Roger R. Dreier, 74, of Aurelia passed away on Oct. 6, 2026, at Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City.
Funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 9 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurelia. Burial was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Aurelia. Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee assisted the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
Roger Dreier was born on Jan. 7, 1952, along with his twin sister, Rita, in Carroll, to Elmer and Allene (Christensen) Dreier. He was baptized as an infant in a small country Lutheran church near Manning and confirmed in 1966 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Audubon.
Roger learned the value of hard work at an early age. He began working alongside his father and uncle on the family farm and received his first Oliver tractor when he was just seven years old. His love of farming, machinery,and working with his hands continued throughout his life. As a young man, he began baling hay for neighboring farmers and later worked for Groteluschen John Deere, where he developed his mechanical skills and learned to repair equipment for the family farm. He also drove a fuel wagon for the Phillips 66 station.
One of Roger's fondest memories was driving the 1650 Oliver tractor across the farm at night, listening to a Chicago radio station while the glow of the tractor's muffler as he cultivated or plowed. It was a simple moment, but one that captured so much of what he loved—working the land, being outdoors and having a job to do.
Roger attended rural Audubon County schools and graduated from Audubon High School in 1970. He went on to work as a parts man in the service department of a Chevrolet dealership in Fort Dodge, where he met Laurie Eldredge. Roger moved to Aurelia in 1983, and the two were married on Aug. 11, 1984, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fort Dodge.
In the mid-1980s, Roger began a new chapter in his career when he attended Western Iowa Tech Community College for carpentry. He went on to work for Merv Petersen Construction in Alta, where he became an exceptionally skilled finish carpenter. His tremendous attention to detail and pride in his work were evident in everything he built.
Roger later worked at the Aurelia Lumberyard and then Sioux Lumber in Sioux Rapids. Following a heart attack, he began working for the Aurelia Community School District as a custodian and groundskeeper. He took great pride in caring for the school grounds and especially enjoyed showing his community pride through the paintings on the hill at Valor Field. He also worked for Buena Vista University as a custodian, caring for the music building and chapel.
One of Roger's favorite jobs during retirement was his part-time position at Walmart in Storm Lake, where he built bicycles for children. He took pride in assembling each bike carefully and correctly so that the children could ride them as soon as they left the store. It was another reflection of the way Roger lived his life—doing things well and finding joy in helping others.
Roger was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, LCMS in Aurelia and Lutheran LEMS. His faith was an important part of his life, and he was a strong believer in the power of prayer. He lived his faith not only through his words, but through his actions, his kindness and the way he cared for others.
Roger had a gift for fixing and building just about anything. He patiently taught others through projects, always willing to lend a hand or share what he knew. He was known for his calm nature and his familiar reminder, "Cooler heads will prevail." Those words reflected the way he approached life—with patience, steadiness and wisdom.
Above all, Roger was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and a loyal friend. He gave his family unwavering support through every challenge life brought their way. He adored his daughter, Erin, and daughter-in-law, Mimi, and had a special gift for being a shepherd to those who needed a little extra love, encouragement and support. He found happiness in staying busy, having a purpose, helping others and simply being there for the people he loved.
Roger enjoyed tinkering, working on cars, Oliver tractors, and taking on projects that gave him an opportunity to use his hands and his mind. He had a remarkable ability to see how something could be repaired, rebuilt or made better—and he was always willing to share that gift with others.
Roger will be remembered for his strong faith, quiet strength, remarkable work ethic, gentle spirit and unwavering love for his family. He leaves behind a legacy built not only with his hands, but through the countless lives he touched with his kindness, patience, humor and generous heart.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; son Jacob Wayne Dreier in 2006; and sister Marsha Borkowski 2007.
Roger will be lovingly remembered by his wife Laurie of Aurelia; children: Nathan Eldredge of Gowrie; Erin Eldredge of Aurelia; and Luke (Noemi) Dreier of Sioux City; grandchildren: Ethan (Nick) Teeters and Logan Rand (Sabrina Van Gorp); twin sister Rita (Jim) Petersen; brother-in-law Jim Borkowski; nieces and nephews: Jason Petersen family, Jody Schafer family, Brad Borkowski family and Kelli Brokwoski; also many cousins and friends.
