VERNON E. GRAUER, 95, of Cherokee and formerly of rural Marcus, Iowa, passed away peacefully, Thursday morning, July 13, 2017 in the Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 15th, at 2 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Marcus, Iowa. Pastor Kevin Roop will officiate. Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, rural Marcus, Iowa. Visitation will be on Saturday from 1 p.m. until service at the church with the family present at that time. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Vernon was born on February 28, 1922 at Marcus, Iowa to Carl & Martha (Nitzschke) Grauer. He was delivered in his parents home by Meta Nitzsche, his grandmother, who was the midwife for Marcus and Remsen. He lived and worked on his father's farm in Tilden Township. On September 2, 1951 he was married to Rhoda Lange at the Trinity Lutheran Church.

As a youth, he attended Tilden Country School #2 and finished High School in Marcus. He was part of the 4-H program and showed Angus Steers in Chicago, Omaha and Kansas City. As a delegate for the Rural Youth, Vernon flew to Cuba on an Agricultural Information Exchange in the 1940's. After his marriage, the couple milked cows, grew crops, and raised his Angus cattle. Vernon was active in Farm Bureau, 4-H and the Extension Service, and the American Milk Producers.

Vernon was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Marcus where he was baptized and confirmed. He served as an elder and had served on various other church boards over the years, played on the dartball team, church softball team, and Walther League. He supported the Lutheran Layman's League and the Lutheran Hour.

He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Martha (Nitxschke) Grauer.

He is survived by his wife Rhoda of Cherokee, Iowa; one son and one daughter: Keith Grauer and his wife Linda of Cherokee, Iowa; Yvonne Wilson and her husband Jimmie Wilson II of Omaha, Nebraska; five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.