Kenneth G. Kelchen

KELCHEN, RECKER, HOCKING

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 12/5/2014 at 09:19:34

Dubuque Telegraph Herald - March 19, 2012

DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- Kenneth G. Kelchen, 63, of Dyersville, died Saturday, March 17, 2012, at his residence, after a brief but courageous bout with cancer.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with the Rev. Dennis Quint officiating. Burial will be in St. Paul's Cemetery, Worthington. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, at Kramer Funeral Home, Dyersville, where there will be a vigil service at 3 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus Rosary recited at 6 p.m.

He was born on Aug. 10, 1948, son of Alphonse and Germaine (Recker) Kelchen. He attended St. Paul's school, where he was a member of the last graduating class.

He married Linda M. Hocking on Feb. 13, 1971, in Marion.

Ken farmed for many years in the Hopkinton/Worthington area and was an active member of the Delaware County Dairy Council, where he served as president for two years. His love of the land never left him after leaving the farm -- proof could be seen in his sweet corn.

His faith was very important to him. After moving to Dyersville, he became active in the Knights of Columbus, where he became a fourth-degree knight and later served as Grand Knight of Council 1734.

He enjoyed his family, visiting his children and was an active volunteer in the community. Ken especially enjoyed sparring with a neighbor over the merits of "Red" vs. "Green" in tractors.

Surviving are his wife, Linda; five children, Sean, of Overland Park, Kan., Kimberly (Javier) Arevalo, of Phoenix, Kevin (Mimi), of Columbus, Ohio, Peter, of Dyersville, and Andrew, of Overland Park; siblings, Ron (Mickey) Kelchen, of Dyersville, Dan "Duke" (Vickie) Kelchen and Mary (David) Benke, both of Cascade, Joan (Rod) Meyer, of Worthington, Bev (Bill) Hentges, of St. Louis, Mo., and Deb (Al) Brunsmann, of Dyersville; a brother-in-law, Tom (Sheila) Hocking, of Solon; and his mother-in-law, Mary Hocking, of Marion.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Jane Blank; and father-in-law, Don Hocking.