John "Johnny" Jungman, Jr.

John “Johnny” Jungman, Jr., 82, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, September 29, 2019, in Winterset. A visitation will be held for family and friends at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winterset, with a burial mass to follow at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport (P.O. Box 188, De Soto, IA 50069, www.aheinz57.com). Online condolences may be made to the family at www.caldwellparrish.com. Johnny was born September 3, 1937, to parents John Alfred and Margaret Veronica Gavin Jungman. He lived his entire life in Dallas and Madison County. While he had many accomplishments, one of his proudest moments was his 1955 championship in the Light Heavy Weight division of the Iowa Golden Gloves tournament. He was also an active member of the FFA. He graduated from Van Meter Community School in 1956. On New Year’s Eve in 1955, Johnny went on the first date with whom would become the love of his life, Faye Lynne Mapes. The rest was history. They were married on January 25, 1958, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Waukee, Iowa. Together, they had four wonderful children: John Jungman (Christy Bassett), Teresa Essex, Lisa Cretsinger, and Richard Jungman (Ana Oats). John was also a proud grandfather to eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Like his father, John was an active member of the community of Van Meter. He was a school bus driver, served on the school board, and was elected to the City Council. He was also a proud member and supporter of the town’s local volunteer fire department. John was a life-long farmer and a proud steward of the land. Over the years, he cultivated and farmed land across Dallas and Madison County. While John raised many different animals and grew an assortment of crops, his greatest agricultural passions were Iowa corn and stock cattle. He demonstrated this passion early in his career when in 1957 he was named the Grand Champion of the Dekalb National Corn Picking Contest in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He truly had a way with animals. Cows and cats alike, came when he called. A farmer ahead of his time, Johnny was an early adopter of no-till and other conservation practices, believing that the preservation of the land was more valuable than a few extra dollars. John worked hard and was honest to a fault. He loved God, his family, his land, and his animals. He was a good man who was fiercely proud of the life he and his family had built together. We love you and will think of you daily until we meet again in God’s kingdom.