insurance sales for a number of companies including Farm Bureau and Met Life, always looking for that one big sale, but making a living on people he refused to swindle because they were his friends and neighbors. He married Donna Craven on January 28, 1988 in Sewal, Iowa and welcomed her children Christine and Shelley into the family and settled on the old Hadley farm in the Bear Creek neighborhood. On Thanksgiving Day November 26, 2009 surrounded by his family, he married Michaeline Beggs and along with her children Michael and Catherine, moved to Des Moines to start the final chapter of his life. He spent countless hours watching the kids and helping with 4-H and State Fair projects. He was recorded a full Pastor in the Friends church in 2014 during the early stages of his illness which fulfilled the long road he had taken to find a job he truly loved. He was serving as the Pastor for the Stuart Friends Church at the time of his death, and loved his job and the congregation and was excited for the future there after his recording. He enjoyed following the Iowa State Cyclones and Green Bay Packers (fulfilling a lifelong dream of attending a game at Lambeau field in 2000). He was passionate about his draft horses, fishing, gardening, and baking pies. He loved his grandchildren dearly and spent hours at “the farm” where he found the most peace. He was recognized by the Governor of Iowa in 1985 for Volunteerism and received the Honorary Iowa FFA Degree in 1989. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Michaeline Weesner of Des Moines; sons, Bryon Weesner of Dexter, John Weesner of Grimes and Jeff Weesner (Gwen) of Earlham. Step children, Michael and Catherine Beggs of Des Moines; Chris Watkins (Jenifer Davies) of Denver, Colorado and Shelley (Cesar) Ramirez of Des Moines. His mother, Carol Piatt of Dexter; Brother, David (Cheryl) Weesner of Altoona; Sister Cathy (Don) Van Hove of Keister, MN, and former wives, Bev Weesner and Donna Craven both of Des Moines; ten grandchildren; two step grandchildren; a host of nephews, aunts, cousins and friends from every part of the state. He was preceded in Death by his father, Max and by his Uncles Robert Weesner, Jack Weesner, LaVerne James, Dean James and his Aunt Doris Miller.