At Farber & Otteman Funeral Home, our caring, compassionate staff has the experience and expertise you want to assist you in carrying out your wishes.
Our Staff
Tim Smith, Owner, Funeral Director
Tim Smith, a native of Webb, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State
University with a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Business.
He moved to Storm Lake, Iowa where he started his career in banking.
He returned to get his mortuary degree from the Kansas City Kansas
Community College of Mortuary Science. Upon the completion of
his degree, Tim and his wife Erin returned to Storm Lake where
he has worked at Fratzke and Jensen Funeral Home. They are proud
parents of two children, Bennett (Born in June 2004) and Avery
(Born in August 2006).
The Smith's belong to St. Mary's Catholic Church. Tim is involved
in the Hy-Noon Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Lion's Club (past-president),
and planning committee for the Kiwanis Basketball Jamboree. He
has also been involved with the Storm Lake Jaycees, ISU Extension
Council and Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce. He enjoys playing
basketball, golf and tuning in to Cubs and Vikings games. |
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Erin Smith, Co-owner, Support Staff
Erin Smith was born and raised in the Nemaha and Storm Lake
areas. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing
from Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She currently works as a nurse
at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in the Obstetrical Unit
part-time. She also coaches JV/Varsity volleyball for St. Mary's
School and has a home-based business with Arbonne International.
Erin's responsibilities at the funeral home include part-time
receptionist, bookkeeping, making custom folders and assisting
with visitations and funerals. She also carries a life insurance
license to assist with pre-need contracts, which enables patrons
to secure their funeral expenses at a locked rate. Other interests
include cantoring for St. Mary's Church, member of St. Mary's
Guild as a circle chair, and Storm Lake Friends of the Library
board member. Erin says of all the duties she holds "being
a mom is the best!" |
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Alan Kruthoff, Funeral Director
Alan is a graduate of Lake View-Auburn High School and earned a
degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota in
1963. He has been in funeral service for 45 years.
Alan and Barb live in Lake View where he is a member of Emmanuel
Lutheran Church. His wife Barbara is the superintendent of
East Sac County Schools. Together they have four children:
Dr. Bret and wife Paula of Charles City, Iowa; Jodi and husband
Roger Pieken of Lake View; Shelly and husband Jade Pospeshil
of Johnston, Iowa; and Dr. Nick Berry of North Liberty, Iowa.
Alan and Barb have eight grandchildren. |
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Tony Hinners, Funeral Director
Tony Hinners is a native of Pomeroy, Iowa, class of 1981. Graduated
from Iowa Central Community College with an Associates Degree in
1984. Graduated from mortuary school at Worsham College of Mortuary
Science in Skokie, IL. He started his career in Funeral Directing
at Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa, IA. He then worked at Pfannebecker
Funeral Home in Denison, and Christensen-Ciha Funeral Homes in
Ida Grove, IA. In November of 2001, Tony went to work for Carson
Funeral Home in Dayton, IA. Prior to joining Farber and
Otteman in November of 2008, Tony also worked at Surls and Sietsema
Funeral Homes of Iowa Falls/Alden/Williams/Ackley, IA.
He is a licensed funeral director for the state of Iowa and is
experienced in all aspects of funeral service. Tony looks forward
to serving the people of Sac County and getting acquainted with
the people in this community.
Tony and his wife Delsey have eight children; Abby, Josie, Michael, Anthony, Gavin, Ethan, Eve Jolene, and Benjamin. Tony is a sports lover and played many sports including: football, baseball and basketball. He is also an avid outdoorsman and loves to take his family camping, fishing, hiking, and many other outdoor activities. Tony is the seventh of 14 children and is excited that his move to Sac City has brought him closer to family. |
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Marilyn Dettmann, Support Staff
Marilyn works part time at Farber & Otteman making custom memorial
folders, thank you notes and memorial books for each family to
remember their loved one. Marilyn did office work and computer
entry for Nobles Manufacturing and Simplot Soilbuilders in Sac
City until they closed. In 1998 she married Rick Dettmann who owns
and operates Dettmann Trucking. Since he hauls long distance, working
part-time is a nice fit, along with the bookkeeping that is required
for his business.
Marilyn is a graduate of Lytton High School and is currently
a member of Emanual-St. John Lutheran Church of Lytton, where
she has been active on the worship and music committee. In her
spare time she loves to work in her flower gardens, go for walks
with her dog Gus, ride her bicycle and especially spend time
with her grandsons. Marilyn has two daughters; Shelley and her
husband Don Rehm live in Sac City while Shannon and her husband
Fred Kraft reside in New Boston, Missouri. Her grandsons are
Derrick, Casey and Beau. |
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Ann Onnen, Marketing Director
Ann (Hemer) Onnen grew up on her family's farm near Arthur and
is a graduate of Odebolt-Arthur High School. With over 25 years
of experience in business and marketing, Ann brings wonderful expertise
and creativity to Farber & Otteman's marketing and custom personalization
programs. Among her many duties are writing and producing newsletters
and marketing pieces and preparing video tributes.
Ann and her husband Bernie live on an acreage near Schaller.
