Don Gloe

Donald Gloe, age 81, of Decorah, IA, died on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at his home. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 11, 2017, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 307 West Water Street, Decorah, IA, with Rev. Phil Gibbs presiding. Burial will be in the St. Benedict Cemetery, Decorah, IA. Memorials may be given in memory of Don Gloe to the St. Benedict Capital Campaign, 307 West Main Street, Decorah, IA 52101. Visitation will be held from 3:00-6:00 p.m., on Friday, March 10, 2017, at Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, 604 South Avenue and also after 9:30 a.m., at the church on Saturday morning. Donald Hilton Gloe was born June 6, 1935, to Hilton and Geneva Williams Gloe in Gladbrook, Iowa, where he attended school. He graduated from high school in 1952, attended Drake University in Des Moines from 1952 to 1954 with a major in Liberal Arts. He volunteered for the draft and served in the US Army from 1954 to 1956 as a Specialist 3rd Class in communications at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. He was honorably discharged and attended the University of Iowa where he received a BA degree in 1958 in Political Science. Don then attended Law School at the University of Iowa, and on June 7, 1960, married Mary Ann Shimek at St. John’s Catholic Church in Waterloo. He graduated with distinction from Law School in 1961. He worked as State Council for the Iowa Highway Commission in Ames from 1961 to 1965.In January of 1965 he was hired to practice law in Decorah with the Miller & Pearson Law Firm where he remained until January 2017. Don was a member of the American Bar Association, the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the Iowa Defense Council Association. He served on various committees including the Uniform Jury Instructions Committee and the Grievance Committee. He was a member of the American Legion, BPOE, and Oneota Golf and Country Club. He loved the game of golf and had been a St. Louis Cardinal fan all his life and enjoyed going to the Riverboat. Each spring he walked in the woods behind his house on Ridge Road hunting for Morel mushrooms. In his more robust days he searched for dead trees to harvest for his wood-burning stove. He took great pride in a well-stocked wood pile. In his less robust days he harvested kindling from the woods and was always grateful for what nature provided. He always had an affinity for cats. Don is survived by his wife: Mary Ann Gloe, Decorah, IA, his son, Robert Gloe and wife Victoria, Waukee, IA, and their children, Olivia, Harrison, Gabe and Cassia; his daughter, Emily Donovan, and husband, Mike, Des Moines, IA, and their two children, Greta and Elliot. He is also survived by his sister, JoAnne Dierks, Cedar Falls, IA, and nephews, Jim, Jeff and Jordon and their families, and many other nieces and nephews. Don also is survived by three sisters-in-law; Virginia McBride and Dorothy (Gerald) Condon of Waterloo and Sister Judith Ann Shimek of Wichita, Kansas, and two brothers-in-law; William (Sylvia) Shimek and George (Roberta), Shimek of Waterloo. He is survived by one aunt, Elsie Kopel, of Cedar Falls, and one uncle, Bob Ledtje, of Elberon, Iowa. Don was preceded in death by his parents, Hilton and Geneva Gloe, his father-in-law and mother-in-law: William and Frances (Kuhn) Shimek, his brother-in-law, Jim Dierks, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, George and Carolyn Hau, brothers-in-law, Anthony McBride and Conrad Shimek. He was grateful for the care he received in the dialysis unit for 2 ¾ years at the Winneshiek Medical Center and for Hospice’s compassionate care.