John Howard Nuzum

1974 - 2016

Funeral services for John H. Nuzum, 42, were conducted by Reverend Antony Mathew on Friday morning, Dec. 2, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Audubon. Interment was in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery south of Audubon. The casket bearers were Jeff Silver, Todd Springston, Rodney Borkowski, Robin Borkowski, Ryan Borkowski, Gerry Thraen, and Grant Niemeyer.
John Howard Nuzum, the son of Kenny and Rosie (Nuzum) Adams, was born July 1, 1974, in Onawa, and died Nov. 24, 2016, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, at the age of 42 years, 4 months, and 20 days.
John was baptized in the Methodist Church in Woodbine, and confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church northwest of Audubon. Years later he became a member of the Catholic Church in Des Moines. John attended school in Manning, and Vail, then graduated from the Audubon High School with the Class of 1993. John studied at the Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines, for a semester then worked various jobs for several years. He was employed at Maytag in Newton, until the Newton plant closed then he worked as a welder and machinist.
On June 1, 2013, he was united in marriage to Laura Neitzel at the Hamlin Lutheran Church in Hamlin.
They lived near Newton for a short time then moved back to rural Exira. Since that time John has been employed as a mechanic at Duke Aerial and has also helped several local farmers.
John was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Audubon. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. John loved to saw lumber and could identify the type and give the history of the many different species of wood. He enjoyed building bonfires and was well known for the spectacular fires he created. John had a sweet tooth and as a child earned the nickname of "Ho-Ho" after finishing off two boxes of the delicious treats. Later he was christened "Wookie" for his abundance of body hair. He enjoyed 4-wheeling, watching movies, and drinking Folger's coffee with sugar and AE milk. John frequently communicated with his "brother from another mother" as they took pictures and texted back and forth as they shared a cold banquet beer. He was often seen with his constant companion Gracie Mae. But above all he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his father Kenny Adams; his mother-in-law Joan Neitzel; his paternal grandparents Bill and Berniece Adams; and his maternal grandfather Bob Nuzum.
Survivors include his wife Laura Nuzum of Exira; his faithful companion Gracie Mae; his mother Rosie Shelley of Kimballton; his sisters Nettie and husband Jon Bruen of Van Meter, and Summer Shelley of Kimballton; his grandmother Nettie Nuzum of Woodbine; his father-in-law Leonard Neitzel of Audubon; his brother-in-law Paul Neitzel of Carroll; his sister-in-law Jodi Neitzel-Huff of Rock Island, Ill.; his special nieces and nephews Natalie Smith, Kenley Smith, and Oliver Bruen all of Van Meter; other relatives and many friends.