James F. Waner

James F. Waner, 71, of Estero, Fla., died Friday, March 13, 2015. Formerly of Iowa, he had been an Estero resident since 2011. 

He was born March 30, 1943 in Wichita, Kan., the son of Joseph Edward and Geneva Pauline (née Scherer) Waner.  Jim grew up on the family farm outside of Florence, Kan.  He went to Florence high school, and then later went to Kansas State University. 

Jim met Valeta (Vee) Fernberg through a friend of Vee’s. They were married June 1, 1963. Together they had two sons, Greg and Roger.

Jim had worked many jobs from gas station attendant to a shoe salesman; he also worked as a traveling steel salesman throughout the upper Midwest.  Later he moved to Clear Lake, Iowa and purchased the Miller beer distributorship in Mason City, Iowa.   He was a natural salesman who grew the company from a one-truck business to a two warehouse multi truck business.

Jim loved spending time watching his kids play all types of sports; he also had a love for his dogs (lastly Sassy). He was a very active member of the Ventura Booster Club when his children were attending high school and the Knights of Columbus chapter out of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Clear Lake.  Jim was an avid golfer.  He liked to play in three and four-man tournaments around the North Iowa area.  He also won many club championships while belonging to the different courses, lastly at Rice Lake Country Club in Lake Mills, Iowa.  During his semi retirement he and Vee would winter in Estero, Fla., where he belonged to Wildcat Run

Country Club.

Jim loved his grandkids and was quick with a sarcastic remark, which was what made him all the more endearing. He was always first to have a history story and many quick-witted jokes.

Mr. Waner is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Valeta G. (née Fernberg); his beloved sons, Gregory Stephen (Sondra) Waner, of Clear Lake, and Roger Allan (Jill) Waner, of Mason City; sister, Joan and husband Jerry Onsrud, of Colorado; brother, Bernard (Janice) Waner, of Florence, Kan.; eight grandchildren, Ashley, John, Nathan, Whitney, Logan, Chelsea, Josh and Cole; and 10 great-grandchildren, Bella, Olivia, Aiden and Owen, Abbey, Allison, Casey, Kaitlyn, Nolan and Jacob.

A memorial service will be held in Clear Lake, Iowa at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Clear Lake.