Obituary for Dr. William R. Niemann
William R. Niemann Finally Laid to Rest in Ute, Iowa William R. Niemann who died December 28, 1997, and his wife, Mary, who passed away Dec. 21, 2014 both in Palm Bay, Fl., will have their cremains buried in St. Clair cemetery in Ute, Iowa, on May 20, 2015, following a funeral mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. Military honors provided by the American Legion Aaby Post #442 and the VFW Post #5605 of Ute, Iowa. Armstrong Funeral Home of Ute has been entrusted with the arrangements. Dr. William Robert Niemann, the only child of William Frederick Niemann and Margareta Elizabeth Schultz, was born Dec. 7, 1922, in Ridgefield, New Jersey. He entered into eternal rest on Dec. 28, 1997, at Palm Bay, Florida. William was raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. He met his wife Mary Margaret Dorothy daughter of James Porter and Grace Margaret (Winter) Dorothy of Ute, Iowa, in Washington, D. C. on a double date. It was love at first site, for he proposed on their third date. They were married at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Washington, D. C., Jan. 17, 1948. They were getting ready to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. To this union six children were born: Cynthia Mary, Vincent Robert, Nancy Ann, Janet Aileen, Daniel Andrew and Lucy Margaret. William held bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Maryland, where he went through the first Reserve Officers Training Corps class after World War II. He was a veteran of 32 years of active and reserve service, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He served in England, France, Belgium and Wales in World War II, and in Greenland and Newfoundland during the Korean War. His military and education degrees allowed them to live in a variety of locations such as Virginia, Iowa, Newfoundland, Texas, Alabama, Maryland, West Virginia, Connecticut and Florida. Their children were raised in Maryland for the most part. William then took advanced graduate work in administration, supervision and special education at American University, the University of Hartford, and at the University of Maryland, receiving his doctorate in education in 1976, from the University of Sarasota in Florida. He began his teaching career in Arlington, Virginia, going from there to Montgomery County, Maryland. Later he became the Principal of Clarksville Elementary School in Clarksville, Maryland, a part-time assistant professor of education at Townson State College, and from 1964 to 1969, principal and Director of Education of Maryland's Children's Centers. He along with Mary started their own real estate business called Silver Key Realty in Laurel, Maryland. William was very active in community projects. He developed a program called Prep-Rep which was a innovative counseling, motivational and tutorial program designed to assist slow or non-readers to achieve according to their potential success in reading, oral expression and self-esteem. In addition, he was also a summer director for residential and day camps for five years. He was a member of the Optimist Club and believed in the power of positive thinking. When asked what his hobbies were he would say working. He always had two or three jobs most of his life. During the day he would teach and in the evenings and weekends he would be selling encyclopedia's, fencing, windows, etc. He was always on the go. Even when he lost a leg to diabetes he would sell vitamins. Bill didn't let his circumstances get him down. He was a caring, compassionate, generous and a man on a mission. William enjoyed sports and even participated in the Maryland Senior Olympics where he received gold and silver medals in basketball, track and ping pong in 1983 and 1985. He won medals at the Senior Sportsman International Olympics in 1984 at Cosa Mesa, CA and won blue ribbons through the YMCA in all competitive meets as a member of the Master's. William coached basketball, football, cross country and track for high school and city adult teams for seven years. Grateful for having shared his life are Cindy and (Mike) Leister of Findlay, Ohio, Vince Niemann of New York City, N. Y., Nancy Niemann-Miller of Palm Bay, Fl., Dan Niemann of Rockville, Md. and Lucy (Michael) Zeitler of Harrisonville, Mo.; his grandchildren, Michael Eric and Sonja (Biddle) Leister of Oregon, Ohio, Jonathan Leister of Manville, Texas, Lauretta Leister of Findlay, Ohio, Nathaniel Miller of Korea, Joel Miller of Palm Bay, Fl., David Andrew & Cynthia (Blanchard) of Palm Bay, FL, Justin Tackett of Ashland, KY., and Joshua and Jillian (Watson) Tackett of Harrisonville, Mo.; Her great grandchildren, Braylon Crossman, Britain, Michael and Alexandria Leister, William David, Dominique Rose, Victoria Faith Niemann, children of Nicole (Ecklar) and David A. Niemann, Elizah R. Niemann of Palm Bay and Kaden Tackett of Harrisonville, Mo.; Jimmy, Jacob & Aaron adopted boys of Nancy. William was preceded in death by his daughter Janet Aileen and his parents William F. and Margaret M. (Schultz) Niemann.ξ
Service:
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 10:30 a.m.ξ
St. Mary's Catholic Church Ute, Iowaξ
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Service:
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 10:30 a.m.ξ
St. Mary's Catholic Church Ute, Iowaξ
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