Erma M. (Margan) Kerkenbush 1928-2010

KERKENBUSH, MARGAN, PICKEL, COPELAND, HODGE, PAROCHETTI, OBRIEN, STUMPF, FISHER, HENSE, KNOCKEL, WEBB, STASH, FREDRICKS

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/22/2018 at 10:17:20

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Friday, August 27, 2010

Erma M. Kerkenbush

Erma M. Kerkenbush, 82, of 656 Levi St., passed away at 12:45 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, peacefully at home, surrounded by her family.

Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at St. Columbkille's Catholic Church. Burial will be in Dubuque Memorial Gardens, south of Dubuque. Friends may call from 3 to

7 p.m. today at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where there will be a parish wake service at 3 p.m.

She was born on May 29, 1928, in Dubuque, daughter of Joseph and Hildegard (Pickel) Margan. Erma attended St. Joseph's Academy.

She married Alfred J. Kerkenbush on June 18, 1947, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dubuque.

She was a member of St. Columbkille's Parish and its Mother's Club.

Erma was a devoted, wife, mother and homemaker. She was an active mother who "played with" her children. She also was everyone's chauffeur. She enjoyed bowling and her bridge and card clubs. Her greatest joy was to be with her family.

Surviving are her beloved husband, Alfred J. Kerkenbush, of Dubuque; six daughters, Shirley A. (John) Copeland, of Sumter, S.C., Patricia J. "Patti Jo" Hodge, of Fairlawn, Ohio, Denise M. (David) Parochetti, of Bettendorf, Iowa, Donna M. (Michael) O'Brien, of Crystal Lake, Ill., Julie L. Stumpf, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Sara J. (Eric) Fisher, of Ottumwa, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; her siblings, Germaine "Geri" Hense, of Dubuque, Milton "Butch" Margan, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Celine (Walter) Knockel and Lorrain "Lovey" (Gene) Webb, both of Dubuque, JoAnn (Mike) Stash, of Huntington Beach, Calif., Eleanor (Don) Fredricks, of Bellwood, Ill., June Margan, of Hanover, Ill., and Joseph (Grace) Margan, of Dubuque; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Kerkenbush; and a brother, Lloyd (Vivian) Margan.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of Dubuque, 1670 Kennedy Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52002 and ManorCare Health Services, 901 W. Third St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001.

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

A very special thanks to Dr. Cynthia Konz, Dr. Ronald Schope Sr., Dr. Charles Longo, the nurses and staff at The Finley Hospital and Finley Hartig Homecare, and the many friends and staff at ManorCare.