Bernard F. Kunkel

Bernard F. Kunkel, age 82, of Britt died April 22, 2008 at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services for Bernard will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, April 25, 2008 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Britt with Rev. Henry Huber officiating. Burial will take place at the St. Benedict Cemetery in St. Benedict, Iowa at 1:30 PM. 

Visitation for Bernard will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2008 at the Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West, in Britt. A scriptural wake service will be held at 7:45 p.m. Visitation will also continue one hour prior to funeral services at the church on Friday.

Bernard Kunkel, son of Bernard “Ben” and Caroline (Lang) Kunkel, was born September 2, 1925 in St. Benedict, Iowa. The family lived on a farm near St. Benedict. Bernard attended school in St. Benedict and worked on the family farm.

Bernard entered the United States Army in 1945 and obtained the Victory Medal during World War II. He received an honorable discharge in 1946.

On February 16, 1949 Bernard was united in marriage to Elsie Zeimet at the Catholic Church in Bancroft, Iowa. The couple farmed near Clarion, Iowa until 1957 when they moved to the family farm in Wesley. They farmed until 1979 and later moved to Britt.

Bernard managed the Hillside Country Club in Wesley, and later served as greens keeper at the Britt Country Club and an assistant greens keeper in Wesley.

He was a member and usher at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Britt, a member of American Legion Andrews Post #428 in Wesley, a 4-H leader for 15 years in Wesley and a long-time pork producer.

He enjoyed gardening, weather reporting, golfing, fishing, playing cards, horseshoes, watching professional baseball and golf and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Bernard is survived by his wife of 59 years, Elsie; seven children: Duane (Vicky) Kunkel of Andover, Kansas, Larry (Jan) Kunkel of Crystal Lake, Dan Kunkel of Garner, Carol (Doug) DeGroote of Corwith, Daryl Kunkel of Manchester, Roxanne (Paul) Studer of Corwith and Allen (Karen) Kunkel of Springfield, Missouri; twenty-one grandchildren: Phillip, Brandy, Sabrina (Justin), Jamie (Belal), Heather, Ashley, Nick (Katie), Nathan, Brent (Beth), Bethany, Benjamin, Kara (Jarom), Kody, Katie, Kristen, Jenny, Megen, Derek, Logan, Braden and Eden; ten great-grandchildren; three sisters: Rita Frankl, Edna Zeimet and Rose Marie Schiltz; four brothers: George, Virgil, Omer and Conrad; nine sisters-in-law; four brothers-in-law; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Bernard “Ben” and Caroline Kunkel; four sisters: Ilene Ptacek, Kathleen Becker, Veronica Spangler and Jean Marie; three brothers: Robert, James and Clarence Dean; two sisters-in-law; and twelve brothers-in-law.