The first Iowan to die of the West Nile virus passed away in Ames last week.

Thomas “Eddie” Kuebler, 81, of Glidden, died Tuesday at the Mary Greeley Medical Center, 1111 Duff Ave. Kuebler exhibited flu-like symptoms and other weaknesses for a week before he was admitted to St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home in Carroll, said Greg Platt, Kuebler’s landlord. Those symptoms resulted in Kuebler having difficulty walking, Platt said.

Kuebler went to see his family doctor complaining of weakness and then went home for the day. He returned to the hospital the next day confused and delirious, then went into a coma, said Stephen Gleason, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. Kuebler later died at Mary Greeley Medical Center.

It is still unknown where or how he contracted the virus.

“He was fairly active and he was mowing his yard within the previous two weeks,” Gleason said.

His funeral services took place on Friday.

Kuebler was a decorated World War II veteran, retired truck driver and long-time resident of Glidden.

He was well-known and liked among members of the Glidden community, Platt said.

Kuebler owned a trailer court on the south side of Glidden, where he mowed the lawn regularly. Residents have speculated this practice may have resulted in the mosquito bite that caused him to contract the West Nile virus.

Glidden City Councilman Larry Littlefield said that though he did not personally know Kuebler, he is discouraged by the loss despite efforts to reduce the risk of the virus by town officials.

“We’ve been spraying our trees for mosquitoes all summer,” Littlefield said. “But it seems like we’re going to need to do more.”

Iowa health officials announced two additional human cases Thursday, both in Webster County, bringing the state’s tally to 30 cases.

Kuebler, a great-great-grandfather and widower, is survived by his sister, three sons, two daughters, 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

– The Associated Press contributed to this article