Frederick William Ehrman, the son of Frederick William Ehrman and Theresa Katherina (Neiens) Ehrman, was born on August 18, 1931 northwest of Anita, Iowa on the family farm, and entered into eternal life on Friday, January 21, 2022, at Cass County Health Systems, in Atlantic, Iowa, at the age of 90 years old.
Fred was the youngest of five sons born to Fred and Theresa (Paul, Joseph, James, Vince and Fred). All were born and raised on the farm and attended country schools and the Wiota Consolidated Schools, where Fred graduated in 1949. Fred often talked about the animals raised on the family farm (cattle,
sheep and pigs), the crops raised, and the fun times growing up on the farm by all of those boys, like picking corn by hand, playing in the hayloft, riding their bikes around the farm and Sunday afternoon card games.
After graduating from Wiota Consolidated Schools, Fred was drafted into the United States Army in June 1952, taking basic training at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX. He transferred to a radar base at Pennsauken, New Jersey and served until 1954, when he was discharged from Fort George Mead, Maryland. He returned to the Anita area and began farming. He married Delores Dorsey on July 11, 1953. Fred and Delores were the parents of five children, Robert, Bruce, Kathy, Kay and Bill. Fred farmed the home place until 1982, and from 1982-1996 he worked at Imperial Clevite, a bearing production plant in Atlantic. In 1996, Fred retired. He was a member of the Anita American Legion and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Anita. He enjoyed a trip with area veterans to Washington, D.C. on the “Freedom Flight” of 2014. Fred and Delores celebrated 68 years of marriage in 2021 and Fred’s family helped him celebrate his 90th birthday in August 2021.
Fred’s hobbies included jigsaw puzzles, word searches, collecting coins and watching his all-time favorite tv show, Andy Griffith. He was forever a farmer and gardener, and loved spending time at home with his family, children, grand-children and great grand-children.
Fred is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Theresa Neiens Ehrman, his son Bruce in 2002, his brothers Paul, Joe, James and Vince, and sisters-in-law, Marlene Rosenberg and Carol Schuler.
Fred is survived by his wife of 68 years, Delores, his children Bob and Kathy Ehrman of Anita, Kathy and Doug Husted of Arlington, TX, Kay and Chris Stork of Atlantic, Bill and Katie Ehrman of Des Moines, and daughter-in-law Terri Ehrman of Atlantic; nine grand-children: Melissa (Jim) Johnson of Atlantic, James Ehrman (Lisa Petersen) of Lincoln, NE, Jess (Cory) Ellis of Atlantic, Josh (Katie) Ehrman of Anita, Brittany Husted of Arlington, TX, Nathan (Andi) Stork of Massena, Alex (Angela) Stork of West Des Moines, Tyler Stork of Anita, and Anna Stork of Ames; 12 great-grandchildren Aly Brockob, Rio, Conner & Lily Johnson of Atlantic, Chase McLaren of Des Moines, Steele & Garrett McLaren of Atlantic, Anthony Ehrman (Kayla Werneberg) of Council Bluffs, Alexis Ehrman of Anita, Kenadie & Krew Stork of Massena, and Eila Stork of West Des Moines. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Norma Schaaf and Elinor Ehrman of Anita, and brothers-in-law Melvyn (Karen) Dorsey of Bedford, TX, Dick (Janet) Dorsey of Anita, and Darrell Schuler of Atlantic, and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation with family present will be held Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Anita from 5:00-7:00 PM, with a prayer service with Father Trevor Chicoine at 7:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Anita at 10:30 AM. Burial will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, with a luncheon to follow at St. Mary’s church hall.
Memorials in Fred’s memory may be directed to the family for later designation and may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. BOX 523 Atlantic, IA 50022.
The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Anita is caring for the Ehrman family at this time and condolences can be sent to: schmidtfamilyfh.com
