Leo Woodrow Handke 1919 - 2009

DOWNING, HANDKE, FARBER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/22/2019 at 23:21:56

Sioux City Journal
29 August 2009

ANTHON, Iowa - Leo Woodrow Handke, 90, of Anthon died Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, at Maple Heights Nursing Home in Mapleton, Iowa.

Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Anthon United Methodist Church, with the Revs. Karen Handke and Vickie Steffes officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion McNiff Post 389. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. today, with the family present 7 to 9 p.m., at Armstrong Funeral Home in Anthon.

Leo Woodrow Handke was born to Henry and Edna (Downing) Handke on June 6, 1919, near Oto, Iowa. He was the sixth of 13 children. He was raised in the Oto area and attended school there.

In 1941, he married Margaret Farber. He worked for Matt Drea until 1944, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was a Browning automatic rifleman with the 137th Infantry, Company B and fought from Omaha Beach to the outskirts of Berlin. His discharge papers credit him with a Purple Heart Medal and three Bronze Star Medals for valor in France, Belgium and Germany. He was one of eight Handke brothers who served their country in World War II. After the war, he worked for Woodbury County. This career lasted for 34 years until his retirement.

He was an avid fisherman, hunter and trapper. He was a lifelong Cubs fan.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Margaret; a son and his wife, Ron and Pam of North Bend, Ore.; two granddaughters and their husbands, Nicole and Micah Thorp of Portland, Ore., and Janna and Jason Phipps of Forest Grove, Ore.; four great-grandsons, Alexander Handke Thorp, Sebastian Lawrence Thorp, Cody Carlisle Phipps and Carter Hank Phipps; and a sister, Marella Keleher of Lawton, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Edna; brothers, Gifford, Tracy, Lonnie, Donald, Portis, Harold, Melvin and Ross; and sisters, Delma, Ethel and Letha.

Donations in his name may be made to Hospice of Siouxland, 4300 Hamilton Blvd., Sioux City, IA. 51104.