Emil Karl Rumohr

Emil Karl Frederick Rumohr, Jr was born August 17th, 1937 in Remsen. “Sonny” as he was known to his family, was the only child of Emil Karl Frederick Sr. and Clara Pauline (Bottjen) Rumohr. He graduated from Remsen High School. Following high school he attended Westmar College in LeMars, IA. He entered the military February 6, 1960 and was honorably discharged on August 5, 1960.

On June 9, 1963, Emil married Carol Hicks in Cherokee, IA. They lived in Cherokee and started a family while he worked for Caswell Mfg. as a welder and later the foreman. In 1967, the couple moved to Sioux City to start their careers in the motel business as managers at The Biltmore Motel. In 1972 they purchased the Bel Aire Motel in Sioux City and operated that until 1989. They spent the next few years managing other hotels before becoming traveling relief managers for Motel 6 officially retiring to Royal in 2004.

Emil enjoyed traveling. He and Carol took several trips to Las Vegas with friends and enjoyed many cruises. Emil, along with Carol & Laura did a tour of his ancestral homeland, Germany. He also liked to tinker and fix things. He was Vicki’s “pool boy” and loved spending time with his granddaughters, helping them with their 4H animals.

Emil passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer at the age of 88.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Carol; his daughters: Laura Rumohr (Grant Galvin) of Vermillion, SD and Vicki Nehring and her husband, Dwayne of Royal, IA; his grandchildren: Renee (Cody) Huckfelt and their son, Theo and Sarah (Brent) Day and their son, Russell; along with other relatives and friends.