John Leer, 76 of Keswick died Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at the VA Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services began at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home in What Cheer. Visitation with the family was held on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Burial will be held privately in the Bailey Cemetery near Keswick. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the James Murphey American Legion or the Keswick United Methodist Church.
John J Leer passed away February 26, 2025 at the Iowa City VA Medical Center at the age of 76. He was born to Albert and Ellen (Maxwell) Leer on January 18,1949 in Oskaloosa. He attended several schools in the area before his parents settled on a farm outside of Keswick. After graduating from Tri-County High School in 1968, that September he enlisted in the United States Army. John was assigned to the 173 rd Airborne Brigade. He served in Vietnam from September of 1969 to September of 1970 before being injured. He spent the next three months in a hospital in Japan and the following nine months in and out of Walter Reed Military Medical Center.
John returned home in 1971 where he met his wife Regina Phillips, the two united in marriage in September of 1972. They had four children, Scott, Justin, Ann, and Amy. John and Regina raised their children on a farm outside What Cheer. John worked several jobs while farming; building grain bins, drywalling, as a laborer, a carpenter and later as a superintendent for general contracting companies out of Des Moines. In 2010 he retired after 30 years with the Carpenter’s Local Union 106.
John is survived by his wife Regina; his brothers, James Leer, Ronald Leer, Robert (Pat) Leer, Darryl (Beverly) Leer; a sister-in-law, Joan Leer; his four children: Scott Leer, Justin (Rebecca) Leer, Ann (Todd) Wadsworth, and Amy (Joe) Nicholson; fourteen grandchildren: Caitlin Leer, Jennifer (Logan) Leer, Devan (Nate) Leer, Allison (Brendon) Leer, Kyle (Mallory) Leer, Alexis Leer, Audeana (Levi) Fritz, Jenna (Aldair) Matias-Garcia, Logan Wadsworth, Lexy (Jaemin) Powell, Ethan Danner, Zebulun Danner, Naomi Wadsworth, and Alexander Nicholson; sixteen great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Louis Leer and Dean Leer; a sister, Mary Anne Leer; sisters-in-law, Honnelore Leer, Delores Leer and Patrica Leer; and a grandson, Johnathon Oscar Danner.
John was a devoted husband, and while Regina was the love of his life, he enjoyed testing her patience with his jokes. He had an amazing work hard/play hard attitude, everyone who has ever met him will have multiple fun stories, there wouldn’t be space on the page… His laugh was infectious, he didn’t know a stranger. It wasn’t uncommon for John to show up home from choring or work with complete strangers that were stranded with car trouble alongside the road. He would invite them in for a meal while they waited on a ride. He continually put others before himself, serving his community through the Keswick American Legion, fixing things at the United Methodist Church, or assisting his neighbors, kids, and grandkids with rabbits in dryer vents, stubborn home remodels, new roofs, toilet replacements, vehicle oil changes, water heater replacements and whatever else was ever asked. His favorite pastimes included spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren/great grandchildren and playing Pepper.
