Joseph William Langenfeld 1932-2010
LANGENFELD, KOHLES GOBLIRSCH
Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/12/2010 at 19:44:03
Sioux City Journal
2 April 2010ONAWA, Iowa -- Joseph William Langenfeld, 77, of Onawa died Monday, March 29, 2010, at his home surrounded by the love of his family. God called him home after a long encounter with cancer.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. John Catholic Church in Onawa, with the Rev. Patrick O'Kane officiating. Burial will be in Onawa Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.
Joe W., son of William and Ludvina (Kohles) Langenfeld, was born Sept. 1, 1932, in Earling, Iowa. He was baptized at St. Joseph Catholic Church. He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Earling in 1950. After honorably serving his country in the army, Joe returned to Earling and began his career as a modern-day blacksmith and repair man.
Joe was united in marriage to Anne Goblirsch on Oct. 23, 1954, in Dunlap, Iowa. Through this union, God chose to richly bless them with 11 children. His children, in turn, blessed Anne and him with 43 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Looking for a change, and setting his sights on new horizons, Joe moved his family to Onawa in 1975 to embark on a new career as an engineer with Westendorf Manufacturing where he continued to work until February 2010.
He found his spiritual home and nourishment in the faith community at St. John Catholic Church where he was an active liturgical minister and member of the Knights of Columbus. Joe achieved the rank of 4th Degree Knight, an honor he most cherished. He also enjoyed and grew with the local ecumenical bible study group in the Onawa area that he joined in his later years. Joe's faith was his most precious gift.
Always young and mischievous at heart, his generous spirit was often felt both within the church community, as well as the community at large. Ever the inventor and "tinkerer," he enjoyed the challenge of bringing new ideas to life. He was well known for giving a "second and third life" to what many considered throw-away junk. These "adventures in creativity" often brought a smile and laughter to the many who benefitted from them.
Joe's creativity and inventiveness were matched only by his love of playing cards, dice and games with his family and friends. He always gambled on his partners and the blind, and good fortune always seemed to smile on him.
His playful nature aside, Joe was passionately pro-life, not only by the witness of his family life, but also by his unfailing dedication to the cause of the unborn in the public arena. The belief that life is a gift from God was not lost on him.
Joe leaves behind his wife, Anne of Onawa; his children, Thomas (Sue) Langenfeld of Sullivan, Ill., Linda (Lew) Wolf of Hillsboro, Ore., Jeanne Mikesell of Seattle, David (Patrice) Langenfeld of Pella, Iowa, Dennis (Colleen) Langenfeld of Monument, Colo., Kenneth (Pam) Langenfeld of Wellsville, Kan., Julie (Jeff) Nelson of Kenosha, Wis., Joanne (Mark) Maynard of Rodney, Iowa, Sharon (Larry) Provost of Des Moines, Iowa, Paul Langenfeld of Unterammergau, Germany, and Alan (Carol) Langenfeld of Champaign, Ill.; 43 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three sisters, Marie (Francis) Graeve, Delores (Joe) Jacoby and June (Arthur) Assman; a brother, Robert (Carole) Langenfeld; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Rita (Melvin) Schechinger and Gladys (Emmett) Dolan; a brother, Mello (Kate) Langenfeld; and two grandsons, Matthew (Thomas) Langenfeld and Stephen (Linda) Wolf.
Heaven has been blessed by his passing, and his family looks forward to the day when they can join him in the eternal joy of praise for his creator.
Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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