Keith A. Garling (1954-2019)

GARLING, BRUGER, HAMMES

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 5/30/2019 at 19:27:50

Iowa City - Keith A. Garling, 64, died unexpectedly Sunday, May 19, 2019 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

In accordance with Keith's wishes, his family will host a celebration and greet friends Thursday, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Iowa City Moose Lodge, 3151 Highway 6 East in Iowa City. A Moose Memorial Service will begin at 6:30pm.

Instead of flowers and plants, memorials may be directed to the Keith Garling Memorial Fund. Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service is handling arrangements for Keith.

Born July 16, 1954 in Belle Plaine, Iowa, the son of Marlyn "Bud" and Mardene (Bruger) Garling, Keith grew up in Belle Plaine and graduated from high school there in 1972.

With Keith's parent's owning and operating the furniture store in Belle Plaine, it was not uncommon to spot him in the delivery truck and making appearances in the store.

He owned a bar "Little Gars" in Sigourney Iowa while also working at Greenleys Corps. Keith met Christine Hammes at Little Gars - they were later married on May 4, 1991 in Sigourney. He moved to Florida for a year and then came back to Iowa. He lived in Iowa City. Christine and Keith joined the Moose Lodge in 1993. He held many offices in the Iowa City Moose Lodge and also at the Moose State level. He went on to earn the Pilgrim degree in 2005.he left Greenley Corp, He then worked for Moose Intl. He went to work at the Moose Lodge as the Club Manager and Administrator. He retired at 62.

He worked part-time at Good Guys in Iowa City. He then went back to the Moose as a Volunteer, In retirement, Keith gave freely of his time as Club Manager, bookkeeper, custodian and yard maintenance - simply put, Keith loved being a Moose. It was family.

Keith tirelessly gave of his time and talents in many capacities over the years - serving both the lodge and its members.

He enjoyed EVERYTHING sports with his friends, every day was Happy Birthday to Keith. He was a friend to anyone he met.

Survivors include his wife Christine; his mother Mardene of Belle Plaine; a brother Gene Garling (Nancy) of Williamsburg and a sister Sandy Walton (Todd) of Belle Plaine; grandsons, Matt Moore (Michelle) of Belle Plaine and Wes Forcht of Belle Plaine; 2 great-grandchildren, Link and Cora; his mother in law Beverly Hammes of Cedar Rapids and a brother in law, Jeff Hammes of Sigourney.

He was preceded in death by his father Bud Garling, his daughter Erica Forcht, father in law, Cletus Hammes and brother in law, Will Hammes.

www.lensingfuneral.com
Published in the Press-Citizen on May 29, 2019