William Joseph Mertens

MERTENS, BIEVER, MARTENSON, NOVAK, BALLARD, DVORAK

Posted By: Stacy Bliesener (email)
Date: 1/14/2015 at 12:06:50

William Joseph Mertens, 55, of Burlington, died at 5:31 a.m. Wednesday, February 18, 2004, at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington.

Born March 30, 1948, in Cresco, he was the son of Myron Paul (Mike) and Mary Genevieve Biever Mertens. On April 16, 1977, he married Mary Martenson in Burlington.

Mr. Mertens was editor and publisher of The Hawk Eye from 1984 to 2004.

He was active in numerous civic and professional organizations, including the Iowa Newspaper Association, Iowa Freedom of Information Council and the Burlington/West Burlington Area United Way. He was a member of SS. John and Paul Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Michael Mertens of Tulsa Oklahoma, and Ryan Mertens and Andrew Mertens of Davenport; his mother, Mary Novak of Cedar Rapids; two sisters, Myrna Ballard of Cedar Rapids and Pat Dvorak of Dubuque; one brother, Fran Mertens of Atlanta; one step sister, Pat Wanderer of Bozeman, Montana; one stepbrother, Bob Novak of Phoenix, Arizona; nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father and stepfather, Leonard H. Novak.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Prugh's Chapel, with a rosary to be recited at 6 p.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church, after which the family will receive friends until 8:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Mertens will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Paul's Catholic Church, with Monsignor John Hyland and Rev. Fr. Patrick Hilgendorf as concelebrants. The Des Moines County Resurrection will provide the music. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery.

A memorial has been established.

http://www.prughfuneralservice.com/obits/obituary.php?id=174801
 

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