Kowalke, Walter R. 1896-1981

KOWALKE, GAMPP

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/9/2008 at 20:21:30

WALTER R. KOWALKE

Walter R. Kowalke, 84, route 1, Sioux City, died Wednesday (Feb. 4, 1981) at a Sioux City hospital after a brief illness.

Services were at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Calvary Lutheran Church. Rev. Ronald B. Flentgen will officiate. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of the Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel.

Mr. Kowalke was born Oct. 23, 1896, on a farm in Plymouth county. He attended rural schools, Morningside College, Concordia College at St. Paul, Minn., Western Union College (now Westmar) at LeMars and the Sioux City Auto and Tractor School.

He married Mary Gampp Nov. 24, 1920, at Hinton. He worked as a mechanic at a garage in Carroll, Neb. He then owned and operated Kowalke garage with his uncle at Cushing, prior to owning and operating the Kowalke garage in Leeds.

He also worked for the Hanford creamery in Sioux City as a mechanic and later as a manager of the Hanford stock yards garage and the Hanford Trucking Co. He was purchasing agent for Strange Brothers Hide Co. from 1930 to 1956, after which he operated a drug store with his son-in-law, Richard Feiok at Moville, retiring in 1965.

Mr. Kowalke was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church.

A memorial has been established in his name with Calvary Lutheran Church.

Survivors are his wife; one son, Robert C., at home; one daughter, Mrs. Richard (Mary Ellen) Feiok of Broadus, Mont.; two brothers, Albert and Arnold, both of LeMars; one sister, Mrs. Vera Petersen of LeMars; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

~Source: The Hinton Progress, Feb. 12, 1981