Mrs. EDWARD K. (Opal M. Kohls) BECKMAN KEFFELER 1920-2003

KRAMER, KOHLS, BECKMAN, KEFFELER, DAVIDSON, WALKER, GIBSON, SCHWENDINGER, LYONS, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 1/7/2004 at 19:54:37

Opal M. Keffeler

Telegraph Herald - Oct 31, 2003

DYERSVILLE, Iowa - Opal M. Keffeler, 83, of Dyersville, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2003, at Heritage Manor, Dubuque, after a brief illness.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with the Rev. Monsignor Ed Petty officiating. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where there will be a parish scripture service at 3:30 p.m., and a Catholic Daughters of the Americas rosary will be recited at 4 p.m.

She was born on May 24, 1920, in Waterloo, daughter of Gustav R. and Bertha M. (Kramer) Kohls. She married Paul B. Beckman in April 1942, in Nashua. They farmed outside of Monticello, until he preceded her in death in December 1948. She later married Edward K. Keffeler on July 29, 1952, in Hopkinton. They made their home in Dyersville. He preceded her in death in May 1977.

Opal was a homemaker. She was a member of St. Francis Parish, where she was active as a volunteer. She served as Regent from 1969 to 1973 and from 1975 to 1977 during her 45 years in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She also enjoyed many hours with The Knitters Club.

Surviving are her children, Charles (Jenny) Beckman, of San Diego, Barbara (Dennis) Davidson, of Roseville, Minn., Meg (Bruce) Walker, of Vinton, David Keffeler, of Cedar Falls, and Lynn (Kevin Schwendinger) Keffeler and Sarah (Will) Keffeler-Gibson, both of Dyersville; four grandchildren, Ann Walker, Olivia Schwendinger and Caitlin and Jordyn Gibson; a son-in-law, Larry Lyons, of Dubuque; and a sister-in-law, Anita Keffeler, of Paradise, Calif.

She also was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Marilyn Lyons; a brother, Harry Kohls; and a sister, Mabel Williams.