Obituary of Gilbert F Honkomp

Gilbert F. "Gib" Honkomp, 82, of Dyersville, Iowa died Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center, Dyersville, Iowa. Friends may call from 2 - 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa where a Knights of Columbus Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friends may continue to call after 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, Iowa with burial in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Petersburg, Iowa. Officiating will be Rev. Phil Kruse. Gib was born on April 26, 1927, in Dyersville, Iowa, the son of Lawrence and Margaret (Mensen) Honkomp. He married Helen Jaeger on April 28, 1948 in Worthington, Iowa. She preceded him in death on February 26, 1993. Together they farmed in the Petersburg area until moving to Dyersville in 1984. Gib later married Bernice Ellerbach Steffen on April 27, 1995 in Dyersville, Iowa. He enjoyed woodworking and playing cards. His lifelong passions were farming and his family. Gib was especially fond of his grandchildren, for whom he always had a loving concern. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1734. Survivors include his wife, Bernice, 2 sons: Ron (Linda) Honkomp of Petersburg, IA, LaVern (Joan) Honkomp of Dyersville, 6 daughters: Shirley (Pat) Pirc, Janice (Tim) Gansemer both of Dyersville, Lou Ann (Gordon) Helle of Elkader, IA, Joyce (Pat) McCue of Shakopee, MN, Margie (Murray) Nelson of Waukee, IA, and Mary Lee (Stan) McWilliams of Sioux Falls, SD, 6 stepchildren: Wayne (Janice) Steffen, Terry (Sally) Steffen, Kenneth (Cindy) Steffen, Steven (Laura) Steffen, Martin Steffen, Julie (Jeff) Wieneke, 25 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 12 step grandchildren; 1 sister, Verna Mae (Walter) Burkle of Dyersville, IA. 3 Sisters-in-law: Laura (Don) Willenbring, Grace (John) Wolfe, and Arlene Jaeger; Brothers and sisters-in-law: Bernard Ellerbach, Lawrence (Rose) Ellerbach, Ernest (Dorothy) Ellerbach, William (Gladys) Ellerbach, Gerald (Darlene) Ellerbach, and Catherine Daly. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Helen in 1993, 2 daughters in infancy, Brothers-in-law: Jerome Jaeger and Clete Murphy. Memorials are preferred.