Ralph S. Recker 1936-2005

RECKER, BURKLE, HELLMANN, KOELKER, REICHENAUER, KRAPFL, HAWKER, KOCH, KELCHEN

Posted By: Cheryl Moonen (email)
Date: 1/22/2015 at 00:01:41

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Friday, October 7, 2005

DYERSVILLE, Iowa - Ralph S. Recker, 68, of Dyersville, died Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005, at the Rochester (Minn.) Methodist Hospital, following a courageous battle with leukemia and lymphoma.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with the Rev. Douglas Loecke officiating. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where there will be a parish scripture service at 5 p.m.

He was born on Dec. 23, 1936, in Dyersville, son of George and Ludwina (Burkle) Recker.

He married Eileen Hellmann on Jan. 28, 1959, at the Holy Cross (Iowa) Catholic Church. Together they farmed until their retirement in 2002. Ralph also was a Golden Harvest Seed Corn dealer for 30 years.

He wholeheartedly enjoyed his family and friends, along with bowling, playing cards, golfing and traveling.

Ralph was a member of the Farm Bureau, the Knights of Columbus and served as a board member for the Farmers Shipping Association and Commercial Club. He also proudly served in the Army.

Surviving are his wife, Eileen; two daughters, Sandy (Ron) Koelker, of Dyersville, and Joleen Recker, of Dubuque; four sons, Doug (Cindy), of Ankeny, Donald (Diana), of Olathe, Kan., and Phil (MaryKay) and Shawn (Dixie), both of Marion; 13 grandchildren, Nick, Leah and Jenna Koelker, Vaughn, Andre, Nathan and Natasha Recker, Matt and Brianna Recker, Alec and Ava Recker and Hannah and Reid Recker; 6 sisters, Esther (John) Reichenauer, of Monticello, Mary Jane Reichenauer and Velma (John) Krapfl, both of Dyersville, Sister Margaret Ann Recker, of Milwaukee, Helen Hawker, of Cedar Rapids, and Karol (Jim) Koch of Fairfax; five brothers, Louis (Mildred), of Holy Cross, Robert, of North Liberty, George Jr. (Maureen), of Epworth, Charles (Ann), of Dyersville, and Don (Joan), of Bedford, Texas; three sisters-in-law, Germaine Langel, of Luxemberg, Bernice Thole, of Dyersville, and Dolores (Dave) Putz, of Greeley; and three brothers-in-law, Charles (Mary) Hellmann, of Holy Cross, and Ambrose (Eileen) Hellmann and Cletus (Correne) Hellmann, both of Ryan.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Deborah, at birth; a sister, Germaine Kelchen; a brother, David Recker, at birth; and five brothers-in-law, Duane Hawker, Pete Reichenauer, Al Kelchen, John Langel and Charles Thole.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.