Ole John KIRKETEG

KIRKETEG, OSTREM, MCCULLOCH, EVENSON, STENSRUD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/3/2016 at 16:23:00

March 22, 1891 ---- March 22, 1945

Hold Last Rites For O. J. Kirketeg

Host of Friends Pay Him Tribute Here Monday
Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian Church Monday afternoon for Senator O. J. Kirketeg whose death occurred Thursday evening at Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, following a heart attack suffered earlier in the day at his hotel room in Des Moines. Rev. G. L. Hufstader was in charge of the services at the church and Masonic rites were given at the graveside in Fairview cemetery, with taps sounded as a parting tribute tendered a veteran. Among the hundreds of friends present for the last rites were Masonic Grand Lodge officers from over the state, fellow senators and representatives, and state official, judges and fellow members of the bar, Legionnaires and Auxiliary members, members of the Republican County Central Committee, business and professional men and women of Bedford, and scores of friends from the county and state.
The great number present as well as the great number of floral pieces sent in for the services indicated the esteem in which “Kirk’s” friends hold dear his memory.

The minister Rev. G. L. Hufstader, gave a fine address at the service, and the Times-Press asked him for a resume of it for publication, as follows:
He liveth long who liveth well,
All other life is short and vain;
He liveth longest who can tell
Of living most for heavenly gain.
He liveth long who liveth well,
All else is being thrown away;
He liveth longest who can tell
Of true things truly done each
Day. ---- Horatius Bonar

O. [le] J. [ohn] Kirketeg was born on a farm near Eagle Grove, Iowa, May 2, 1891. He was one of five children born to Knute K. and Olena [Ostrem] Kirketeg. Here he resided for 17 years, when the family moved to Cedar Falls to educate the children in Iowa State Teachers College. From here he graduated in 1912. For a few years he was a teacher and superintendent in the public schools near Alta at Little Cedar and Columbus City. He then returned to the University of Iowa from he graduated in the College of Law in 1917. While there he was affiliated with the Acacia fraternity.

Here his career was interrupted by two years’ service in the army in World War I. He served at Camp Joseph E. Johnson, Jacksonville, Florida, from December 2, 1917 until February 20, 1919, having been assigned to Military Police. Twice afterward, in November 1926 and November 1936, he was commissioned in the infantry reserve. Returning from his army service he began the practice of law in Bedford, forming a partnership under the name of Wisdom and Kirketeg, which partnership continued until October 1, 1938, since which time “Kirk” as he was familiarly known, had practiced alone.

He was an active member of the American Legion and a charter member of the Bedford Post No. 164. He served as District Commander of the 8th Congressional District in 1921. He was a member and trustee of the Presbyterian Church. He was city attorney of Bedford, in which capacity he had served several years. He was a past president of the Third Judicial Bar Association and a member of the Board of Governors of the Iowa Bar Association. He served as county attorney in 1929-1930, and was serving his third term in the State Senate, having been a member of the Senate in 1938-1940, representing the Adams-Taylor district.

February 7, 1937, he was united in marriage to Miss Kathlyn Muriel MacCulloch [McCulloch] of Nashua, Iowa. He received his Masonic degrees in 1914, having been initiated in Columbus City Lodge No. 107 at Columbus Junction, later affiliating with Taylor Lodge No. 156 at Bedford, where he had since held membership. He served as Worshipful Master in 1939. He was also a member of Triangle Chapter No. 164, Royal Arch Masons of Bedford and served the Grand Chapter of that body as Grand High Priest in 1931; a member of Tyre Council, royal and Select Masons at Shenandoah; Bethany Commandry, Knight Templars at Creston; ZaGaZig Shrine at Des Moines; and St. Ignatius Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine at Cedar Rapids. He was also a member of Bedford Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, and in 1937 served as Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star. At the time of his death he was a member of the Grand Chapter Charity Board and was serving as Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, and a brother who died in infancy. He is survived by his wife and two sisters, Mrs. Orville Evenson of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Mrs. A. O. Stensrud of Seattle, Washington.

Bedford Times-Press -- Iowa
March 29, 1945