Koenig, Earl Leon Reuben -- 1928 - 2001

SCHLIE, KOENIG, BACHELDER

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 12/20/2009 at 19:08:44

Funeral services for Earl Koenig were held Monday, November 26, 2001, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Paul Lutheran church at Postville, Iowa. The Reverend Robert Hupp officiated. The Schutte Funeral and Cremation Service of Postville was in charge of arrangements. Casketbearers were Roger and Dennis Koenig, Laurie and Daryl Schultz, Melissa Hammersland and Lisa Snitker. Burial was in the Pleasant View Cemetery at Castalia, Iowa.

Earl Leon Reuben Koenig, the son of Fred Henry and Alma Ann (Schlie) Koenig, was born January 31, 1928 on a farm in Bloomfield Township east of Castalia, Iowa. He passed away Friday, November 23, 2001 in the Good Samaritan Center at Postville, Iowa. He had reached the age of 73 years, nine months, and 22 days.

Earl was baptized into the Christian faith on February 22, 1928, at home, by the Reverend E. T. Finck of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa, and confirmed on April 18, 1943 by the Reverend Frederick R. Ludwig. He was an active life-time member, which included serving on the Church Council as well as on other committees. He was presently serving as funeral coordinator.

Earl attended the Oak Hill rural school near Castalia and the Postville High School. On October 24, 1947 he was married to Bernice Bachelder. To this union four boys were born. Earl worked at the Carnation Milk Plant in Castalia and later bought a milk route and hauled can milk. He sold the milk route and began farming in November of 1950. Earl had farmed west of Frankville since 1954. In 1964 he began selling, installing, and servicing barn and silo equipment for Acorn, VanDale, and Rochester Silo.

He was an active community leader. Earl was a member of the Board of Directors of the Frankville Cheese Factory, a member of the Frankville Fire Department for over 35 years, and a member of the Bloomfield Historical Society. He was presently on the Board of Directors of the Valley Sports Club in Clermont, the board of Directors of the Northeast Iowa Health Care Foundation, and a Trustee for Frankville Township in Winneshiek County.

Earl enjoyed baseball and bluegrass music. He was the "ace southpaw" for the Castalia Town Team in 1947, which was coached by Earle Corlett. The team was invited to a major tournament in Dubuque and defeated a strong Prairie du Chien team 4 to 2 before falling to the Dubuque White Sox 2 to 1 in an 18 inning game. Earl was named to the All Star Team for pitching 27 innings and only allowing four runs. He received an offer to try out for the Chicago Cubs. In later years, the highlight of his life was attending bluegrass music festivals and becoming friends with Jim and Jessie McReynolds. Earl hosted a bluegrass show on KDEC radio for many years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Milton Koenig, a sister-in-law, Florence (Leonard) Koenig, and brothers-in-law, George Bachelder and Orville Koenig.

Surviving are his wife, Bernice, four sons, Steve and Brenda of Elwood, NE, Dale of Waukee, IA and his children, Jon and Chris, David and Cindi, of Altoona, IA and children, Benjamin and Nicholas, Frederick (Bill) and Lynn, of Ames, IA and children, Amanda, Emily, and Matthew, and a daughter-in-law, Betty Koenig of Elwood, NE; four brothers, Harlan and Lorraine, Leonard, Loren and Ruby, all of Postville, and Verne and Ardith, of Decorah; sisters-in-law, Gwen (Milton) Koenig, and Irene Bachelder (Orville) Koenig, both of Castalia, and Loretta (George) Bachelder, of Decorah and many nieces and nephews.

Postville Herald-Leader newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.
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