Sumae Herker

Sumae Herker, 68, of Clear Lake, died Monday, Aug. 22, 2016 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.

Private graveside services were held in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, with Chaplin Ed Bard of Hospice of North Iowa officiating.

Sumae was born Sept. 6, 1947, in Kagoshima, Japan, the daughter of Jucuch and Kuni Takeyama.

She worked at a hospital in Japan as a nurse, where she met her future husband, Donald Herker, who was serving in the United States Marine Corps as an M.P.  They were married May 1, 1968 in Fukuoka, Japan.  They lived in various places in the United States and overseas until his retirement from the service in 1983, when they moved to Clear Lake.

She enjoyed gardening, working in her flower beds, cooking, sewing, making quilts and going on the family camping trips which included competitive trout fishing.  She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Don Herker, Clear Lake; two children, Rene (Scott) Davis, Forest City, Iowa and Joe Herker, Clear Lake; four grandchildren, Jessica Herker, Mason City, Iowa, Meagan Anderson, Forest City, Iowa, her fiancé, Justin Lamberson, Forest City, Avery Herker, Clear Lake, Jaxson Herker, Clear Lake; three great-grandchildren, Wesley Lamberson, Erika Michaelson and Leo Lamberson; sister-in-law, Beth Ann (Mark) Schumacher, Clear Lake; brother-in-law, Martin (Anita) Herker, Traer, Iowa; three sisters and one bother in Japan.

Sumae was preceded in death by her parents in Japan.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.