John Harland Ransom, 70, of Oelwein died Tuesday July 5, 2011 at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo.

Funeral services for John will be held at 11AM on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at the Fayette Community Church in Fayette, Iowa with Pastor Carl Tenney officiating. Visitation will be from 9-11AM that same day at the church as well.  For condolences, please visit www.geilenfeldfh.com.

John was born February 11, 1941 in Charles City, Iowa to parents Harland John and Margaret (Haag) Ransom.  He attended several country schools in the Charles City area and graduated from Charles City High School in 1959. 

John was united in marriage to Nancy Smith in 1958, they later divorced.  In 1978, John was united in marriage to Rebecca McGuinn who passed away in 1994.  In 1995, John was united in marriage to Cheryl (Corbin) Carey in Edgewood.

John was a tool and die maker/engineer at Oliver in Charles City for 26 years.  He then worked at GMT in Waverly until his health required his retirement.

John loved playing the piano, and was very good at tuning them.  He was a member of the Musician’s Union and the Piano Tuners Guild.  He played in a traveling gospel group, playing at many nursing homes in the Charles City area.  John enjoyed gardening and small engine repair, and generally fixing things up.  John especially loved teaching his Sunday School group of teens and reading his Bible.  He cherished his time spent traveling with his wife.  John will be dearly missed by all who knew, and continue to love him.

Left to celebrate John’s life is his loving wife Cheryl; his children Billy Jo Ransom, Crystal (Tim) Fairlie, Sonja Bosier, and Amber Ransom; his many step-children; his many grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; his brother Richard (Edita) Ransom, his sisters Dixie (Duane) Steele, and Kathy (Jack) Jensen, as well as many friends.

In death, John has rejoined his parents, and his daughter Jewel Ransom.