Schweitzberger, Ralph 1911 - 2008

SCHWEITZBERGER, RICE

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/2/2011 at 16:48:29

Ralph Schweitzberger
(December 2, 1911 - September 7, 2008)

Kingsley, Iowa – Ralph A. Schweitzberger, 96, of Kingsley, Iowa passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at the Kingsley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 12, 2008 at the Johnson – Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley with the Rev. Roger Kurtenbach officiating. Interment will be in the Kingsley Cemetery with military respects provided by the Nash American Legion Post #140 of Kingsley. Visitation will be held at the Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 11, 2008. The family will greet relatives and friends from 5-8 p.m. with a prayer service scheduled at 7:00 p.m. The visitation will continue at the funeral home on Friday, one hour prior to Ralph’s service. Those wishing to extend expressions of sympathy may wish to direct them to Hospice of Siouxland or to the Kingsley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Ralph Ardell Schweitzberger, the son of William and Sarah (Rice) Schweitzberger, was born in Kingsley, Iowa on December 2, 1911. He was one of eleven children and attended schools in Pierson.

Ralph was inducted into the United States Army on May 21, 1942 from Fort Des Moines, Iowa and served his country during WWII. Along with other service medals, Ralph was awarded three overseas service bars and three bronze battle stars. TEC5 Ralph Schweitzberger was honorably and formally discharged from his military duties on November 9, 1945 from Camp Grant in Illinois. Ralph’s love of the outdoors was evident throughout his life! He had a profound love of nature and a treasured pride in his farming and livestock operation. He also locally trucked grain and livestock and enjoyed leisure rides in the country and town to check out the crops and happenings in the area. Ralph retired and moved into his home in Kingsley in 1979.

In his earlier years, some of Ralph’s hobbies included bowling on various leagues and piloting his piper-cub plane. He was pleased to have a landing strip and hangar on his own farm. Ralph was a member of the Brookside Golf Course, a lifetime member of the Nash American Legion Post #140, the Polar Bear Association of WWII and the AOPA (Aircraft, Owners and Pilot’s Association.) Ralph found great comfort in expressing his faith in his later years.

Ralph is survived by his two sisters, Violet Keller of California City, CA and Marvel (Roy) Nagel of Sequim, WA and his four sisters-in-law, Thelma Schweitzberger, Annola Schweitzberger, Minnetta Schweitzberger and Betsy Schweitzberger. Several nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends also survive Ralph.

Preceding him in death are his parents, William and Sarah Schweitzberger; his three sisters, Viola Kramer, Pearl Nagel and Fern Johnson and his five brothers, Walter, Ernie, Francis, Kenneth and Harold Schweitzberger.

Mauer Johnson Earnest Funeral Home
Le Mars, Iowa