Amil Herker Jr. 1926 - 2015

HERKER, LOWE, SCHUMACHER, DAVIS, LASH, STIFEL

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 9/23/2017 at 08:29:10

Amil Herker, Jr., 89, of Clear Lake, passed away on December 19, 2015 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit.

The family will receive friends at the Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel in Clear Lake from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m., Monday, December 28, 2015. A private family graveside service will be at a later date at Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City with military honors provided by the Clear Lake VFW. The family requests that memorials be directed to Hospice of North Iowa.

Amil was born in Des Moines, Iowa, July 31, 1926, the son of Amil August and Alta Louise (Lowe) Herker. He went to Des Moines public schools and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1944.

Amil served in the U.S. Army, 102nd Division in the European Theater in World War II. He was honorably discharged in August of 1946. He then attended Iowa State University, studying civil/sanitary engineering before taking a position with Brown Engineering in Des Moines. He was part of the team which designed the waste water sewer system around Clear Lake.

Amil was united in marriage to Wilma M. King on February 2, 1951 at the First Methodist Church in Des Moines. The couple moved to Clear Lake in 1954 when Amil was hired as the first superintendent of the Clear Lake Sanitary District, a position he held for 35 years, retiring in 1991. He also served as the secretary of the Iowa Water Pollution Control Association for 6 years, was a life member of the Water Pollution Control Federation and was the recipient of several service awards in the area of water pollution control.

Amil became a Mason at Auburn Lodge #592 in Des Moines in 1950. He joined Verity Lodge #250 in Clear Lake in 1960, serving in several stations including Worshipful Master in 1965 and Secretary from 1977 – 1992. He was a member of Benevolence Lodge #145 in Mason City at the time of his death. In 2000 Amil was presented with his certificate as a 50-year Mason.

While his children were in school he volunteered as the time keeper for 15 seasons of basketball at Clear Lake High School, beginning in the “new” high school gym in 1960. Following retirement, when not traveling, Amil and his wife Wilma continued volunteering in the north Iowa community, spending hours helping at the Clear Lake Public Library, KCMR radio, the American Cancer Society and Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. Amil was a member of the Clear Lake United Methodist Church.

Survivors include: daughter, Beth Ann (Mark) Schumacher of Clear Lake; sons Donald (Sumae) Herker of Clear Lake and Martin (Anita) Herker of Traer. Grandchildren are Rene (Scott) Davis, Joseph Herker, Abigail Schumacher, Ashley Schumacher, Stephan (Erica) Herker and Jennifer Herker. Great grandchildren are Jessica, Megan, Avery and Jaxson. Great-great grandchildren are Wesley and Erika.

Amil was preceded in death by his wife Wilma in 2005, his parents Amil and Alta (Lowe) Herker; a twin brother James Herker; and sisters Margaret Virginia (Herker) Lash and Phyllis Louise (Herker) Stifel.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St, Clear Lake, Ia 50428 (641)357-2193 ColonialChapels.com