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John Burton Pieper, 89

John Burton Pieper, 89, peacefully went to join the Lord on Sunday morning, September 27th, 2020, at UnityPoint Hospital in Marshalltown. His loving wife Betty was at his side.

John was born in March of 1931 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. His parents, Emil and Pauline Pieper, made sure that he — along with his eight siblings — enjoyed a childhood filled with love.

After graduating from Fort Dodge’s Sacred Heart High School, he joined the Air National Guard and two years later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he proudly served his country for 20 years.

In 1952, while visiting his hometown on military leave, he met the love of his life, Betty. They were married at Corpus Christi Church in Fort Dodge that November, and remained joyfully devoted to each other for the following 67 years.

The couple enjoyed the adventures of travel with their expanding family. Tours of duty took them from Alabama to Alaska; from Nebraska to North Carolina. During his time in Iowa, John worked at Iowa State University with the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) students.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1971, he accepted a position at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown as Personnel Director. John’s passion for people — especially veterans — enabled him to excel in his job and he enjoyed 16 years there before taking a well-deserved early retirement in 1986.

John and Betty were blessed with 10 children and fatherhood was one of his greatest joys in life. He instilled in his children qualities for which he was known; integrity, ingenuity and a love for music. He was a lifelong learner; often accompanied by an open book and always humming a tune.

He also enjoyed woodworking and golf and was active in St. Mary’s Church until he could no longer be. He became a resident of Bickford Cottages in June of 2016.

Visitation will be Thursday, October 1st from 5-7pm, with a prayer vigil beginning at 7pm. A celebration of life Mass will be Friday, October 2nd at 10:30 am at St. Mary’s Church. He will be interred with military honors at Riverside Cemetery after services. A livestream of the funeral Mass and burial can be accessed at www.mitchellfh.com.

Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Iowa River Hospice.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Betty; children: John Jr. (Joan), Gregory, Michael, Nicholas (Margie), Patrick (Vera), Mark, Mary, Erin (Patrick) Kelly; eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

John is preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Lori; his son Stephen and siblings: Paula, Joan, Joseph and Daniel.

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