Obituary of John Dane

Harold John Dane, Jr passed away peacefully surrounded by family on July 7, 2016 from complications following surgery. Visitation will be held Saturday, July 16th from 3-7pm at the First United Methodist Church of Iowa City. Funeral service will be held Sunday, July 17th at 2pm at the First United Methodist Church (Sunday parking will be in effect both Saturday & Sunday for the streets near the church. A sign language interpreter will provide services during the services Sunday. John Dane was born on January 24, 1926 in Iowa City, IA, the youngest child of Harold “Hal” John Dane, Sr and Ethel Rough Dane. His parents moved with their children (Margaret, George and John) from town to their dairy farm at the southwest edge of town in 1931, where John lived until he moved to Oaknoll Retirement Center in 2013. Following George’s footsteps, he graduated from Shattuck School, a military academy in Faribault, MN in 1943. He entered the Army Air Corps to serve his country during WWII. Following the war John enrolled at Iowa State University and earned a degree in Agriculture. He met Allegra “Allie” Gardner, his wife of 63 years, at a Junior Farm Bureau event and they raised five children: James “Jim”, Margaret “Peg”, Donna, Harold John, III “Jack” and Helen. Following Allie’s death in 2012, John found love again with Kathryn Schweer, a longtime family friend, whom he married in 2014. He felt blessed to have her by his side to enjoy travels and companionship. John farmed and milked Holstein dairy cows. For many years he pasteurized his own milk and sold it directly. In 1960 he and Allie opened Dane’s Drive-In Dairy as an outlet for his milk. Eventually he sold his milk to a co-op and the dairy store evolved into an ice cream store, still a landmark in Iowa City. He turned over farming duties to his son, Jim, in the early 90’s and purchased a winter home in Sandalwood Park in Venice, FL in 1995. Many people instantly recognized John’s booming voice and his boisterous laugh. His quick wit, intelligence, ability to find common ground with anyone, and sage words of advice endeared many to him. He loved a good joke and made everyone feel like part of the family. He knew the importance of maintaining family ties and nurturing friendships. Once you became John’s friend, you were a friend for life. He loved playing bridge and euchre, anything that had to do with aviation, Friday afternoon Bored meetings, and fishing at his pond. Most of all, he loved to travel and visit family and friends all over the world. Besides his strong commitment to family, John believed in education and in serving his community. He was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes who never missed a bowl game since Rose Bowl 1957 and went on every Hawkeye Cruise since 2005. Cherishing his relationship with the coaches, he served ice cream to the Iowa Hawkeyes football team and the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams every year. He was a member of or elected to the Iowa City Jaycees, Johnson County Toastmasters (President 1967), Johnson County Farm Bureau (President 1967-1969), Iowa Dairy Industry Commission (1964-1970), Old Capitol Kiwanis Club (charter member, President 1969-70, Life Member 1985), Japanese Farm Trainee Program, Candidate for J.C. Board of Supervisors (1978), Iowa City Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee/Military Affairs Association (1984-2016), Iowa City School Board (1969-1975, President 1973), Iowa Republicans, Shattuck-Saint Mary’s School Board of Trustees, Iowa Board of Mid-America Dairymen (1976-1987), Iowa State Dairy Association (Vice-President 1979), Mercy Hospital Board/Elderly Services and Visiting Nurses Programs, United Methodist Men, Lieutenant-Governor Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis (1982-83), Grant Wood Area Education Agency Board (1981-1984), US Senator Charles Grassley Re-election Committee Co-Chair (1986), Campaign Manager for State Rep Dick Myers (1970), Sandalwood Park Board of Directors (2006-2011), and played with the Joyful Chimers at United Methodist Church. His greatest honors include the Iowa City Jaycees Outstanding Young Farmer Award (1954), Distinguished Service Award for Shattuck-St. Mary’s School (2008), the Hayek Citizen/Soldier Award (2009), and the Honor Flight (2011). Major accomplishments include the dedication of the Dane Family Fieldhouse at Shattuck–St. Mary’s School (2006), the establishment of the UI Foundation Dane Professorship in Clinical Audiology, and the donation of 14 acres of farmland for Kiwanis Park, site of the Kiwanis Memorial Garden. John and Allie treasured hosting a fall harvest party for members of the UI International Writer’s Program for the past 33 years. John is survived by his wife Kathy Schweer; brother George and Marjorie Dane of Iowa City; children Jim and Ruth Dane of Iowa City, Peg and Bill Ehler of Newton, Donna Dane of Iowa City, Jack and Michele Dane of Bettendorf, and Helen Dane and Roger Hohle of North Aurora,IL and Bayview, ID; grandchildren Tony and Sara Ehler , Tina Ehler, JJ and Erik Severson, Tricia and Aaron Groves, Calvin Dane, Nathan Dane, Adam Dane, Max Hohle, and Rae Hohle; great-grandchildren Addy and Gracie Groves, Allie and Millie Severson, and Angel Rose; step-children Dan and Diane Schweer of Iowa City, Mark Schweer and friend Denise Harkey of Iowa City, and David Schweer and Cheryl Lloyd of Reno, NV; step-grandchildren Brian, Lynn, Miranda and Alex Schweer; 20 nieces and nephews and many other family members he held dear. He is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Allie, and Sister Margaret and Ted Hansen. Memorials may be made to the Iowa 4-H Foundation, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, United Methodist Church, UI Foundation to benefit the Dane Professorship in Clinical Audiology or the International Writer’s Program; or to the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend (Bettendorf) for the John and Allie Dane Fund (in support of all of the listed charities plus the Iowa State University Agricultural Scholarship, St Joseph’s School for the Deaf, and the Sisterhood of Mary (Canaan in the Desert in Phoenix). The family would like to thank the medical and nursing staff at the UIHC for their care and compassion.