Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott opened a news conference Thursday with a surprise hook — a boxing superstar was laid to rest in the area.
“Growing up, George Foreman was certainly a hero of a lot of ours, and he represented the United States as well as anybody,” Scott said.
Scott said he first met the Foreman family a year ago when they quietly buried their loved one in Logan Park Cemetery. George Foreman, a native of Texas, died March 21, 2025, at the age of 76.
“I can’t think of a more caring, giving family,” Scott added.
The decision wasn’t sudden. It was rooted in a memory, decades old.
The boxing legend and businessman once told his family he found a sense of peace while visiting the Loess Hills of western Iowa — a rugged, wind-shaped landscape that stretches about 200 miles along the Missouri River, formed from deep deposits of silt left behind after the last ice age.
George Foreman Jr. said his father became acquainted with the area after spending a lot of time in neighboring Nebraska.
“This is a love story about the region,” George Jr. said. “When you fly into Omaha, you cross over to Iowa very quickly. And he would always talk about the hills in Iowa.”
At first, the idea didn’t seem serious. George Jr. said his father began mentioning in 1984 that he wanted to be buried in Iowa — something the family brushed off at the time.
“When your parents say their wishes, you say, ‘Mom, dad, be quiet. You’re never going to die,’” George Jr. said. “So, when it finally happened, my mom said, ‘I guess we’re going to Iowa.’”
That decision set the family on a search for the right place, one that matched both the landscape Foreman admired and the legacy he left behind. They chose Logan Park Cemetery, tucked near Stone State Park on the northern edge of Sioux City.
Daughter Natalie Foreman said the community played a key role in helping the family through the process.
“You gave us peace of mind when we needed it most. You showed deep consideration and provided protection for dad,” Natalie said. “Your actions remind us that kindness, dignity and humanity still guide the work you do. You treated our father not just as a famous name, but as one of your own, worthy of protection and honor, and for that, we are forever indebted.”
Now, a large monument marks the gravesite. It features an image of Foreman from his younger days as a heavyweight champion.
Foreman’s life spanned far beyond the ring. He first rose to prominence in 1968 when he won an Olympic gold medal and captured the heavyweight championship five years later. He later became an ordained minister, then returned to boxing. He made history at 45 years old as the oldest heavyweight champion before building a successful business empire with the George Foreman Grill.
But his family said what mattered most wasn’t the titles or fame.
Foreman’s youngest son, George VI, known as Joe, said his father’s good character continued long after the spotlight of sports.
“I want people to know that my dad was a very charitable soul,” Joe said. “He went through many hardships, and when he got money, he never forgot what he went through. He wanted to make sure things were easier for other people.”
Joe said his father’s life changed in 1965 when he attended Job Corps, where he — at the age of 16 — was first introduced to boxing.
The family said they plan to return to Sioux City, not just to visit, but to continue that spirit of giving.
“I don’t know specifics on what we might have planned, but it’s definitely something we want to do,” Joe said.
For George Jr., the choice of Iowa now feels fitting.
“There’s a saying called 'Iowa nice.' Have you heard that, Iowa nice?” he said. “He was nice, but he wasn't from Iowa — and now it all makes sense.”
George Jr. added that his father was also a cowboy at heart, drawn to wide-open landscapes.
“When you're just sitting at home with him, he had western movies on,” George Jr. said. “He’d say, ‘Look at that scenery — I want to ride a horse there.’”
Now, he said, his father has that view for good.
