Germaine E. Kelchen

KELCHEN, BURKLE, RECKER

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 12/5/2014 at 09:16:24

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Monday, January 19, 2004

WORTHINGTON, Iowa - Germaine E. Kelchen, 82, of Worthington, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004, at home, following a short illness.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Worthington, with the Rev. Douglas Loecke officiating. Burial will be in St. Paul's Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. Tues-day at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyers-ville, where there will be an Altar and Rosary Society rosary at 3:30 p.m., and a parish scripture service at 5 p.m.

She was born on Oct. 24, 1921, in Dyersville, daughter of George J. and Ludwina (Burkle) Recker.

She married Alphonse J. Kelchen on Oct. 2, 1945, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville; he preceded her in death on Feb. 11, 1998. They farmed in the Hopkinton area until their retirement in January 1976, when they moved to Worthington.

Germaine was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, its Altar and Rosary Society and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women.

She enjoyed bowling, gardening, playing cards, and she especially enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Surviving are three sons, Ron (Mickey), of Hopkinton, Ken (Linda), of Dyersville, and Dan "Duke" (Vickie), of Cascade; four daughters, Mary (Dave) Benke, of Cascade, Joan (Rod) Meyer, of Worthington, Bev (Bill) Hentges, of Ocala, Fla., and Deb (Al) Brunsmann, of Dyersville; a son-in-law, Jeff Blank, of Vinton; 24 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; six sisters, Esther (John) Reichenauer, of Monticello, Mary Jane Reichenauer, of Farley, Sister Margaret Ann Recker, of Milwaukee, Helen Hawker, of Cedar Rapids, Velma (John) Krapfl, of Dyersville, and Karol (Jim) Koch, of Fairfax; and six brothers, Louis (Mildred) Recker, of Holy Cross, Robert Recker, of North Liberty, George (Maureen) Recker Jr., of Epworth, Charles (Ann) Recker and Ralph (Eileen) Recker, both of Dyersville, and Don (Joan) Recker, of Bedford, Texas.

She also was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Jane Blank, on March 18, 1978; a brother, David Recker, at birth; and two brothers-in-law, Duane Hawker and Pete Reichenauer.

Online condolences may be left at www.kramerfuneral.com.