George Forman chose to be buried in Sioux City, Iowa. Here's why.

It's been a year since heavyweight champ and famous grill seller George Foreman was laid to rest on April 17, 2025. When he died the month before, Foreman said he wanted to be buried in Iowa, in the landscape that had given him a sense of peace.

His trip to the state's Loess Hills region in 1988 stuck with him. Foreman often spoke of his memories of that time.

His family traveled from Texas to bury him at Logan Park Cemetery in Sioux City, a site that overlooks the Loess Hills.

"They said when they arrived, they immediately understood," a family representative said in a news release provided by Sioux City officials. "It looked exactly how he described."

Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott, far right, and Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller, second from right, stand with George Foreman's family members as they honor his legacy.

On April 16, 2026, his family members returned to his resting place to honor his legacy and to thank the city officials who helped bring him back to the Loess Hills.

"Their story is a reminder of how one place can stay with someone for a lifetime," said Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott.

Who is George Foreman?

Foreman rose to international prominence after winning a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, later becoming a two-time heavyweight boxing champion. In 1994, he made history by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion at age 45, according to the city's news release.

He is not only a record-breaking boxer, but also gained fame later in life as the promoter of the George Foreman Grill.

Foreman was Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at lcheng@gannett.com or 515-284-8132.