LESTER KORTUM DAMMANN
Funeral services for Lester Kortum Dammann were held Wednesday, July 9, 1986, at 11:00 am. at Ohde Funeral Home in Manning. Pastor Sushil Joseph of the United Methodist Church, Manning officiated the service with Janet Myer as organist and Judy Joens, vocalist. Interment was in Manning City Cemetery with Gerald Schroeder, Bob Tank, Kenny Jensen, Glenn Rowedder, Keith Kelderman, Roy Struve, Robert Hagedorn and Bob Hoffmann serving as casketbearers.
Lester, son of Henry and Emma Kortum Dammann, was born April 19, 1913, at Manning, Iowa. He attended Manning schools.
On September 23, 1933, Lester was united in marriage with Ruby Cavanaugh. They made their home on an acreage in Aspinwall for 13 years while Lester worked for Jake Bruck at the Manning Creamery Company Farms. In 1946 Lester became herdsman of the ManCryCo dairy herd. It was at that time that they moved from Aspinwall to the ManCryCo Farm on the west edge of Manning city limits. In 1963 Lester and Ruby purchased the dairy farm and herd from Leo Bruck and continued to build the well known herd. In 1974 the dairy herd was sold but Lester continued to live on the farm and still engaged in a crop, pig, and stock cow operation, and sometimes maintained a small milking herd.
Lester attended many cattle shows in the state and the nation, and received the Distinguished Dairy Award. He was instrumental in maintaining the high standards of the ManCryCo Holstein dairy cow herd.
Lester died at the Manning General Hospital, Manning, Iowa, early Monday morning, July 7, 1986, at the age of 73 years, 2 months, and 18 days. He had been in failing health for about one year.
He was preceded in death by his parents; by two sons, Michael, in infancy and Kenneth, in 1973; by two sisters, Rose Schroeder and Hazel Duede; by one granddaughter; and by one great-grandson.
Lester is survived by his wife, Ruby, of Manning; by two sons, LeRoy Dammann and his wife, Freda, of Manning, and Richard Dammann and his wife, Elaine, of Manning; by three daughters: Sandra and her husband, Keith Hass, of Manning; Geri and her husband, Kenneth Spies of Manning; and Nancy and her husband, DeWayne McCord, of Carroll; by 16 grandchildren; by three great-grandchildren; by two sisters, Vena Pearson, of Oskaloosa, and Goldie Maney, of Roseburg, Oregon; and by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.