Kenneth Kipp

Kenneth E. Kipp age 79 of Lawler, died Sunday, December 31, 2017, at Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton.   A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 5, 2018, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Lawler with Rev. Dan Knipper celebrating the Mass.  Interment will be in the church cemetery, with Haley Yirkovsky, Chelsey Yirkovsky, Morgan Yirkovsky, Seth Kipp, Sam Kipp, Derek Boone, and Jordan Blomme serving as pallbearers.   Friends may greet the family 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 4, 2018, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Lawler. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Friday.   Kenneth E. Kipp was born February 6, 1938, in Waucoma, IA, the son of Herb and Adella (Leibold) Kipp.  He received his education at Mt. Carmel Catholic Grade School for his first 8 years and then was a 1956 graduate of the Lawler High School.  On November 21, 1959, at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Ft. Atkinson, he married Phyllis Nienhaus.  The couple were blessed with three children and a life together for 58 years.    Ken initially worked for a local carpenter on odd jobs and in the spring of 1958, he started his 35 year tenure with Stone Implement.  During the same period, he and his wife Phyllis owned and operated  Kipp’s Variety Store for 10 years.  Ken later co -owned the repair business with Vallie Stone naming it Stone & Kipp Service Center which he ran for another 10 years.  Ken never really retired but after owning his repair business he slowed down and worked at Blazek Sand & Gravel for a couple years and worked part-time the last 13 years for the Five Star Coop in Lawler, working there through the spring of 2017.   Ken and Phyllis were active members at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler where Kenny was an usher for many years.  He was a volunteer fireman for the Lawler Fire Department for over 20 years and enjoyed ice fishing, gardening, playing cards, heading to a local casino, and putting together jigsaw puzzles with Phyllis.   Kenny also enjoyed collecting John Deere Toys.  He especially loved visiting with his family and friends. Ken is survived by his wife of 58 years, Phyllis; one son, Steve (Sharon) Kipp of Fredericksburg, IA; two daughters, Karen Dennis(Curtis Puckett) of Battle Creek, MI and Ann (Jim) Ross of Tiffin, IA; seven grandchildren, Nicole Wanner, Nathan Dennis, Seth and Sam Kipp, Haley, Chelsey, and Morgan Yirkovsky; three great grandchildren; one brother, Alvin (Jane) Kipp of Northfield, MN; three sisters, Norma (Jerome) Hruska of Cresco, IA, Mary Hoey of New Hampton, IA, Judy (Dick) Meier of St. Paul, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law, Pat Hoey, Carroll Nienhaus and Don Rausch; one sister-in-law, Barb Dagit.