Roger Kolb Fuhrman

Born on March 13, 1934 at the family farm home in Liberty Township, Cherokee County, Iowa to Clarence and Alice Kolb Fuhrman. Roger was the eldest of three siblings and a lifelong resident of Cherokee County.

Roger grew up, no stranger to hard work, bruises and scrapes in the fields and barns of his family's and neighbor's homesteads in the Cleghorn, Iowa area.

He would attend and graduate Cleghorn Community School as a member of the class of 1952.

Following graduation, Roger was called to service in the United States Army. He attended basic training in a sweltering Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Following basic he was assigned to overseas duty in South Korea. Completing two years of service, Roger returned to Cherokee County Iowa to begin farming alongside his dad.

On June 15, 1957 Roger wed Sarah Mae Roepke at Meadow Star Church in Grand Meadow Township Cherokee County. Roger and Sarah resided on a fertile 160 acre farmstead just 3 miles south his boyhood home.  Tested by so many adversaries beyond their control. The long, cold of winters punctuated by monumental blizzards, above all, January 1975; summers when the rain was withheld; and times when the market value of the fruits of their labor fell below the cost of production.

Throughout his career Roger pursued improvements to the family farming operation. Improvements to land that had once yielded 60 bushels were now yielding 200 bushels per acre. Roger marketed cattle and hogs that were particularly favored by the packer buyers. He, together with Sarah, was a former director of the Cherokee County Pork Producers representing Sheridan Township. On this farm too, Roger and Sarah bore and raised up three sons, Alan, Jay and Jon.

Roger was active throughout his life as a member of First Presbyterian Church in Cleghorn. Roger leant his voice to the church choir and men's quartet at community events. Along with Sarah, he was a charter member of the Mariners Club of the Church which was established in 1958. He supported his sons' and grandchildren's athletic and scholastic achievements. Thousands of miles were travelled atop his Honda Goldwing as Roger and Sarah toured the country. In recent years Roger faithfully followed Iowa State football and basketball, Twins baseball, and Vikings football.

Roger's career of livestock and grain farming would exact a toll on his health though. A lifetime of grain and livestock dust would rob his lungs of their function and physical labor would lead to painful spinal stenosis. Roger could no longer participate in activities surrounding planting and harvest.

On October 9, 2017 at Careage Hills Healthcare in Cherokee, Iowa; Roger finally relinquished his hand from the plow and has now left it to another generation to cultivate the prairie soil.

A chain, unbroken since the 1870's.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Alice (Kolb) Fuhrman and his wife Sarah (Roepke) Fuhrman.

Roger is survived by: Two Sisters: Wanda (Fuhrman) Clark and husband James of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lorna Fuhrman also of Cedar Rapids.

Three Sons: Alan and wife Pamela Fuhrman of Shawnee, Kansas; Jay Fuhrman of Ocala, Florida and Jon and wife Valery Fuhrman of Cleghorn.

Two grandchildren: Carson and Carlynn Fuhrman of Cleghorn.

One Niece: Andrea (Clark) Ewers and husband Josh and grand-nephew James of Cedar Rapids.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 13 ^th , at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Cleghorn, Iowa. Rev. Eric Wright will officiate. Burial with military honors will be prior to the funeral on Friday morning at 9 a.m. at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the church on Friday. Visitation will be on Thursday from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com