Meryl Franklin Kerkhoff

Meryl Franklin, son of Alphons M. and Frances H. (Bluml) Kerkhoff, was born January 17, 1929 at home on the farm in rural Templeton, Iowa. He attended school in Templeton, graduating in 1946 from Sacred Heart High School. Meryl farmed with his family and then served in the United States Army from 1951-1953. He was stationed in Korea as a machine gunner with the 2nd Infantry Division. On December 26, 1950 Meryl was united in marriage with Imelda Grossman at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Willey. They made their home on a farm 3 miles south of Manning and seven children were born to this union. Meryl resumed farming after his military discharge. In 1957 he attended the Reisch College of Auctioneering in Mason City, and he then worked as an auctioneer and real estate agent in addition to farming. Meryl continued to help his sons Marty and Dan with their farming operations over the years. He was the Master Distiller of Templeton Rye Whiskey, having provided the recipe to launch commercial production. Meryl was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, the Iowa Real Estate and Auctioneer Association and lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Church in Manning. Meryl loved to spend time and play cards with his grandchildren. For the last several months Meryl had been fighting cancer. He died at the Manning Hospital on Thursday, July 29, 2010 at the age of 81 years, 6 months and 12 days. He is preceded in death by his parents; brother Orville Kerkhoff; brother-in-law Francis Tunink; sisters- and brothers-in-law: William Thielen; Helen Thielen (Charles); Louis Grossman (Marian); and Rita Tigges. He is survived by his wife Imelda Kerkhoff of Manning; children: Marty Kerkhoff (Debra) of Manning; Keith Kerkhoff of Manilla; Mary Bertelsen (John) of Polk City; Joel Kerkhoff of Glenwood; Ron Kerkhoff (Kim) of Hartland, MN; Dan Kerkhoff (Cheryl) of Manning; Scott Kerkhoff (Teri) of Iowa City; 14 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren: Adrianne Kerkhoff, Benjamin Kerkhoff and Cecelia Snow; siblings: Joan Tunink of Odebolt; Frank Kerkhoff (Carol) of Red Oak; David Kerkhoff (Delores) of Templeton; and Joyce Masching (Jim) of Carroll; sister-in-law Dorothy Kerkhoff of Audubon; sisters- and brothers-in-law: Marie Thielen of Carroll; Robert Grossman (Lorena) of Willey; Ed Tigges of Willey; Freda Tigges (Joseph) of Dedham; Marilyn Heithoff (Wayne) of Urbandale; other relatives and friends.