Eric A. Hemmer

Eric Anthony Hemmer, 44, of Dubuque, passed away peacefully at home on August 20, 2025, surrounded by those he loved, after a short battle with small bowel cancer.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 25, 2026, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road with a wake service to be held at 2:45 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, at St. Columbkille Catholic Church with Fr. Robert Gross officiating. Entombment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Eric was born on February 6, 1981, in Dubuque, the son of Tony and Joyce (Hufnagel) Hemmer. He graduated from Hempstead High School in 1999, and later from NICC with a degree in Marketing Management.

Eric married Beth Jaeger on June 18th, 2005, at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Balltown, Iowa. Together they have two children, Andrew and Samuel. Eric worked at Gierke-Robinson as the Dubuque Branch Manager for 23 years. He was an active member of St. Columbkille's Catholic Church where he served as a Sacristan.

Growing up, Eric was always busy and was never one to sit still. A trait he carried on throughout his life. He loved to go fishing with his dad and play Legos and Nintendo with his brother. In high school his lifelong love affair with guitars began. He would spend countless hours in local guitar shops, eyeing his next purchase. He also made beautiful guitars throughout his life and was a master woodworker. Eric adored his children, Andrew and Samuel. His greatest role in life was Dad. He found so much joy sharing in each of their interests. He would play and talk strategies in Minecraft with Sam and talk for hours about world history with Andrew.

After his last hospitalization in early July, Eric decided to enter Hospice services. Not because he was choosing death, but because he was choosing life. He wanted to spend every moment he had left on this earth with those he loved, doing the things that he loved, and that is exactly what he did. He took road trips with his best friend Morgan to guitar shops, his brother Aaron set up a private movie screening they shared together, he was a guest on his favorite podcast (Guitar Nerds), he took a pontoon ride with Beth and their sons up the Mississippi, built lots of Legos with Sam and chatted about anything and everything with Andrew. He received a daily strawberry lemonade from his friend Andrea, and nightly head rubs from Jessica. He was able to have many more father-son moments with his dad and laugh and reminisce beautiful memories with his mom. Not to mention all the cherished visits from his siblings, brothers and sisters in law, nieces, nephews, and all those who loved him. The pinnacle event being the benefit that was organized in his honor to raise money for Andrew and Sam's future education, something Eric was incredibly grateful for and gave him so much peace.

Those left to cherish Eric's memory are too many to count, but include, Beth Hemmer and Jessica Funk of Dubuque, his sons Andrew and Samuel Hemmer, his parents, Tony and Joyce Hemmer of Dubuque, his mother and father-in-law Leon and Connie Jaeger of Dubuque, his siblings Jennifer (Kevin) Wernimont of Dubuque, Angie (Kevin) Anglin of Dubuque, Aaron (Liz) Hemmer of Iowa City. His brothers and sisters in-law, Lynn (Ed) Miller of Dubuque, Ed (Renee) Jaeger of Lake Geneva, WI, Tony (Debbie) Jaeger of Dubuque, Ann (Jeremy) Woeppel of Chambers, NE, Mark (Melissa) Jaeger of Berthoud, CO. He is also survived by his best friend Morgan Keedy of Dubuque, his Goddaughter Rose Woeppel of Chambers, NE and many nieces and nephews whom he loved so very much.

Eric is preceded in death by his grandparents, Ervin and Jean Hufnagel and Betty Hemmer.

Our family would like to especially thank Hospice of Dubuque-Megan, Jesse and Stephanie, for all the care and support they gave him and the family over the last 7 weeks. We will be forever grateful.