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KAMPER, Marlin B. "Bernie" 1922-2011

KAMPER, ANDERMAN, SMITH, FOWLER

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 10/28/2011 at 01:04:27

[Waterloo Courier, Wednesday, August 10, 2011]

CEDAR FALLS - Marlin "Bernie" Kamper, 88, of Cedar Falls, formerly of Janesville, passed away Monday, Aug. 8, 2011, at Sartori Memorial Hospital, Cedar Falls.

Marlin Bernard Kamper was born on Sept. 1, 1922, the son of Bernhard and Rose (Anderman) Kamper in Fairfield Township, Fayette County. Bernie attended country school and high school in Aurora, and attended Iowa State University, earning a degree in Dairy Plant Management. He always worked in the dairy trade from milking cows to making Baker's Ice Cream in Cedar Falls to counting bacteria at Carnation in Waverly, and everything in between.

He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps on Oct. 17, 1942, and graduated as a Flight Officer, Bombardier. He served in Italy on a B24 on 44 missions during World War II. He was discharged on Sept. 15, 1945, as a 1st Lieutenant.

On May 14, 1948, he married Dorothy Smith of Cedar Falls and moved to rural Janesville where he lived in their home for 61 years. Together they enjoyed fishing, boating, camping and traveling.

Bernie is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jacque and Kevin Fowler of Memphis, Tenn.; three grandsons, Casey (Jen) Drenner and great-grandsons, Clayton and Caleb of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Seth (Chelsea) Drenner and great-grandson Judah of Pasadena, Calif.; Elijah Drenner of Los Angeles; and a special nephew, Dennis (Pattie) Shader and family of Vista, Calif. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dorothy; a stepdaughter, Rita Kay; and three sisters.

Bernie quietly loved his family, fishing buddy Henry and all of his friends. Those close to him knew how much it meant to him to spend as much time as possible outdoors. He had a deep respect for and found a great joy in nature; feeding the birds, chopping firewood, walking in the timber with his dogs, fishing, hunting and traveling. He enjoyed woodworking and there was never a tool out of place in his garage, nor was there ever an un-waxed Ford in it.

He has said, "If a man goes through life, has a good wife, a good dog, and catches a few fish (but not necessarily in that order), he doesn't have much to complain about. Amen!"

Of surprise to some, he enjoyed poetry in later life. He said he didn't have time before then to read much more than Sears catalog and "Outdoor Life" magazine!

He wanted to share these words from a poem in "Songs Out of Doors" by Henry van Dyke.

Then come, my friend, forget your foes and
leave your fear behind,
And wander forth to try your luck, with cheerful, quiet mind;
For be your fortune great or small,
you take what God will give,
And all the day your heart will say,
"Tis luck enough to live."

Memorial services will be held on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. at Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home, Waverly. There will be no public viewing; per Bernie's request his body has been cremated. The family will greet family and friends an hour prior to services. Memorials may be directed to Janesville First Responders or plant a tree in memory of Bernie. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home of Waverly is assisting the family of Bernie with arrangements (352-1187).


 

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