Kafton, Garry (1938 - 2017)

KAFTON, SHINN, SCHMITZ, BATES, UTTERBACK, FICK, SCHWERY, DELGADO, BRITTIAN, UHL, GRELL

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 12/31/2017 at 22:06:24

Name of deceased: Garry Joseph Kafton

Aged: 79 yrs, 1 mo, 13 days

Residence: Westphalia, IA

Born: Nov. 6, 1938, with his twin brother, Larry; Monona County, Danbury, IA

Died: Dec. 19, 2017; Myrtue Medical Center, Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Friday, Dec. 22, 2017; Armstrong-Van Houten Funeral Home, Mapleton, IA; burial was in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Mapleton, IA

Survived by: Wife of 51 years, Linda Kafton of Westphalia, IA; daughters, Kaja (spouse, Julie) Shinn of San Antonio, TX and Kristine Schmitz of Harlan, IA; sons, John (spouse, Judi) Bates of Middleton, ID and Michael (spouse, Wanda) Kafton of Norfolk, VA; siblings, Joan (spouse, Bruce) Utterback of Hemet, CA, Carla Fick of Battle Creek, IA, Kenneth (spouse, Peggy) Kafton of Mapleton, IA, and David (spouse, Celine) Kafton of Castle Rock, CO; grandsons, David (spouse, Jennifer) Schwery of Slater, IA, Matthew (spouse, Melissa) Schwery of Vass, NC, Zachary Schmitz of San Diego, CA, and Luke Schmitz of Virginia Beach, VA; granddaughters, Keaghan Shinn of San Antonio, TX, Emily Bates of Boise, ID, Alana Schmitz of Harlan, IA, Kiley Shinn of San Antonio, TX, and Kelly Bates of Middleton, ID; great-grandson, Wyatt Schwery; step-great-grandchildren, JJ and Mariah Delgado of Vass, NC; sister-in-law, Ann Brittian of Cookeville, TN; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Nels and Zelma (nee Uhl) Kafton; twin brother, Larry (and spouse, Connie) Kafton

Education: Attended Mapleton (IA) High School graduating with the Class of 1956. After high school, he attended Iowa State University for a short time before returning home to help on the family farm.

Religious affiliation: Baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Mapleton, IA

Military service: no information provided

Marriages: (1) Cora Grell; date and location not provided. They later divorced. (2) Linda Benge; Dec. 31, 1965; Dayton, OH

Employment: Garry followed his sister, Carla, to Anchorage, AK, where he began working for National Cash Register. This was the beginning of a 37 year-long career as a service technician with NCR, and he worked in Alaska, New Mexico, and eventually, back to Westphalia, IA in 1978. He retired in 2000.

Hobbies/Interests: Loved to travel; he and Linda participated in a couples bowling league which allowed them to travel to tournaments from coast to coast. Garry ran in the Corporate Cup Run in Omaha, NE for nearly a decade; he served as an assistant Girl Scout leader in NM, as well as being the flagman at car races in Alaska.

Sources: harlanonline.com; armstrongfuneral.com