Louis A. Danner

West Liberty, Iowa

Louis A. Danner, 88, passed away Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at Simpson Memorial Home in West Liberty.

Visitation will be held 4 to 7 P. M. Monday, March 2, 2026 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Liberty. Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at the church. Burial will take place in Overman Cemetery in Atalissa, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Louis Danner Memorial Fund. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty is caring for Louis and his family.

Louis Allen Danner was born February 8, 1938, on the family farm near Illinois City, Illinois, the son of Carrol and Vera (Blanchard) Danner. As family has told the story, the doctor arrived by tractor and wagon to assist with his birth. In 1948, at the age of ten, Louie moved with his parents and two sisters to the West Liberty area. He grew up on the farm where the Danner Farms office is located today.

In his youth, Louie milked cows, gathered eggs, and worked diligently with his FFA and 4-H calves and pigs. At just eight years old, he began driving a Case VAC tractor, doing field tillage ahead of his father as crops were planted - an early sign of a lifetime devoted to farming. He attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from West Liberty High School in 1956.

Following graduation, Louie began farming alongside his father and served six years in the United States Army Reserves. On October 2, 1962, he was united in marriage to Sandra Sue Barkalow in Aledo, Illinois.

Together, Louis and Sandy owned and operated Lou-San Angus Farm. Over the years, they built an impressive herd of Angus and Chi-Angus cattle, fed hogs farrow-to-finish, and row-cropped several hundred acres. Louie was widely respected in the cattle industry for his skill in clipping and fitting show cattle for well-known groups such as the Ankenys and the C.V. Whitneys. Considered a "hired gun" by many, he judged numerous cattle shows and competitions at the county and state level traveling throughout the United States and Canada sharing his expertise. One of Louis's greatest joys was assisting kids at the local as well as national level with the exhibition of cattle. As well as watching his children and grandchildren carry on his passion for cattle. Louis assisted cattle producers all over the nation with the marketing of their cattle, including local cattlemen and friends as well. Louis was the distributer for the state of Iowa and western Illinois for Agri SC for nearly 30 years. A business he grew passionately all those years..

He was active in many cattle organizations, including the Angus Cattle Association and the Muscatine County Cattlemen's Association. Throughout his career, he received numerous honors, including the Iowa State Fair John Sheets Award.

Louis and Sandy retired from farming in 2012 but remained busy tending vegetable and flower gardens. Louie also cherished his collection of nine tractors, including the first one he purchased - a 1958 Ford 800. He was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Liberty.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Sandy of West Liberty; his children: Peggy Stucker of Winter Park, Florida; Billie Danner of West Liberty; Becky Martin (Paul) of Nichols; Beth Jargo (John Hall) of Knoxville, Illinois; and Blaine Danner of Bristol, Indiana. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Payton Danner (Allison) of New York, New York; Gracie Carter (Tyler) of Atalissa; Emma Martin (Ethan Chenault) of Wayland, Iowa; and Elli Jo Martin of Nichols; along with his first great-granddaughter, expected in July 2026 (Louis' recent 88th birthday cake was a gender reveal for his first expected great granddaughter). He is further survived by his sister, Charlotte Toburen (Dean) of Harleysville, Pennsylvania.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter, Chelsea Stucker; his sister and brother-in-law, Betty Joan and Delmar Gingerich.