Elmer KALVIG

KALVIG, ASBE, BERKELAND, ELLSWORTH, CALKINS, VORACEK, HARRINSTEIN, HEGLAND, HAMLIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/29/2010 at 10:03:47

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
29 March 2010

ELMER "SWEDE" KALVIG

West Des Moines -- Swede Kalvig, 83, passed away Saturday, March 27, 2010 at Urbandale Health Care Center. Please join his family in a celebration of his life, 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 31, 2010, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church with cremation to follow. A time of fellowship and lunch with the family will be held following the service. The interment of the cremated remains will be held at a later date at Norway Township Cemetery, rural Kanawha, Iowa.

Swede, the third child of Elmer and Elma (Asbe) Kalvig, was born August 8, 1926, in Clear Lake, Iowa. He was a graduate of Kanawha High School, class of 1944. Swede served in the US Navy during WWII. He was united in marriage to Iola Berkeland on September 22, 1957. When living in Kanawha, Swede worked in construction, and also in their family restaurant and clothing businesses. He moved with his family to Des Moines in 1960 and began working for a drywall company. Later he did security work for Meredith Publishing, retiring in 1988. After his retirement he spent several years baby-sitting his grandchildren. Swede was a member of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Urbandale. He loved spending time with his family and friends, and enjoyed sports, especially watching his grandchildren’s games.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Iola; five children, Dennis of Spotsylvania, VA, Larry of Urbandale, Tim of Norwalk, Carol (Ken) Calkins, and Debbie (Chuck) Ellsworth all of Des Moines; his nine beloved grandchildren: Brandi (Bryan) Voracek, Jon (Kelly), Dan, Kolbe, and Jenna Kalvig, Kenny Calkins, Mikayla, Dallas and Caleb Ellsworth; his great grandchildren: Riley, Madison, Alexander, and Kailyn Voracek, and Judah Kalvig; his siblings: Deloris (Alvin) Harrinstein, Alvin Kalvig, Darrel Kalvig, and Elaine Hegland; and many other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Naomi Hamlin and his brother Jerry.

Visitation begins 3 p.m., Tuesday at Iles Funeral Homes-Westover Chapel with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Stephen Lutheran Church.