John J. "Jack" Menster, 90, of Cascade, Iowa passed away Saturday, December 31, 2016, in Cascade, Iowa.

Friends and relatives of Jack may call from 10 to 11 A.M., Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Cascade, Iowa. Reiff Funeral Home in Cascade, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Jack will be held at St. Martin's Catholic Church, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, with Rev. Douglas Loecke officiating. Burial will be held in Cascade Community Cemetery in Cascade, Iowa.

Jack was born to Henry and Margaret (Dahlem) Menster on November 5, 1926 in Cascade, Iowa. At the age of three his folks and siblings moved to an 80 acre farm in southeast temple hill. At the age of seven the family moved through the fields with teams of wagons and we forged the river in the early part of March one mile below third bluff there was ice floating the river. We moved into an old gray farm house known as the Maller farm. He received his education at the St. Martin's School in Cascade, IA. At the age of 19 Jack was rejected by the Army in Fort Snelling, MN for permanent disability. As Jack grew into adult hood with the help of his family, in the years to follow the farm now consisted of a Cascade farm, Southern Iowa farm and a Wisconsin farm. The base for this started with thirteen sows and in a few short years earned the reputation as one of the top ten producers in the state of Iowa. After retiring he found time to do some traveling much of the United States including Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Panama, South America, Europe, Russia and China. He served on the honorary board of Camp Courageous the advisory Committee and started the Sand Valley Feeder Pigs Inc. In 1994 John and Maxine donated a 240 acre farm to Camp Courageous and when it was raffled off it made over nine hundred and eighty thousand dollars for the camp. "The story above is a lifetime of planning, hard work and hard knocks."

On August 12, 1951 he was united in marriage to Maxine K. Poppe at St. John's Lutheran Church in Monticello, Iowa. Together they raised five children and where successful business partners in the hog producing business for forty-three years. She preceded in him in death on September 26, 1994. He married Kathlen (Moran) Takes in 1999 at the Cathedral in Dubuque, Iowa. He was a member of the St. Matthias Parish in Cascade, IA.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen "Katy" Menster of Cascade, IA; one son, Mike (Kim) Menster of Cascade, IA; Three daughters, Kristine Menster of Dubuque, IA, Laurel (Mike) Davis of Las Vegas, NV and Jane ( Baldy McDermott) Menster of Bernard, IA; 5 grandchildren, Matt (Carrie) Menster, Melanie (Ryan) Stuntz, Rachel Davis, Jacob Menster and Tressa Menster; 7 great grandchildren, Taylor, Jack, Cassie, Claire, Peter, Maddie and Gunner, one daughter-in-law, Candace (Steven) Bradley of Cascade, IA.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, one son, Steven Menster on February 14, 1990 three brothers, Floyd Menster, Raymond (Florence) Menster, and Charles (Ellen) Menster; three sisters, Evelyn Peiffer, Betty (Bill) McVay and Carlyn (George) Smith.