Travis D. Landt
After a courageous and long battle with physical and mental health illness, the pain and darkness Travis endured became unbearable and he tragically took his own life.
Yet his dark days will not stop us from remembering the days of light.
Travis was the oldest of two sets of siblings; he never believed in the words half or step. Family was family. He was extremely proud of his siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews.
While growing up, Travis had a passion for small town living. Travis was an avid member of the FFA and a huge advocate for farm safety.
As senior class president of 1995, Travis set out to make a difference in his rural Iowa communities. He graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 1998 which led him to being an EMT, Police Officer in McGregor, a Lieutenant in Guttenberg, and a deputy for the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.
Fifteen years ago, Travis set out for a new life in New Orleans. Over the years, Travis continued to express to his family that he had found his true place in life. He loved to brag to his family back home about the warm NOLA weather and Louisiana food. There wasn’t a conversation had with Travis that didn’t evolve around politics, LSU and the New Orleans Saints, and always ended with a “WHO DAT!”
Recently, Travis became recertified in Law Enforcement and worked as a Security Officer for a prestigious Catholic School in New Orleans.
Travis’ life favorites: Heidi Mom’s homemade pizza. Mom’s Mexican chicken. Deer hunting with his brothers, dad and the rest of the group. Aunt Ginny’s banana bread. Grandma Yvonne’s baked chicken. Pinching cheeks. Beth’s brownies. Pontooning with Ann on the Mississippi. Wilson. Grandma Rita’s apple pie. Grandma Bev’s meatloaf and pickle wraps. Hunting trips and long talks with his Dad Shane.
A momma’s boy, with his infectious smile and cheerful persona, Travis could light up a room full of love and laughter. Those closest to him knew he was strong in his convictions, and for lack of better words, a passionate pain in the neck, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. If there was one thing Travis always did, it was being sure his family and friends, near and far, knew how much he genuinely loved and cared for them.
He is survived by parents, Sandy (Shane) Landt; siblings, Aaron (Tricia) Landt, Jared (Katrina) Landt and Shannon Landt; many cousins, nieces and nephews; maternal grandparents, Vernon (Margo) Heck and Beverly (L’Dean) Berns; uncles and aunts, Jefferey Heck, David (Jan) Heck, Diane (Bob) Schafer, Ginny (Mark) Otto, Roxanne (Mike) Johaningmeier, Shelby Landt. Valerie (Mark) Cromer, Sarah (Tim) Kirkpatrick, Lara (Logan) Grey, Lisa (Larry) Futrell, Larry Mann, Dave (Deb) Berns, Dwight (Jolene) Berns, Dan (Janice) Berns, Deb Berns and Dawn Clinton.
Survived by parents, Heidi (Jim) Annear; siblings, Jake (Keri) Smith and Katie (Jake) Sargent; aunts, Becky (Roger) Hefel and Karilyn Smith; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Travis also leaves many additional family and friends from Iowa to New Orleans.
Preceded in death by grandparents, Dan and Rita Smith; father, Bart Smith; aunts, Bonnie (Dewgie) Vorwald, Lucy Reyerson and Patt Smith, and uncles, Luke Smith and Doug Berns; cousins, Trevor Wolf and Kelly Crubaugh. He also was preceded in death by grandparents, Dean and Yvonne Landt and cousin, Jessica Otto.
Memorial services will be held on Feb. 20, at 2 p.m., at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Garnavillo. Immediately following friends and family are welcome to gather at the Garnavillo Community Center. Covid precautions will be practiced.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial account has been created under the name of Travis D. Landt Memorial. Condolences may be sent to Shane and Sandy Landt at 19745 Keystone Rd., Unit 2, Garnavillo, IA 52049.
