Obituary of Edwin Aloysius Engelken

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Edwin Aloysius Engelken, 88, of Manchester, formerly of Earlville and Dyersville, passed away on December 22, 2013, at Marietta's Place in Manchester. Friends may call from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, at the Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish vigil service will be held at 5:00 p.m. and a Legion/VFW service will be held at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Richard Gaul will officiate. Edwin was born September 30, 1925, the son of William and Monica (Gaul) Engelken. He was united in marriage to Aletha Anna Haas on October 17, 1953. He served in the United States Army with the 2nd Armored Division in the Korean War. Edwin and Aletha moved to Earlville in 1956, where they were dairy farmers until they retired to Dyersville in 1995. He was the 1987 Iowa Distinguished Dairyman. He was a member of the American Legion Post 436, St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Churches and enjoyed woodworking as a hobby. He is survived by his wife, Aletha and eight children: Terry (Becky) Engelken of Washington, IA, Linda (Robert) Fischer of Vinton, IA, LuAnn (David) Cook of Nemaha, IA; Lisa (Craig) McEnany of Nevada, IA; Tom (Cherrie) Engelken of Earlville, IA, Lori (Curt) Timmerman of Marshall, MN, Lynae (Tim) Schott of Prairie du Sac, WI and Lanette (David) Bloem of West Branch, IA and 25 grandchildren; brothers: Julius (Irene) Engelken, George (Sherry) Engelken and Cletus (Arlene) Engelken; a sister, Alma Brehm; sisters-in-law, MaryLou Engelken and Lou Morris, and a brother-in-law, Lavern (Bernice) Haas. He is preceded in death by his parents, his parents-in-law, Hubert and Anna (Drilling) Haas, a brother, Elmer Engelken, a brother-in-law, Charles Brehm; sisters and brothers-in-law: Jim and Imelda Boeckenstedt, Allie and Anita Klostermann, Art Kerper and Richard Morris. Memorials are preferred to Regional Medical Center Hospice and the Basilica of St Francis Xavier.