William "Bill" Berkland (1940-2011)

BERKLAND, JACOBSON, LAFRENZ, KLOBUCHAR, JOHNSON, RILEY, BOWMAN, KINNE, HOLST

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/11/2012 at 09:47:23

From Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

William "Bill" Berkland
January 17, 1940 - June 2, 2011

William "Bill" Berkland, age 71, of Ames, died Thursday June 2, 2011 of complications from Alzheimer disease at Trinity Center at Luther Park in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife and son by his side. A gathering of friends and family will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 6, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames, 50010, with a Celebration of Life service at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 7 at Bethesda Lutheran Church, 1517 Northwestern Ave., Ames, 50010, with a reception to follow. Inurnment will be at a later date at Pine Hill Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa.

Bill was born January 17, 1940 near Cylinder, Iowa, in Palo Alto County, the son of Reuben and Alice (Jacobson) Berkland. He graduated from Cylinder High School in 1958 and Iowa State University in 1962 (BS) and 1964 (MS). He married Melva Lafrenz on June 2, 1963, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa.

Bill began his journalism career at General Telephone of the Midwest (Verizon) in Grinnell, Iowa. He retired from ISU Extension, Ames, and is a member of the ISU 25-Year Club. He was a writer and editor, and a public relations, marketing and industrial specialist at ISU where he served Iowans through Extension Information Service, CIRAS (Center for Industrial Research and Service) and Engineering Extension.

He was a member of Bethesda Lutheran Church, Grinnell Jaycees, Ames Dryhole Investment Club, Adelante Fraternity, Story County Republicans, Iowa Association of Business Communicators and Sons of Norway. He served as a precinct caucus leader and Story County election official.

He enjoyed performing with the Winter Texan Kitchen Band. He enthusiastically enjoyed family events and served on the committee for the 2000 Berkland Bash, for which he edited Berkland Family Profiles. He also wrote his "Early Memories" in 2003. Proud of his Norwegian heritage, he served on the Bethesda Lutheran Scandinavian Coffee lefsa committee.

He loved learning and especially helping others learn. He was a Sunday school teacher in Grinnell and Ames, a Story County volunteer 4-H leader and central Iowa 4-H photography judge. Bill was an excellent photographer and enjoyed watching birds, gardening, traveling and attending performing and visual art events.

He is survived by his wife, Melva, Ames, and son Ross, Des Moines; sisters Lois Lura Klobuchar, Plymouth, Minn. and Arlet (Jerry) Johnson, Fenton, Iowa; brothers Lyndon (Diana) Berkland, Storm Lake, Iowa and Eldon (Wendy) Berkland, Chanhassen, Minn.; half sister Audrey Riley, Stillwater, Minn.; step mother Luella (Meyer Holst) Berkland, Webster City, Iowa and step sisters Shirley Bowman, Webster City; Janet (Robert) Kinne, Vincent, Iowa; step brothers Ronald (Sue) Holst, Webster City; and Paul (Katie) Holst, Piedmont, S. Dak.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother in-law Richard Lura and step brother in-law Paul Bowman.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer Association, Bethesda Lutheran Food Pantry, Palo Alto County 4-H Foundation and Iowa 4-H Foundation.

The family offers special thanks for the compassionate care given by staff at Trinity Center at Luther Park and hospice staff from HCI.

Online condolences may be sent to www.grandonfuneralandcreamationcare.com

Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care is assisting the family.

http://www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com/
 

Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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