Bunkers, LeRoy W. 1918-2005

BUNKERS, BOHLKE, BOEVER

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/6/2017 at 23:03:36

LeRoy W. Bunkers

LeRoy W. Bunkers, 87, of Remsen, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars.

LeRoy W. Bunkers was born June 10, 1918, at rural Remsen, the son of Joseph and Mary (Bohlke) Bunkers. LeRoy was raised in the Remsen area and received his education at St. St. Mary’s Catholic School in Remsen. He was then employed with his parents in the operation of Bunkers Dairy in Remsen.

On Sept. 2, 1941, he married Ruth Boever at Remsen where they made their home. In March of 1942, he purchased the dairy from his parents. In the late 1940s his both Louis went into partnership with him in the dairy and in the early 1950s they established Remsen’s first drive in “Dairy Sweet.” They made their own ice cream. They operated this until the mid-1950s. Later the partnership was dissolved, and in 1964 LeRoy sold the milk processing portion of the dairy to Wells’ Dairy of Le Mars. He continued with the milking of the cows until retiring in 1975.

After his retirement he enjoyed fishing, pinochle, woodworking, gardening, ad sharpening saws and scissors.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Catholic Order of Foresters of Remsen, a past member of the Knights of Columbus and past member and past president of the Remsen Lions Club. He had served for a number of years on the Remsen Park Board.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth of Remsen; five daughters and their husbands, Diane and Louis Offerman of California, Mo., Karen and Joe Hermes of Le Mars, Kristine and Tony Full of Alton, Susie and Doug Ruhland and Bonnie and Rich Arens all of Remsen; two sons and their wives, Gary Lee and Martha of Lakeville, Minn., and Philip and Shannon of Rogers, Minn.; 24 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one sister Amella Loesche of Remsen; one brother, Dale and his wife, Mary of Granvlle; three sisters-in-law, Ginger Bunkers, Esther Bunkers and Shirley Harpenau, all of Remsen; one brother-in-law and his wife, Jim and Jeanette Boever of Remsen; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and their husbands, Marina and Sylvester Kobberman, Dons and Paul Kestel; three brothers-in-law, Gilbert Loesche and Al-Harpenau.

Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. today (Monday) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen with the Rev. Timothy Johnson officiating. Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen. Visitation was anytime after 2 p.m. Sunday at the Fisch Funeral Home in Remsen. There was a parish rosary at 3 p.m., a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m. and a Catholic Order of Foresters rosary at 8 p.m., all at the funeral home.

Casketbearers were Louis Offerman, Joe Hermes, Tony Full, Doug Ruhland, Rich Arens and Dave Bunkers.

Catholic Order of Foresters honorary bearers were Mark Poeckes, Lyle Heidesch, Donald Konz, Donald Ortmann, Wayne Pottebaum and Gene Wurth.

Remsen Bell-Enterprise
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Remsen, Iowa