Earl Kerkhoff

Earl Edward, son of Henry and Pauline (Sextro) Kerkhoff, was born October 8, 1929, at Templeton, Iowa. Following his high school graduation from the Loras Academy in Dubuque in 1948, Earl was drafted into the United States Marine Corp. He served for two years during the Korean War, and returned to Iowa to work as a farm hand. On September 8, 1956, Earl was united in marriage with Elizabeth "Betty" Kalkhoff at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton. Six children were born to this union and the family resided on a farm northwest of Templeton. The couple semi-retired and moved into Templeton in 1987. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2006. Earl was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Templeton and the American Legion Emil Ewoldt Post 22. He enjoyed playing cards with his family, doing puzzles and listening to polka music. Honoring his fellow veterans on Memorial Day was important to Earl. Earl suffered a stroke in 1998. In 2005 he became a resident of the Manning Plaza Nursing Home, where he died on Tuesday, November 1, 2011. He was 82 years and 24 days of age. Earl was preceded in death by his parents; wife Betty Kerkhoff in 2007; granddaughter Mary Ann Kerkhoff; brothers Floyd Kerkhoff and Robert Kerkhoff; sister-in-law Natheal Meiners; and brother-in-law Louis Muhlbauer. He is survived by six children: Marilyn and husband Rick Hoffman of Carroll; John Kerkhoff and wife Karen of Templeton; Janice and husband Dan Hackfort of Carroll; Rose Gehling of Templeton; Jeanne and husband Dwight Gruhn of Manning; and Julia Kerkhoff of Johnston; 16 grandchildren: Nicholas Hoffman; Stephen Hoffman and fiancée Kimberly Root; Eric and wife Jeanne Kerkhoff; Alan Kerkhoff and fiancée Lauren Reischl; Gina and husband Jeremy Carroll; Brad Hackfort, Matt Hackfort and wife Stephanie; Beth and husband Zack Schmidt; Ben Hackfort; Todd Hackfort; Katie and husband Brandon Squibb; Cody Gehling and wife Jade; Clint Gehling; Kelli Beckendorf; Jarod Gruhn; and Lance Gruhn; 14 great-grandchildren; sister Phyllis Muhlbauer of Manilla; sister-in-law Evelyn Kerkhoff of Carroll; brothers-in-law Edwin Kalkhoff and wife Kathy of Manning and Ted Meiners of Carroll; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Concelebrants REV. STEVEN BRODERSEN AND REV. ROBERT GRALAPP Lectors NICHOLAS HOFFMAN MATT HACKFORT Mass Servers ANDREW & ALEX IRLBECK Eucharistic Ministers MARILYN & RICK HOFFMAN DAN HACKFORT Gift Bearers ~ Earl's Granddaughters GINA CARROLL BETH SCHMIDT KATIE SQUIBB KELLI BECKENDORF MUSIC "HERE I AM LORD" "BE NOT AFRAID" "ON EAGLE'S WINGS" "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC" "HOW GREAT THOU ART" SACRED HEART MEN'S CHOIR JEANNE KERKHOFF, ORGANIST Casket Bearers ~ Earl's Grandsons NICHOLAS HOFFMAN STEPHEN HOFFMAN ERIC KERKHOFF ALAN KERKHOFF BRAD HACKFORT MATT HACKFORT BEN HACKFORT TODD HACKFORT CODY GEHLING CLINT GEHLING JAROD GRUHN LANCE GRUHN Interment with Military Honors SACRED HEART CEMETERY, TEMPLETON, IOWA AMERICAN LEGION EMIL EWOLDT POST 22 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3517