Armstrong, John Berchman 1919 - 2016
ARMSTRONG, KELLY, KOCH, GUNDERSON, CAROLAN, GUSTAFSON, STYVE, EINCK
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 8/12/2016 at 13:03:17
John Berchman Armstrong, formerly of rural Canton, Minnesota, died on Friday evening August 5, 2016 at the age of 96. Most will remember him as "Berkie".
Berchman was the youngest of eight children and was born on November 29, 1919 to Joseph and Alice (Kelly) Armstrong. On May 22, 1944, he married Alice Irene Koch and together raised six children on the farm where he was raised. Berchman farmed and drove bus for the North Winneshiek Community School District until he sold the farm and moved to Atkins, IA in 1975. He spent two years as a bus driver for Benton Community School District then joined Cherry Burrell and worked as a maintenance and custodial manager and supported his local Union until his retirement in 1985.
Berchman enjoyed fishing, college sports and reading and discussing current events. In retirement, he enjoyed spending time with family, having coffee with friends and kicking up his heels on the dance floor. Anyone who knew him knew these things about him: he said the Catholic Rosary every day, was well read and well informed, loved poetry and country music, was a life-long Democrat, had a passion for dancing, possessed a colorful vocabulary, and loved to tell a good story or two at the dinner table. As he was quick to tell anyone, he was full blooded Irish and was full of the blarney! Berchman is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Alice, his wife, Alice, his brothers Burt, Pat, Ray and Loren and his sisters Loma Snyder, Ruth Kapler and Sadie Porter.
He is survived by his children, Cheryl (Gary) Gunderson, Canton, MN, Kelly (Loren) Carolan, Newhall, IA, Oscar (Diane) Armstrong, Harmony, MN, Peggy (Gregg) Gustafson, Waukee, IA, Colleen Armstrong, West Des Moines, IA and Walter (LuAnn) Armstrong, Ames, IA, 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, his sisters'-in-law Judy Styve, Delores Koch and Norma (Jerome) Einck and many, many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. He lived a full, rich life, was greatly loved and will be dearly missed.
Memorials may be made to Therapy Solutions, 3315 1st Avenue SE, Cedar Rapides, IA 52402.
Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database
St. Agnes Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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