Donald Raymond Flammang

Donald Raymond Flammang died peacefully on September 10, 2014, at his daughters home in West Des Moines. He was born on July 15, 1926, in Hastings, NE, to John Joseph Flammang and Anna A. Consbruck. He married the love of his life, Lennette Vivian Avery on Feb. 4, 1950 at St. Josephs Catholic Church, Waterloo. Don grew up on a farmstead near Hastings, NE, during the Great Depression and historic Dust Bowl days, where he worked alongside his parents and siblings growing and storing up acres of food for the winters, raising livestock and preserving the meat and learning the trade of carpentry from his father. He attended a one-room school house along the Oregon Trail, where he completed his 8th grade education as a straight A student, graduating in 1938. In 1944 he entered the Army. He served for two years and then later was called back, into the Navy, for the Korean War. In 1946, shortly after returning from WWII, he met his beautiful wife, Lennette Vivian Avery, in Washburn, Iowa. They were married for 64 years, had nine very good looking and highly intelligent children. He attended The University of Life, where he achieved his Doctorate of Life Experience with a second major in Family & Children, and several minors in Contractor & Home Building, Architecture, Piloting and Baking Cinnamon Rolls. At the age of 68, in 1979, Don decided to acquire his High School degree (in his mind, he was only getting younger). In 1983 they sold their home in Waterloo, moved to Tucson, AZ, for five years before buying a trailer and heading to Connecticut to work with his sons. In 1993, they bought a large motorhome and took off for the Wild Blue Yonder. For eleven years they traveled coast to coast, visiting children and grandchildren, spending summers in the North and winters in the South, until finally in 2004, the kids demanded that they settle down and land for a while! For sixty plus years Don was a Contractor/Builder and architect of many homes, and also schools, post offices, gas stations and kids. Don was a member of, AMVETS, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Homebuilders Association of Iowa, and more. Throughout his life he enjoyed golfing, traveling, gardening, entertaining, driving and baking rhubarb crème pies and cinnamon rolls. But most especially, he loved spending time with family and friends, serving and loving them with wonderful, tasty food, all the while entertaining them with his amazing and witty stories of his unusually adventurous and grace filled life. Don, is survived by his spouse, Lennette Vivian Flammang, of Black Canyon City, AZ; his children; Elizabeth (Steve)Hanisch, Waterloo; Mary Bowe, West Des Moines; Paul (Megan) Flammang, Old Saybrook, CT; Diane (Dave)Johnson, Black Canyon City, AZ; Lisa (Gary) Petersen, Robbins; Colleen (Rob) Carey, West Des Moines; David (Christina) Flammang, Greene; John (Cathy) Flammang, New River, AZ; his brother, Bernard (Barbara Anne)Flammang, Orange County, CA; his grandchildren, Fran Hanisch, Ana Hanisch, Ben Hanisch, Allison Hiltner, Kieran Bowe, Angela Bowe, Brooke Lockyer, Chris Flammang, Sean Flammang, Rosie Flammang, Joseph Flammang, Jenn Supple Bartles, Joshua Kurtenbach, Russell Kurtenbach, Mackenzie Kilcawley, Lizzie Carey, John Carey, David Carey, Gabe Carey, Daniel Flammang, Grace Flammang, Emily Flammang, MaryAnn Flammang; and his nine great grandchildren. Don was preceded in death by his parents, John and Anne Flammang, his brothers; Tony (Barb) Flammang, Fritz (Shirley) Flammang, his sister: Rose (Jim) Gruver; his son: Mark Flammang; and his son in law: Bob Kurtenbach A funeral Mass and Open House Reception will be held at St. Edwards Church, 1423 Kimball Ave., Waterloo, IA, Thursday, September 25, 2014; 3:00pm Rosary, 3:30pm Funeral Mass, 5:00pm Open House Gathering in church basement. Please join the family downstairs afterward to celebrate the life of Donald Flammang. The family will look forward to greeting friends and relatives as we all share our stories of the joy and fun that Donald Raymond Aloysius Flammang brought to our lives! Come one, come all, well have a ball! Don wouldnt have it any other way. Memorial Services will be held in Black Canyon City, AZ at a later date to be determined. Flowers may be sent to: 3007 Rainbow Dr., Cedar Falls, IA 50613 In lieu of flowers the family request memorial donations be made to: St Phillips Benizi Catholic Church, 34621 S Old Black Canyon Hwy, Black Canyon City, Arizona 85324