Dr. CHRISTIAN ECKERT "Doc" OELBERG 1928-2003

LEPPERT, OELBERG, ANDERSON, LENEHAN, KARIM, AMUNDSON, VANCE, ENYART

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/12/2005 at 16:39:11

Dr. CHRISTIAN ECKERT "Doc" OELBERG

Dr. C. E. "Doc" Oelberg, 75, of Elma, died Sunday, December 14, 2003, at the Colonial Manor in Elma of natural causes. Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Elma with Rev. Marshall Monthei officiating. Burial with graveside military rites will be in the Howard Cemetery, also in Elma. Conway-Kolbet Funeral Home in Elma was in charge of arrangements.

Christian Eckert Oelberg was born October 19, 1928, on the Franklin Township, rural Luana, Allamakee County, farm of his parents, Albert and Emma (Leppert) Oelberg. He attended Franklin #3 "Red School" rural elementary and graduated from Waukon High School.

After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on June 2, 1948, and served as a Veterinary Technician for five years and was honorably discharged on September 3, 1945. After returning from the service he attended Iowa State University for six years, where he received a Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine Degree in 1959.

On June 22, 1958, Christian was united in marriage to Arlene Anderson at Des Moines, Iowa. Following their marriage, the couple resided in Ames while Christian finished his degree. After his graduation, the couple resided in Winthrop for one year, where he worked as a veterinarian.

On May 1, 1960, they moved to Elma and he took over the veterinary practice of Dr. W. C. McGrath and served the Elma area for 38 years, retiring in 1998. After his retirement, he worked as a federal meat inspector for five years.

He enjoyed collecting many things, such as stamps, coins, jars, Arm and Hammer cards, belt buckles, agates, and Indian relics. He also enjoyed putting together puzzles and planting trees on his farm west of Elma. He was very active in Boy Scouts, Winnebago Council, serving as a scoutmaster, and was presently serving on the Advisory Board.

He was a member of the Arcana Masonic Lodge #274 of New Hampton, Brotherly Love Masonic Lodge #204 in Postville, Elma American Legion John Frahm Post #597, Cedar Rapids Rock Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Des Moines Consistory, and the Elma United Methodist Church.

Christian is survived by his wife of 49 years, Arlene of Elma; three children, Jim Oelberg of Clinton, Iowa, Edith (Roger) Lenehan of New Hampton; and Karen (Alnoor) Karim of Elma; six grandchildren; two brothers, George (Libby) of Hyattsville, Md., Col. (retired) Kermit (Gladys) of Seneca, S.C.; three sisters, Beulah Amundson of Monona, Iowa, Iva Marie Vance of Viroqua, Wis., and Sara (Donald) Enyart of Postville, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Emma Oelberg; step-mother Lottie; three brothers, Andrew, Charles, and Harva; and a grandson, Aslam Karim.

©Waukon Standard 2003
source: Waukon Standard, Waukon, Allamakee Co. IA, 12/17/2003