Burton LeRoy Kisling (2018)

CRIPPS, HOREIN, KISLING

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:14

Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Sunday, April 8, 2018

Burton LeRoy Kisling

Burt Kisling, 86, was born in Adel, Iowa, to David and Grace Kisling. He died peacefully at Taylor House hospice facility in Des Moines on March 21, 2018. He spent part of his youth in Minnesota working in the forests. During his high school years in Earlham, he played football and ran track, including participating in the Drake Relays.

Burt and Birdie were married under the care of the Bear Creek Friends (Quaker) meeting October 14, 1950. They had a double wedding with Birdie's lifelong friend Lucky Standing, who married Wolf Guindon.

Burt farmed for 10 years and then became a Farm Bureau Fieldman in Logan, Iowa. Then he began his years managing Farm Bureau Service (FS) co-op companies in Jefferson, Marshalltown, Madison, Wisconsin, and Grayville, Illinois, the largest company in the FS system. That was followed by senior management positions in the Farm Service system, the last being manager for the entire state of Iowa. During these years he and Birdie were very involved with Scattergood Friends School and the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Burt was also involved with STARPAC and assisted with building two apartment complexes designed for people with physical limitations, and the New Horizons facility at the mental health center in Adel.

The family vacations involved camping in National Parks across the country, but Rocky Mountain National Park was everyone's favorite.

Survivors include his wife Birdie, sons Jeff, Randy and Jonathan, daughter Lisa, grandchildren Jasmine Cripps, Jon Kisling Jr, Shelby and Lane Kisling, Alice, Justin and Eric Horein, and great grandchildren Kyle, Kayla and Morgan Cripps.

For the past fourteen years Burt and Birdie have lived in The Village retirement in Indianola, Iowa, where they have been involved in many community committees and activities.

A Celebration of Life memorial will be held on Saturday, April 14, at 10:30 a.m. at Bear Creek Friends Meeting house north of Earlham. A private burial will be held with family in the care of Bear Creek Friends Meeting.