John L. Fleming

John L. Fleming, 78, of Aledo, died Saturday, May 5, 2012 at Mercer County Hospital.  Mass of the Christian Burial is 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Aledo. Burial is in the Aledo Cemetery where graveside military services will be conducted. Visitation is 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Fippinger Funeral Home in Aledo where a prayer service will be at 8 p.m.  Memorials may be left to Mercer Carnegie Library or St. Catherine's Catholic Church. On-line condolences can be made at www.fippingerfuneralhome.com.

He was born Jan. 6, 1934 in Lost Nation, Iowa, a son of John and Ella Rechterman Fleming. He graduated from Lost Nation High School, attended Arizona State at Flagstaff and graduated from University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  He married Patricia C. Quinlan Aug. 23, 1958 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Delmar, Iowa.

He was a United States Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He came to Aledo in 1959 where he was employed by the Aledo Community District 201 as a junior high science and physical education teacher, retiring in 1994. He coached track, basketball and football for many years. John was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in coaching from the Aledo Green Dragon Athletics in 2001.

He was a member of St. Catherine's Church. He enjoyed walking, fishing, hunting and golf. John was an avid supporter of Aledo and Dakota High School activities.  He was a dedicated teacher and devoted husband, father and grandfather. John cared for people and loved his family.

Richard Wolf, a published author of numerous sports books, once called John "the greatest athlete ever in my hometown."  John was the first basketball player from a small eastern Iowa school to receive all state honors. He played for the US Army basketball and US Army Air Force baseball teams. John was a recognized player in the US Army Air Force team, having once been flown from England along with one other player in a C130 to Germany to pitch for the US team.

He is survived by his wife: Patricia; one daughter:  Catherine (Dirk) Schlingmann of Spartanburg, S.C.; two sons: John (Ingrid) Fleming of Denver, Colo. and Edward (Karla) Fleming of Dakota; four grandchildren: Connor, Kristopher, Shannon Fleming, Matt (Elizabeth) Bull, several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.