Bernie owns and operates his own trucking company, Country Truck
Line, Inc. Ann enjoys freelance creative work and in her spare
time loves to garden. Their children are Corey and Megan Peterson
of Alta; Cole Peterson of Schaller; Cassady and Luke Bartlett
of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Shawn and Roger Fredrick, Corey and
Sarah Onnen, and Gayle Onnen, all of Des Moines. They also have
five grandchildren: Jacob, Jaden and Carlie Fredrick and Shea
and Evan Peterson. |
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Marvin "Jiggs" Janssen
Marvin "Jiggs" Janssen was born and raised a farm kid
in Sac City, Iowa. He graduated from Sac City High School in 1953.
A year after graduation, he married Masel Niceswanger and he began
working for Farber & Otteman Furniture Store during the course
of their lives together. He eventually took over the floor covering
position and that evolved into ownership of the Montgomery Ward
Catalog Agency, followed by Janssen Carpet. Following the closing
of his business, Marvin began working as an agent for Farm Bureau
Insurance of Sac City, before being transferred to Sioux City in
1964. In 1992, the couple moved back to their hometown of Sac City,
where they presently reside. Jiggs is now semi-retired and helps
out at Farber & Otteman with various funeral home duties.
He is the 'go-to' guy, doing everything from working visitations/funerals,
parking cars for procession, moving and arranging flowers and providing
transport.
Together, Masel and Marvin have four children: Janet Lewis of
Norwalk, IA; Jerry Janssen of Sioux City, IA; Joni Rensch of
Norwalk, IA; and Jennifer Boland of Plano, TX. They enjoy their
nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Jiggs also
enjoys golfing and woodworking in his spare time and both he
and Masel are very active in their church and local activities. |
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Keith and Joyce Flink
Keith and Joyce work part-time for Farber & Otteman. Joyce
is a greeter and keeps the inside of the Odebolt location looking
nice. Keith does the outside maintenance and yard work for the
funeral home. They have been married for 34 years and both are
life-long residents of the Odebolt area as well as graduates of
the Odebolt-Arthur Community School system, as are their three
adult children: Jeana (Boyd) and husband Chris of Clive, Iowa;
Justin and his wife Amy of Waukee, Iowa and Jory of Sioux City.
Keith and Joyce have five grandchildren: Carter, Haley, Austin,
Hunter and Brooklyne.
Joyce works for the Odebolt-Arthur School in the Food Service
Department. She has been at Odebolt-Arthur for 28 years. Keith
has been in law enforcement since 1971 and served as Chief of
Police in Odebolt until 1983 when he moved to the Sac County
Sheriffs Office where he is currently Chief Deputy. He also currently
serves on the Odebolt City Council. They are members of St. Martin's
Catholic Church. In their spare time they enjoy spending time
with their children and grandchildren, gardening, working in
their yard and flowerbeds, walking and visiting family. |
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Robert G. "Bob" Higgins
Bob graduated from Sac City High School and a few years later enlisted
in the paratroopers where he served three years in the military.
Bob worked for Noble Manufacturing for 20 years until the business
closed. He then worked for Arlin Otteman at Farber & Otteman
for about 23 years where he did many miscellaneous jobs and now
mainly keeps things looking good around the funeral home and
the vehicles ready to go.
He and his wife, Shirley, are members of St. Paul's Lutheran
Church where he has been actively involved. They have three children:
Sandy (John) Courter of Sac City; Susan (deceased); and Leann
Morris of Greenville, Michigan; eight grandchildren; and seven
great-grandchildren. |
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Don and Evelyn Fredrichs
Don and Evelyn, life-long residents of Sac County, both graduated
from Lake View High School and began farming in 1955 when Don
returned home from his service in the United States Army stationed
in Korea. They resided on a farm southeast of Lake View where
they raised their five children. In 1994, after farming for nearly
forty years, they retired and exchanged the busy-ness of farm
life with their new involvement within the Wall Lake community
and continuing their service in the Immanuel Presbyterian Church
of Carnarvon. In March of 2001, working with Farber & Otteman
Funeral Homes, they became hosts and building caretakers in the
Wall Lake Funeral Home, an interesting and rewarding experience
for both which continues today.
Their children include: Sandy (Randy) Aschinger of Lake View;
Sue Mein of Lake View; Delane (Linda) Fredrichs of Kingsport,
Tennessee; Sherry (Jeff) Kruse of Lake View; and Sally (John)
Young of Mt. Ayr, Iowa. They have 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren
to date. |
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Ruth Druivenga
Ruth Druivenga resides in Carnavon. She worked for Tom McCullough
Law Firm in Lake View from 1960-1961 and worked as bookkeeper
at Kelly Motors in Lake View from 1964-1966. She also worked
at Farmers State Bank in Lake View from 1968-2001. Ruth's husband
passed away in 1996. Together they have 3 sons, 3 grandchildren,
and 3 great-grandchildren. She is a member of Immanuel Presbyterian
Church in Carnavon and a member of Wall Lake Legion Auxiliary.
She is now working part-time at UAP in Wall Lake. Ruth's duties
at Farber & Otteman include keeping up the Lake View facility
as well as hosting visitations. |
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