Ferdinand Kerkvliet

Larchwood, IA Ferdinand Kerkvliet, age 90 of Larchwood, IA died Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at his residence near Larchwood. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Sat., Aug. 30th at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, with Fr. Jim Friedrich as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Larchwood Cemetery, with full military honors by Flessner American Legion Post No. 561 of Larchwood. Visitation will be Friday, Aug. 29th from 2 " 8 PM, with family present from 6 " 8 PM at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood. There will be a Vigil Service at 7 PM at the church Friday evening. Jurrens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Eternal Word Television Network, 5817 Old Rd., Irondale, AL 35210-9948 and/or Masses. Ferd was born November 29, 1917, at Elkton, South Dakota. At two years of age, his parents moved to Larchwood, Iowa. He attended school there and graduated in 1936 from St. Marys High School. In 1939, Ferd went to California where he worked as a machine operator for Consolidated Aircraft. In 1942, he volunteered for the Air Force and became a crew member on a B29. He was first stationed at Paradoba, India. From there, they flew The Hump to China with supplies. Then the 58th Bomb Wing moved to Tinian Island in the Pacific. From there, they flew 21 missions of 2,600 miles each while bombing Japan. At wars end, he was honorably discharged at Santa Ana, California, on November 27, 1945 and became a member of the American Legion for 64 years and the VFW for 20 years. He received eight Battle Stars, three Presidential Unit Citations, three Air Medals and a medal from the Republic of China. He was very proud of the time he served during WWII. More can be read about Ferdinand at the New England Air Museum, 58th Bomb Wing Memorial website (www.neam.org/profile.asp?ID=308). In 1947 he married Virginia Honrath at St. Josephs Cathedral. Together they farmed for over 30 years and raised a family of seven children. Family and farming were the joy of his life. Together with the family, they traveled to all four coasts and saw most of the states. Virginia and Ferd traveled to Europe in 1985, Alaska and Hawaii some time later. After retirement, Ferd and Virginia moved to an acreage southwest of Larchwood. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 61 years, Virginia Jean Kerkvliet; his four daughters, Judy (Tom) Odell, Alice (Don) Child, Maggie Kerkvliet and Mary (Chuck) Ivey; three sons, Joe (Vicki) Kerkvliet, Mike (Becky) Kerkvliet and Greg Kerkvliet; twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Veronica (Eldon) Gradert, Agnes (Irwin) Friedrich; many nieces, nephews and cousins. And Jim Lacey is a special friend. Ferdinand was preceded in death by his parents, Gerard and Mathilda; three sisters, Rose, Marcella and Mary; and two brothers, William and Robert. I am especially thankful to my family but am surely grateful for it all