Berkenpas, Leonard "Lum" 1913-1978

BERKENPAS, TAMMENGA, TAMMINGA, TAMINGA

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/19/2014 at 12:51:22

Plymouth county home resident found frozen under railroad bridge.

Le Mars police are attributing the death of Leonard Berkenpas, 65, of Le Mars to exposure.
"There was not indication whatsoever of foul play in the death of the Plymouth county home resident," police chief Wilbur Petersen said Tuesday.

Berkenpas' body was found under a railroad bridge along highway 3 near the home by patrolmen Randy Hazel and Mike Van Otterloo Friday morning, Dec. 29, after police were notified by the county home Berkenpas had not returned since the previous weekend.

Petersen said police were notified of Berkenpas's absence by county home administrator Richard Porter at 10:27 a.m. Friday.

"That was our first contact with them," Petersen said. No missing person report had been filed earlier.

A little over an hour later, at 11:36 a.m., the frozen body was found under a Chicago and Northwestern bridge just southwest of the county home and east of Floyd Valley hospital. "The bridge is before you come to the County Club drive," Petersen said.

Petersen said Berkenpas apparently stopped under the bridge to rest, which he occasionally did on his way to and from town.

Petersen said county home officials were "under the impression" Berkenpas had been visiting with relatives over Christmas. After the county home checked with family members, they notified police that Berkenpas was missing.

The Le Mars ambulance was summoned to remove the body to the hospital where it was examined by county medical examiner Dr. Daryl Doorembos.
Dr. Doorenbos Friday afternoon said "we will be doing an autopsy," to determine the cause of death because the body was frozen.

The autopsy report was expected Tuesday afternoon.
Plymouth county sheriff Dave Stock and assistant county attorney Brian Michaelson conferred Friday afternoon with Plymouth county home officials.
County attorney J. Michael Dull Tuesday said the investigation by his office and the county sheriff both concur there was no foul play in the death of Mr. Berkenpas.

Dull said talks have been held with county home personel and with people at various places often visited by the Le Mars man.

"He was last seen late in the evening Saturday, Dec. 23," Mr. Dull said.

Dull added it is not unusual for a voluntary resident at the county home to be gone several days. He said Berkenpas did not actually sign in and out.

Berkenpas would leave and be with friends or family or go fishing and this was his routine, Dull said.

Some Christmas presents were unopened at the county home for Berkenpas.

Leonard (Lum) Berkenpas was born Sept. 20, 1913, at Castlewood, S.D., to Henry and Anna Tammenga Berkenpas. He had lived most of his life in Plymouth county in the Seney and Le Mars vicinity. He had been a farm laborer.

He had made his home the last three years at the county home.

Services were held Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Mauer funeral chapel with Rev. Everett Staats officiating. Burial was in Le Mars Memorial cemetery under direction of the Mauer Funeral Home.

He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Michael (Gertrude) Zoerink, Le Mars, and Mrs. William (Esther) Faber, Orange City, and five brothers, Richard of Sioux Center, and Gilbert, Donald, Harold and Darrell, all of Le Mars.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Sidney; an infant brother and a sister.

Le Mars Daily Sentinel
Tuesday, January 2, 1979
Le Mars, Iowa