White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence – L. John Flage, M.D., 82 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died on Saturday, December 7, 2013, at his home.  He was born on July 31, 1931, in Allamakee County, Iowa, the son of Harvey Arthur and Hazel Helen (Henry) Flage.  He attended country schools and graduated from high school in Waukon, Iowa, with the Class of 1950.  He graduated from the University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1957 and the University of Iowa School of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1962.  He practiced medicine in Independence, Iowa, for 45 years before retiring in 1999.  While he was in college, Dr. Flage worked for the U.S. Park Service during the summers at Yosemite National Park in California.

During the Korean Conflict, Dr. Flage served in the U.S. Army.  He was a member of Signal Corps and was stationed in Japan.  On February 21, 1962, he and the former Mary Margaret Mitchell were married in Torrance, California.  They were later divorced.  On March 10, 1979, he and the former Karen Ann Severson Gremmert were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

Dr. Flage was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Independence. He sang in the choir and taught Sunday School, and was on the Preschool Board, and the Stewardship and Accounting Committees.  He was also a member of the Independence Rotary Club (Past President) and the Foster Care Review Board. He was a master gardener, mentored in the Independence School System, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.  Dr. Flage enjoyed gardening, reading history, traveling and woodworking.  He was a kind, generous, non-judgmental Christian.

Dr. Flage is survived by his wife, Karen, 1 son, Craig (Kim) Flage of Zeeland, Michigan, 2 daughters, Stephanie (Jesse) Holt of Kansas City, Missouri, and Ann Flage of Indian Harbor Beach, Florida, and 2 step sons, Scott (Susan) Gremmert of Redmond, Washington, and Mark (Jennifer) Gremmert of Centennial, Colorado.  He is also survived by 6 grandchildren, 1 great grandson, 1 sister, Mary Erickson of Rogers, Arkansas, and 1 sister-in-law, LeeOtia Flage of Waukon, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents and 1 brother, Kenneth Flage.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 12, 2013, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Independence, Iowa, with Pastor Greg DeBoer officiating.  Committal Services will be held at the Cremation Garden at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence.  Friends may call for visitation from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11^th, at the White Funeral Home in Independence.