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FONKEN, Walter 1901-1989

FONKEN, ABELS, KLUVER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/4/2016 at 09:28:55

Walter Fonken Rites Thursday

Funeral services for Walter W. Fonken, 88, will be Thursday, May 4, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Grundy Center. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery.

He passed away Saturday, April 29, at the Valley View Hospital, Glenwood Springs, CO. He was from Carbondale, and formerly of Grundy Center.

He is survived by his wife, Grace of the Grundy Care Center; 1 son, Wayne Fonken of Carbondale, CO, and 4 grandchildren.

A memorial fund has been established.

The Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 4 May 1989, pg 3

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Rites Held For Walter Fonken

Walter Fonken, 88, of Carbondale, CO, and formerly of Grundy Center, passed away on Saturday, April 29, at the Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, CO.

Funeral services were held at the United Methodist Church, Grundy Center, on Thursday, May 4, at 10:30 a.m. Pastor D. Ward Young officiated.

Musical interludes of "Amazing Grace" and "In The Garden" were rendered by Mrs. Jack Stumberg, who also played selected numbers for the prelude and postlude.

The ushers were L. C. Pike and Roger Peters. Mrs. Frances Sievert and Mrs. Shirley Peters were in charge of the floral arrangements.

Interment was in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Grundy Center.

Walter W. Fonken was born March 11, 1901, in Bailyville, IL, the son of John and Mattie Abels Fonken. His family moved to Plankington, SD, in 1905, where his dad farmed in the area until 1908. They then moved to Hermosa, SD, and lived on Battle Creek, where Custer and Calamity Jane were quite often seen. As a young child, he played with the many Indian children that lived in the area. He attended grade school in Hermosa. His family later moved to Holland, where his dad managed the Holland Elevator. Walter attended the Holland school through 8th grade, and graduated from the Grundy Center High School. He walked the railroad tracks from Holland to Grundy Center to get to school. After graduating, he unloaded coal cars and farmed east of Holland.

In 1922, Walter purchased a clarinet and played in the Grundy Center Town Band. He is the last original band member to pass away.

On March 5, 1924, Walter was united in marriage to Grace Kluver in Marshalltown. After his marriage, he started working for Standard Oil Company, and soon after started the Walter's Oil Company that he owned and operated from 1925 to 1968, with the help of his son, Wayne.

After his retirement, they lived in Grundy Center, and for the past several years, with his son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Betty, in Carbondale.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church, and the I.O.O.F., and always enjoyed his woodworking hobby.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Arthur; and one sister, Ella Dirks.

He is survived by his wife, Grace, of Grundy Center; his son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Betty Fonken, Carbondale, CO; and four grandchildren, Beth, John, Jeffrey, and Wendy.

A memorial fund has been established.

The Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center was in charge of the funeral arrangements.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 May 1989, pg 3


 

Grundy Obituaries maintained by Tammy D. Mount.
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