Joe Linkenmeyer
May 21, 1924 ~ April 19, 2013
Joe Linkenmeyer of Charles City, died November 21, 2010 and Theresa (Finnegan) Linkenmeyer of Charles City, died April 19, 2013.
A Memorial Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2013, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Ionia, with Rev. Mark Osterhaus celebrating the Mass. Ann Bennett will be the organist with Amy Kilcher, Carrie Reed, Sara Rethamel, Kayla Hoffman and Katie Hoffman, vocalists. Patricia McKaig will be the lector.
Inurnment will be in St. Boniface Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Paul Johann Alta Vista Post #4069. Urnbearers will be A.J. Young and Jacob Young.
Friends may greet the Linkenmeyer family an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Saturday.
Joe was born May 21, 1924, on a farm near North Washington, IA, the son of George and Anna (Tilkes) Linkenmeyer. He lived there until the start of World War II, when at the age of 17, he left to join the United States Navy. After boot camp, he served in the Pacific Theater as a gunner’s mate. He was in the Philippines, Australia, Hawaii, Japan, New Guinea and various other Pacific islands. What an experience that must have been for someone who had never been far from home.
Theresa was born April 20, 1931, in Ionia, IA, the daughter of James and Agnes (Bolton) Finnegan. After returning from the war, Theresa and Joe were married on August 27, 1948, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Ionia.
The couple were married for over 63 years during which time they lived in Bassett, Waterloo, Chickasaw and Charles City. They had a daughter, Jennifer. After Joe retired from the Rath Packing Co. they moved back to Chickasaw County which was always home. Fishing was a favorite pastime for both Joe and Theresa. The loved to trout fish, a hobby that was passed on to their grandson, David, who now takes his sons, A.J. and Jacob, trout fishing. Theresa smoked the trout using a recipe given to her by an elderly gentleman she met while trout fishing. Joe was an avid reader and was a frequent visitor to whatever library was closest. Theresa joke that after they moved from Waterloo, the library staff was glad to see him go so they could finally clean all the grape jelly off their books. Theresa loved to play the slots and everyone knew that she wasn’t home on Wednesdays, as that was the day she gambled with her sisters and brother. She was known for her homemade from scratch angel food cakes and never came empty handed to visit. She loved to bake and her sweets.
Joe was proud of his German heritage as was Theresa of her Irish heritage. Joe died on November 21, 2010, and Theresa died on April 19, 2013.
Survivors for Joe include his daughter, Jenny (Max) Wildes of Evansdale; one grandson, David( Lisa) Young of Asburg, IA; two great-grandchildren, A.J. Young and Jacob Young; a step-granddaughter, Darcy (Dave) Stoen of Iowa City; one brother, George (Mary) Linkenmeyer of Waterloo.
Survivors for Theresa is her daughter, grandson, great grandchildren, step granddaughter; one brother, James Finnegan of Ionia; two sisters, Annette Schmitz of New Hampton; Della Johnson of Nashua.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, Laura Flick, Agatha Wegner, Luella Mc Mullen, Ramona Linkenmeyer and one brother, Francis Linkenmeyer.
Theresa was preceded in death by two brothers, Patrick Finnegan, Jerry Finnegan; two sisters, Madonna Bynon and Rita Smith.
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle