Norman D. Sturtz

Norman D. Sturtz, 97, of Osceola, died Thursday, June 24, 2021, at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola. A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home Winterset Chapel. Family will greet friends an hour before service time. Norman has been cremated and will be placed in the columbarium at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery at Van Meter, Iowa. Memorial contributions may be directed to his family for a future designation. Norman was born on January 4, 1924, in Boone, Iowa to Harry and Jessie (Richards) Sturtz. After graduating from high school, Norman joined the US Army and served during WW II in the European Theater of Operations. Upon returning to Boone, he married Nyla Ruth Erickson also of Boone in 1947 and lived in the Boone area. He worked and managed grain elevators in Vincent and Luther, Iowa. Norman loved dancing. He also had a passion for caring for and riding horses his entire life and made lifelong friends on trail rides and horse shows. Traveling and camping was also something Norman always enjoyed. In the mid-sixties, they with their two sons moved to Truro, Iowa and he began working for AGRI Industries as a grain merchandizer as well as working on his farm. Norman recently commented that this time was the best in his life. Norman married Phyllis Simmons in 1986. He enjoyed his retirement farming near Winterset and going south in the winters, eventually spending them at his home in Apache Junction, Arizona. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time playing cards, dancing and traveling with Gerri Young of West Des Moines, Iowa. Norman is survived by his sons, Doug (Delnita) Sturtz of Urbandale and Kevin (Barbara) Sturtz of Osceola; sister, Virginia Rhinehart of Nevada; sister in-law, Eleanor Sturtz; dear friend and companion, Gerri Young of West Des Moines; grandchildren, Marty, Justin, Whitney, Traci, Lane, and Jodi; and twelve great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Nyla Sturtz and second wife, Phyllis Sturtz; brother, Harold Sturtz and brother, Maurice and sister in-law, Nadine Sturtz; sister, Arlene and brother in-law Maury (Scotty) Scott; and brother in-law Warren Rhinehart.