Obituary of Grace Marie Burkle

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Grace M. Burkle, 84, of Dyersville, Iowa died Saturday, June 6, 2015, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester following her second courageous battle with cancer. Visitation will be held from 2 - 8 p.m. Monday, June 8, 2015, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish vigil service will be held at 2:00 p.m. and a V.F.W. Auxiliary Rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. Visitation will continue from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home prior to mass. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate. Grace was born May 2, 1931, in Worthington, Iowa the daughter of Peter and Florence (Leigh) Kelchen. She married Cletus B. Burkle on June 10, 1954, at St. Joseph Church in Greeley, upon his return from the US Marine Corps. Together they farmed northwest of Dyersville for 33 years. Grace also catered weddings, anniversaries and funerals for 17 years with her friend, Doris Deutmeyer. Grace was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish where she held numerous volunteer positions: circle chair and leader, tour guide, cookbook organizer, and host maker. She also sang in the Basilica Choir for 22 years and was a member of the Resurrection Choir. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary Post 7736, Federated Women’s Club of Manchester, and 35 year member of Dyersville Progress Inc. Survivors include her son, Mike of Dyersville, 4 grandchildren: Ryan, Camille, Eric and Shannon Burkle, and their mother, Kathy; siblings: Elsie (Emil) Althoff of Earlville, Harold (Pearl) Kelchen of Ryan, Gerald (Norma) Kelchen of Manchester, LeRoy (Rose) Kelchen of Dyersville and Leon (Dixie) Kelchen of Dundee; in-laws: Roseanne Kelchen and Mary Kelchen, both of Edgewood, Delores Burkle and Leander (Lavonne) Burkle, both of Earlville, Delbert (Dorothy) Burkle and Donald (Lois) Burkle, both of Dyersville. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Florence Kelchen, parents-in-law, Frank and Emma Burkle, her husband, Clete in 2011; siblings: Ernie (Erma and Marianne) Kelchen, Lloyd Kelchen, Eugene Kelchen and Verna Kelchen; in-laws: Herbert (Wilma) Burkle, Alice (Jerome) Wulfekuhle, James Burkle, and nieces and nephews: Dennis, Joyce, Loretta and Tom Kelchen. The family would also like to express their appreciation to the staff at the Good Neighbor Home and especially everyone at Above and Beyond Hospice of Monticello for their unending care and support. Memorials may be directed to Beckman High School or Dyersville Progress Inc. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.