Wilken, Alfred 1924-2003

WILKEN, GARRELS, VON HAGEL

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/23/2009 at 20:56:17

From: Sioux City Journal, April 5, 2003

LE MARS, Iowa -- Alfred Wilken, 78, of Le Mars died Thursday, April 3, 2003, at Plymouth Manor Care Center in Le Mars.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. John's Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A., with the Rev. Gary Landsness officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Alfred John Wilken was born May 22, 1924, in Le Mars to John and Johanna M. (Von Hagel) Wilken. Alfred was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church. He received his education at Chatsworth, Iowa. He was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Akron, Iowa.

On Oct. 9, 1945, Alfred was united in marriage to Elvera Marie Garrels at Christ Lutheran Church in Grant Township, rural Le Mars. The couple farmed east of Akron before moving to a farm near Hawarden, Iowa. They later moved to a farm in Preston Township, Plymouth County. While living in Preston Township, Elvera and Alfred attended St. John's Lutheran Church in Preston Township. They later moved to a farm west of Brunsville, Iowa, until the early 1960s, when they moved to Le Mars.

Alfred drove truck for the Le Mars Hatchery and later worked for Meis Feed and Seed. Alfred went to work for Wells' Dairy and retired after 15 years with the company. In his retirement years, he was a bus driver for Siouxland Regional Transit Service for five years.

Alfred was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church. He enjoyed taking walks and tending to his flower garden.

Survivors include his wife, Elvera of Le Mars; a son, Loren Wilken of Orange City, Iowa; a sister-in-law, Alma Maass of Remsen, Iowa; a brother-in-law, Herman Buchholz of Phoenix, Ariz.; and three nephews in California.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Leonard Wilken.