Louis Harvey Biel

Louis "Lou" Biel, 77, of DeWitt, Iowa, passed away unexpectedly, Friday, February 2, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until 4:oo p.m. Sunday, February 11, 2024, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in DeWitt. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 12, in the church, the Rev. Fr. Stephen Page officiating. Burial will follow at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery, Villa Nova.

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In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the the Harrison Smith Memorial Orange Shoe foundation.  Venmo@Orange_Shoes_Foundation.

Louis Harvey Biel was born October 3, 1946, in Preston, Minnesota, to Harvey and Mary (Pickett) Biel.  He graduated from high school in Harmony, Minnesota. He proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.  On February 17, 1968, Louis was united in marriage to Rosamond Marie Trimble at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Villa Nova, Iowa.  The couple resided in rural DeWitt, where they raised their family of seven children. Lou was a skilled carpenter, working many years in the trade.

Rosamond, “Rosebud” was the light of his life. His devotion to her taught his children the meaning of love. He and Rosamond shared 47 wonderful years together before her passing in 2015. She remained his inspiration until his last breath.

Lou was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and tending to his land. He had a great love of nature. One of his favorite pastimes was taking his dog, Ruby, on daily trips to the pond where they fished together. He could often be found sitting on his front porch swing, or woodworking and creating in his workshop. He was dedicated to his faith and family, and living according to God’s word. Lou had a passion for reading and writing. He read the Bible and journaled daily, filling volumes of notebooks with his thoughts, poetry, and wisdom. Lou had a delightful sense of humor and loved playful pranks. He was known for ending his weekly phone calls to family with a joke. He enjoyed being with his siblings and their families, and treasured the love and support of the Trimble family. Lou loved being a father and grandfather, and he cherished his many grandchildren.

He is survived by his children, Melanie (Mark) Smith of Van Meter, Louis (Mona) Biel of Davenport, Molly (Daryl Budde) Bierman of Preston, Lance (Ashley) Biel of Andover, Kansas, Luke (Julie Howes) Biel of DeWitt, Landon (Melissa) Biel of Dayton, Ohio, and Levi Biel of Des Moines; grandchildren, Cameron and Marshall Smith, Wyatt, Libby and Abigail Bierman, Michael, Aryanna and Will Budde, Henry, Rosemary, Francis, and Theodore Biel, Jackson and Delaney Kutka and Charlie Biel; a sister, Marian Beiwel; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was welcomed into heaven by his beloved wife, and grandson, Harrison Smith. He was also preceded in death by his parents, siblings, Stanley Biel, Clifford “Joey” Biel, Julia Titus, and Cynthia Moore, and his in-laws, Leo and Rosalie Trimble, brothers-in-law, Nelson Moore and Dennis Schrader, and a niece, Stephanie Shumaker.

Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt. Condolences may be expressed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com

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