Arnold J. (Jerry) Tremmel, 78, of Searsboro, passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021. A Celebration of Life was held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at the Searsboro Community Church. Burial will be held at a later date at Humes Cemetery near What Cheer. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Searsboro Community Church or Searsboro Fire Department.
Jerry was born June 10, 1943, in Sigourney. He was the son of Lawrence J. and Clara (Witt) Tremmel. He attended Sigourney Schools. His first teenage job was with Benner T. Grocery Store in Sigourney. Jerry was united in marriage to Shirley Green on July 9, 1961, and was happily married for 60 years. They moved to Washington state in 1963. Jerry started his own plumbing business (Al-Rite Plumbing) in 1967. He took his plumbing business to Tempe, AZ, in 1969, and in 1974, they moved back to Iowa and began his career in stadium and bleacher installation. He worked with Miracle Recreation, Stadium Unlimited, and then finally Dant Corporation. He worked in the installation business for over 33 years. During his retirement from that business, they moved back to their residence in Searsboro and owned and operated the New Sharon Easy Wash and Mr. T’s Bar.
With his work, they were able to travel with family all across the U.S. He was really proud of his work in stadium installation and was proud to have his friends and family working by his side. To name a few of his big jobs in the bleacher business were the University of Kentucky, the University of Virginia, the University of Oklahoma (where Coach Barry Switzer stayed in touch with Jerry through the years), and Pacific Bell Stadium in San Francisco. He also did some work on both the Iowa and Iowa State Stadiums.
In his younger years, Jerry enjoyed building remote gas-powered airplanes. He also enjoyed metal detecting, fishing, boating (as long as there were no snakes around), taking his family oyster hunting, and clam digging. He liked to golf, go to flea markets, and set up (going shopping for the flea markets with son-in-law Scott-many stories to tell there), and collecting baseball cards. He enjoyed working on vehicles, playing cards with family and friends, and also getting up on stage and singing with his friend Woody Hauser. Jerry was also a boy scout leader and a member of Carpenters Union. He was also on call for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA. Jerry was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes and Kansas City Chiefs fan. He loved life and enjoyed spending time with his family, especially all his grandkids, his great-grandsons, and his great-great-granddaughter, and loved giving chin rubs to them all.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley of Searsboro; his fur baby dog, Ms. Lilly; his children: Cynthia “Cindy” Pollock of Oskaloosa, Jeff (Renee) Tremmel of Middleton, OH, and Sherry (Scott) Williams of New Sharon; his grandchildren: Travis Williams, Amber (Tony) Jones, Rachel (Joe) Elkins, Craig Vincent, Paul Pollock, Eric Tremmel, and Adam Demont; great-grandchildren: Gavin Jones, Aidan Pollock, Talan Zickefoose, Grayson Jones, Tate Jones, Aiden Elkins, and Jaxen Elkins; great-great-granddaughter Sophie Jones; sisters-in-law Mary Tremmel of Marysville, WA, and Judy Tremmel of Ulysses, KS; brother-in-law Gary Harvey of Fairfield; and his godson Cary Metoxen of Green Bay, WI.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers and sisters-in-law Harold (Katherine) Tremmel, Jim (Francis) Tremmel, Bob (Irene) Tremmel, Bill (Fern) Tremmel, Delores (Lyle Sr.) Brock, Dick (Lois) Tremmel, Floyd Tremmel, Larry Tremmel, and Patty (Larry) Clark; sisters-in-law Norma Harvey and Catherine “Susie” Provin; in-laws Orville Green and Mary “Goldie” Smith; granddaughter Brenda Lea Williams; and several nieces and nephews.
