Leonard “Butch” Brooker, 1941 – 2025 Obituary

 

I did find an obituary for Butch and am posting this now as a reminder that a Celebration of Life open house will be held tomorrow in Jefferson Iowa at the Depot from 11:00 - 2:00

Leonard Dean “Butch” Brooker, 84, of Jefferson died September 9, 2025.

A Celebration of Life open house will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, from 11 am to 2 pm at The Depot in Jefferson. Lunch will be served.

 Butch was born in a farmhouse near Cooper to J.R. and Marion Brooker on June 9, 1941.  He graduated from Jefferson High School. He married Barbara Ann Brock on July 25, 1959, in Jefferson. 

 He was almost born working; first as a paperboy, then he pumped gas, followed by appliance repair in a hardware store. Offered a higher wage, he joined the company crew at the REC where he was enticed to learn how to climb poles by one of the crew leaders. He practiced on a pole outside his house and became proficient, remaining an electrical lineman for most of his working life. He worked for Alliant Energy for the majority of those years and retired in 2003 from that company. Butch was always in motion, and if you made his acquaintance, it was most likely on a softball field, a golf course, or at a square dance. 

In retirement, he and Barb traveled in their RV all around the country for several years, and wintered in Texas, where he added billiards to that list, winning many tournaments. He and his favorite partner, Paul Keleher, racked up many trophies over the past three years.

Butch is preceded in death by his parents J.R. and Marion Brooker; his brother Robert Brooker; his stillborn son Kevin; and sister-in-law Jo Brooker.

 Butch is survived by his wife of 66 years, Barbara Ann; children Richard Feterman (Donna), Gary (Susan) Brooker, and Jason (Laura) Brooker; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; siblings Marlene (Bernard) Kelley, Robert’s widow; Joyce Brooker, Bill Brooker, Don (Marty) Brooker and Leo (Keri) Brooker; many nieces and nephews; and great friends.

 In memory of Butch, he would be pleased if you pay it forward by helping someone in need.

Barb and his Butch’s sons wish to extend our sincere gratitude to all the people who assisted us with his recent illness. It is heartwarming to see so many who care.

Virginia M. "Ginny" Stavrum May 1, 1927 – September 23, 2025

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Clearwater for Virginia M. “Ginny” Stavrum, age 98, of Clearwater, who passed away on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the Guardian Angels Care Center in Elk River.  Reverend Dennis Backer will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Luke’s Parish Cemetery in Clearwater. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Clearwater.

Virginia was born on May 1, 1927, to James and Elizabeth (Stearns) Bowder in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She married Melvin R. Stavrum on May 5, 1945, at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church in St. Augusta, Minnesota. Virginia was employed by T & O Plastics in Clearwater for 27 years, retiring in 1989. She was an avid square dancer and a member of the Beaux and Belles Square Dance Club and St. Luke’s Parish.

Survivors include her children, Beverely Lokensgard of San Juan, TX, Connie Dziuk of Greenfield, Bob (Bev) Stavrum of St. Cloud, Ken Stavrum of Clearwater, Mark (Pam) Stavrum of Plymouth and Lisa (Jim) Ludescher of Big Lake; thirteen grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren; and sister, Betty Stewart of Alexandria.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband of 73 years, Melvin; her parents; stepfather, Henry Niebolte; four brothers, James Bowder, Adrian Bowder, John Bowder, and Frank Niebolte; sister, Alice Janchar; one infant sister, Dorothy Bowder; son-in-law, Perry Dziuk; grandson, Robert Stavrum, Jr. and two great grandchildren, Charles Bixler, Jr. and Travis Monson.

A special thank you to the staff of Guardian Angels Care Center and Triniti Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of Ginny.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.

Butch Brooker...

 Thanks so much, Deon, for posting that. My head is fuzzy yet, and my reaction times are slow. I do plan to come to the RGV this fall as soon as I get things settled here. Probably mid-October as usual. Son Jason is driving me down and then flying home. At least that is the current plan.

Love to All,

Barb Brooker

Butch Brooker

 It is with so much sadness that I am posting this. I had decided that I was going to wait and see if Barb wanted to do it, because this blog was originally her creation but have now decided that I am going to post the bare essentials for now. Butch and Barb have been long-time friends of ours and of so many former residents of Magnolia Park. 

As those of you who have followed Barb's own blog over the years know, Butch had been having many health difficulties for the last several months and at 3:00 AM on September 9, 2025 Butch passed away. I have not seen an obituary yet but according to Barb's most recent information there will be a Celebration of Life at the Depot in Jefferson Iowa from 11:00 - 2:00 and there will be a lunch. These are merely suggested hours as Barb and their boys, along with their spouses, expect that people will wander over to the Brooker home afterwards.

I did look to see how far Jefferson is from us and it is a long ways but I'm hoping that those of you who don't live so far away will be able to attend this. Barb and Butch were such an important part of Magnolia Park and it's hard to believe that this has happened.