Henkenius, ronald Raymond 1941-2026

HENKENIUS, KLAHS, WILHELM, LIVERS, GAMBELL, EBNER, MILLER, ANDERSON, POITRA

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 1/14/2026 at 11:20:30

Ronald Raymond Henkenius
August 10, 1941 - January 4, 2026

Ronald Raymond Henkenius, age 84, most recently of Pella, Iowa and formerly of Bloomfield, Iowa passed away on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at the Comfort House in Pella, Iowa. Ron's family will greet friends for visitation on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM, at the Bloomfield Christian Church. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Ottumwa, Iowa on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Following mass, a committal service will take place at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Bloomfield, Iowa. Ron's family would like to invite everyone to the Bloomfield Christian Church for a time of food and fellowship after the committal. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Comfort House in Pella or St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ottumwa and may be left at the church or mailed to Coburn Funeral Home, 24 W Howard St, Colfax, Iowa 50054.

The son of Raymond Albert and Clara B. (Klahs) Henkenius, Ron was born in Carroll, Iowa, on August 10, 1941. He grew up on his parent's dairy farm and graduated from Carroll Kuemper High School in 1959. Following graduation, he attended the St. Margaret Hospital school of nursing program in Kansas City, Kansas where he met Grace Wilhelm. They were married on June 19, 1965, in Kansas City, Kansas. To this union five children were born. In 1965 Ron joined the United States Army Nursing Corps as a Second Lieutenant where he served for two years. Following military service, he continued his education at the Mayo Clinic School of Anesthesia for Nurses and was a partner with the Bloomfield Anesthesia Group. In 1988 he went to Mortuary School at Worsham College in Chicago, Illinois. He worked as a funeral director in Iowa and Missouri, opening and operating the Memphis Funeral Home in Memphis, Missouri for thirty years. Ron took great pride in being able to walk with families through the loss of a loved one. Throughout his career he exemplified the qualities of hard work, selflessness, and a commitment to care for those he served.

One of Ron's passions was the beautification of the I.O.O.F. Cemetery and Bloomfield South Cemetery, and he spent many hours accomplishing these goals. In his free time Ron enjoyed spending time with his family, playing the organ at St. Patrick Church, and fishing. He and his colleagues went to Arkansas, Canada, and even Alaska for fishing trips. Later, his kids and grandkids went with him to Minnesota for a yearly ice fishing trip. His calendar was always filled with events for the grandkids. He and Grace would attend sports, graduations, and birthday parties without fail; they were always happy to host holidays as well. Ron always brought with him a calm demeanor and personality of high character, he wanted the best for his family and others. He was a member of the American and Iowa Association for Nurse Anesthetists, NFDA, IFDA, and MFDA. He was also a lifetime member of the Reed-Whisler Post #78 American Legion of Bloomfield, and the Wallace W. Gillespie Memorial Post #49958 of Memphis.

Those left to honor Ron's memory include his wife, Grace Henkenius; his children, Teresa (Steve) Livers, Ithaca, Nebraska; Steve (Mona) Henkenius, Hector, Minnesota; Matt (Stephanie) Henkenius, Iowa City, Iowa; Christy (Doug) Gambell, Hedrick, Iowa; and Chuck (Shannon) Henkenius, Monroe, Iowa and his grandkids, Paige Ebner, McKenna (Kyle) Miller, Grant Livers, Michael Ebner, Jack Livers, Maci (Colton) Anderson, Noah Henkenius, Katie Henkenius, Lindsey Henkenius, Kyle Henkenius, Ryan Henkenius, and Kelsey Henkenius; great grandkids, Thomas Ebner and one on the way.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Raymond and Clara Henkenius; grandchildren, Adam Livers, Paige Livers, and Sadie Livers; and a great grandchild, Lilith Catherine Lynn Poitra.

Ron's family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the medical staff at the Davis County Hospital and emergency room, Pella Regional Hospital, and the Comfort House in Pella.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ronald, please visit our floral store.
Tribute Video
Events
Visitation
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Bloomfield Christian Church
107 N Davis St
Bloomfield, IA 52537
Funeral Mass
Thursday, January 8, 2026
10:00AM - 11:00AM
St. Patrick Catholic Church
222 N Ward St
Ottumwa, IA 52501
Tribute Wall ~ The Coburn Funeral Home, Colfax, Iowa 04 January 2026.