Wirkler, H. A. "Butch" 1886-1951

WIRKLER, MEYER, MOLLERING, GROTH, KAISER, KREGEL

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 3/5/2015 at 14:16:32

Cedar Rapids Gazette, Sat., 3 Mar. 1951.

Garnavillo- H. A. "Butch" Wirkler, 64, died Friday. Services Monday at 2 p.m. in Gospel hall.

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Added by S. Ferrall 3/6/15:

Helmuth Arno 'Butch' Wirkler, 64, a widely known Clayton county retired farmer, died at 6:00 p.m. Friday at his home in Garnavillo. He had been ill five years following a paralytic stroke.

Mr. Wirkler was known throughout Iowa as one of the promoters of the soil conservation program in the state and was one of the first directors of the commission in northeast Iowa. An active speaker for many state programs including the Farm Bureau, he became, in 1918, one of the first directors of the Clayton county Farm Bureau and had a respected record for keeping its membership among the highest in the state. He also helped promote the Farm Bureau insurance program.

Mr. Wirler, son of Joseph and Emma Meyer Wirkler, was born November 28, 1886, at the family farm home, one mile west of Garnavillo. He received his education in the Garnavillo pubic school and also attended Beloit academy, Beloit, Wis., for two sessions.

On November 9, 1910, he was married to Sophia Margaret Moellering and the couple moved to San Jose, Calif., where, for four years, they managed a fruit ranch, owned by an uncle, Henry Moellering. They returned to Garnavillo in 1914, and rented his brother Erwin's farm.

In 19?? they purchased the John Wirkler farm, located six miles north of Garnavillo, and there Helmuth was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret, on January 9, 1935.

On June 18, 1938, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Groth.

In the year 1943, he retired from farming and moved to Garnavillo, where he devoted his entire time to soil conservation and farm bureau work and in addition, served on the town council for a number of years.

For the past two years he had been confined to his home, due to illness.

Mr. Wirkler is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his son Merle, and granddaughter, Toni Jo, also three brothers, Alfred, Herbert and Harvey, and one sister, Severa (Mrs. Henry Kaiser), all of Garnavillo.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, William, Joseph and Erwin, and one sister, Caroline (Mrs. Arthur Kregel).

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Gospel Hall. The services were conducted by Oliver Smith of Waterloo and Paul Elliot of Aplington.

Burial was in the Garnavillo cemetery in charge of the Tuecke funeral home of Garnavillo with the following as pallbearers: Walter Wirkler, Herbert Kaiser, Stanley Schroeder, Arthur Moellering Jr., Donald Kregel and Harvey Wirkler Jr., all nephews of the deceased.

~The Elkader Register and Clayton County Register, 3/8/1951