Christian Smith Kirkegaard 1890-1955

KIRKEGAARD, CHRISTENSEN, ANDERSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/17/2010 at 20:40:44

Local Physician Dies

Dr. C. Smith Kirkegaard, prominent local physician and Emmet county Coroner, died at his home at 1627 North 6th street, at 1:45 this morning. It was believed that Dr. Kirkegaard died of a coronary attack. He had had several mild heart attacks in the past few years, but was never home because of illness in his 27 years of medical practice. Dr. Kierkegaard would have been 65 years old Monday.

Born in Denmark township [Denmark] on April 18, 1890, Dr. Kirkegaard received his medical degree at Nebraska University in 1926 and began his medical career at Ringsted in October, 1927. He married Gerda Christensen at Council Bluffs, in the fall of 1927. The couple had two children, Rodger and Maxine.

After a 15-year practice at Ringsted, Dr. Kirkegaard came to Estherville in 1943 and had been a practicing physician here for 12 years.

Dr. Kirkegaard was preceded in death by a brother, the Reverend Martin L. Kirkegaard, of Fresno, Calif. He is survived by his widow, one son, Rodger, 24, and a daughter, Maxine 26, and by two sisters and four brothers.

His son, Rodger, who is a junior at the State University of Iowa medical school, was notified of his father’s death this morning, and is driving here from Iowa City today. Dr. Kirkegaard’s daughter, Maxine, who is a linguist and interpreter for the East-Asiatic Co., export-import firm of New York City, is flying to Minneapolis now, and after her arrival there, will be driven to Estherville by Highway Patrolman Marvin Grebe.

Funeral arrangements are pending the arrival of Dr. Kirkegaard’s son and daughter sometime today. When they have been completed, they will be published in the Daily News. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, April 16, 1955)

Dr. Kirkegaard Was Native of Denmark

Dr. Christian Smith Kirkegaard was born in Denmark on April 18, 1890 of parents Maren and Jens Kirkegaard. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Together with his parents and other members of the family, he came to America at the age of three. His childhood and younger years were spent in Sioux City, Iowa, and Denver, Colo.

He was graduated from Dana college at Blair, Nebr., and received his medical training at the University of Nebraska and was graduated from that University in 1926. Dr. Kirkegaard interned at the Iowa Lutheran Hospital at Des Moines.

Dr. Kirkegaard was united in marriage to Gerda Christensen at Council Bluffs in 1927 and to this union two children were born: Rodger and Maxine. He practiced medicine for 27 years in Emmet county; the first 15 years at Ringsted and the remaining 12 years in Estherville, moving her in 1943. Dr. Kirkegaard ha served as president of the Emmet County Medical Society, as City Health Officer and was serving as Emmet County Coroner at the time of his death. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, the American and Iowa Medical Associations, the Kiwanis and the American Legion and the Masonic lodge.

Dr. Kirkegaard passed away unexpectedly at his home early Saturday morning, April 16. He is preceded in death by two brothers; Lauge Kirkegaard and Pastor Martin Kirkegaard and ones sister, Mrs. Mary Lund.

He is survived by his wife, Gerda; two children, Rodger, a medical student at the University of Iowa and Maxine of New York City; four brothers: Soren, Andrew, Phillip and Anton; and two sisters: Miss Sina Kirkegaard and Mrs. Marie Anderson; besides a number of other relatives and a host of friends. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, April 29, 1955)