Kaelke, Ralph G. 1914-1989

KAELKE, WATERBURY, LUDWIGS

Posted By: Jan Schuldt, volunteer (email)
Date: 11/13/2010 at 11:21:12

Akron Register-Tribune, Akron, Plymouth, Iowa, USA Thursday. December 7, 1989 Page 3-A

Death claims husbands of three sisters within 48 hours

Three sisters, Mrs. Ralph (Gertrude) Kaelke, Belgrade, Minn., Mrs. Chris (Etta) Kluver, Starbuck,

Minn, and Mrs. George (Amanda) Bultman of Akron, all lost their husbands within a 49 hour period.

All three woman are the daughters of the late Gerd and Anna Borchers Ludwigs, lifelong Chatsworth residents.
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Ralph G. Kaelke, 75, of Belgrade, Minn., an Akron native, died Nov. 28, 1989, in a nursing home in Belgrade. Services were held Friday, Dec. 1, in the Hawick, Minn. Rev. Donna Deffke, officiated. Maybelle Bye was organist, and Lawrence Ludwigs sang "How Great Thou Art", "in The Garden" and "Rock of Ages". Burial was in the Roseville cemetery at Hawick, under direction of the Johnson funeral home in New London, Minn. The honor guard was the American Legion post 537 of New London. Honorary casket bearers were Earl F. Davis and Foster Hudson. Casket bearers were Duane Jones, Clark R. Johnson, Harlan Bultman, Gary Kaelke, Roger Kaelke, and Kervyn Kaelke.

Ralph George Kaelke, was born Oct. 30, 1914 on a farm near Akron. He was the second son of August and Nellie Waterbury Kaelke. He grew up on that farm and attended country school near their home. He bought his first truck when he was 18, working on road construction and in the winter hauled hay, grain and livestock for the farmers.

He married Gertrude Ludwigs of Chatsworth on Feb. 18, 1941. He served in the U.S. army during World War II, serving 2 years in the European Theater, having served in Africa, Corsica, France and Germany. He farmed in the New London area for many years. He drove school bus for the New London school district for 17 years, and due to ill health he retired from farming in 1985.

Survivors include his wife, Gertrude; a son, Darrell and his wife, Darlene of Minneapolis; a daughter, Terry, and her husband, Dan Dybsetter of Porter, Minn.; four grandchildren; three brothers, Leo, Roy and Marvin Kaelke.