Zangerle, Kenneth

Kenneth Zangerle, 76, of Hopkinton, died at his home on Saturday, March 30, 2013. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 4, at St. Luke's Catholic Church, Hopkinton, with interment in the Hopkinton Cemetery. Father John Kremer will officiate at the services. Friends may call 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at St. Luke's Catholic Church. Goettsch Funeral Home is caring for Ken and his family.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at .

Surviving are six children, Charles (Paula) Zangerle, Manchester, Mary Zangerle, Carroll, Lorraine Zangerle, Mons, Belgium, William (Nina) Zangerle, Lisbon, Edward Zangerle, Burlington, Texas and David Zangerle, Marion; nine grandchildren, Christina, Ashley, Cedar, Cyrus, Caan, Brad, Greg, Jenny and Shanna; and six siblings, Douglas (Colleen) Zangerle, Solon, Sandy (Tom) Dupler, Cedar Rapids, Joyce Keely, Colorado, Virginia Forrest, Marion, Herschel (Shelley) Zangerle, Marengo and Greydon (Kristin) Zangerle, Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Maxine in 1996; a sister, Judy; a sister-in-law, Shirley Riniker; and two brothers-in-law, Lynn Forrest and Walter Kraus.

Kenneth Zangerle was born Aug. 17, 1936, at Sumner, Iowa. He was the son of Frank J. and Ellen (Mulvihill) Zangerle. Ken graduated from the Hopkinton High School with the class of 1954. Enlisted in the United States Army in January 1957 where he served as an infantryman in Korea and Fort Lewis, Wash. He returned home from the service and married Maxine Smith at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sand Springs, on Oct. 17, 1959. The couple made their first home in the Buck Creek area before moving to the Hopkinton acreage. In his younger days, Ken operated a milkman route, hauling to the Hopkinton Creamery and was also a farmer. Later he worked at Wilson Foods in Cedar Rapids, Cuckler Buildings in Monticello and Guetzko Construction in Manchester. He retired in 1999.

A great conversationalist and debater, Ken loved to take the side of the underdog. Some of his best debates were sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of black coffee, a cigarette in hand and his sandbox friend, John Sackett or sitting at the Triple C with Big Daddy Chuck Bacon. These three men could easily solve the world problems, all you had to do was ask.

A prideful man without boasting Ken took great pride in pointing out a building or bridge that he had worked on, most notably the wooden bridge in Hazelton's Fontana Park and the Delhi Dam (the part that is still standing). A patriotic man at heart he was proud to have all of his children serve their country whether active duty or in supporting of the troops.

Published in The Gazette April 3, 2013.