Craig Niewoehner, 63

Craig Niewoehner, age 63 of Lime Springs, passed away at his home on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lime Springs.

Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at the Lindstrom Funeral Home in Cresco, as well as one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Burial will be at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Lime Springs.

Craig John Niewoehner was born Jan. 5, 1960, at West Union. He was the son of John and Eunice Niewoehner. He was baptized in Lutheran faith and later confirmed at the Lutheran church in rural Boyd. After moving to Chester, he was a member of United Lutheran church until it closed.

Craig wasn’t afraid to try anything if he thought it would work. He built houses and logged with his dad.

He married Elaine Ross on July 16, 1977, at St. Paul’s Maple Leaf Lutheran Church in rural Elma. They are the parents of Ray and John.

Craig also worked at A & K Feed & Grain and the Farmers Coop, both of Lime Springs.

He was a Tomorrow’s Leader Today, a member of Chester-Lime Springs Fish & Game. (He helped build the shooting bench there), a volunteer fireman of Chester Fire and Rescue of which he was assistant fire chief for many years.

He started to work at SMI Co., when it was located in Chester; due to a fire SMI Co. relocated to Cresco. Tom Kammer, manager then of SMI Co., and Craig were then put to the task of finding a large enough building and reconstructing SMI Co. — along with setting up equipment and getting the company back on its feet. It was a challenge laying out and setting up the equipment. Craig took his task to heart and made it work.

A few years later SMI bought a sawmill of which Craig became the manager until his failing health in 2022 forced him to retire.

Craig was a fighter — surviving a heart attack, stroke and cancer, doing 2 rounds of radiation in 2019 and 2020. He and wife Elaine, along with the rest of the Niewoehner family, were famous for their eggrolls at Lime Springs Sweet Corn Days, of which the proceeds were donated to the Lime Springs pool.

Living with Craig was like a box of animal crackers, you never knew what adventure you would be on next.

Craig will be sadly missed by his wife Elaine of 45 years; his sons, Ray and Jamie Niewoehner and their children, Jackie and Jade, and John and Sonda Niewoehner and their children, Ross, Rose, Chase, Carter, Cruz and Jessica and great-grandson Zakia; his mother, Eunice Niewoehner; brother, Ken and wife Jolene; two nieces; one nephew; and one great-niece.

He is proceeded in death by his father, John Niewoehner; paternal grandparents, Ervin Niewoehner and Clara Niewoehner Schultz; step-grandfather, Melvin Schultz; maternal grandparents, Maxwell and Frances Matt; and his in-laws, Paul and Alice Ross.

The Niewoehner family would like to thank the Howard County Hospice nurses and aides for their excellent care and support, Pastor Jeff Jacobs for his visits, neighbors Betty and Brad for their visits and all their delicious food and treats. May God bless you all!