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Erkel, Alfred Walter 'Wally'
Alfred Walter “Wally” Erkel, the son of Alfred and Renetta (Poehler) Erkel, was born Oct. 11, 1928, in Mankato, Minn. He served with the U.S. Navy SeeBees from 1950-1954 as a Construction Builder First Class. He was stationed at Guam and Chichi Jima in the Pacific Ocean. Wally was united in marriage with Evelyn Toenges on Jan. 2, 1953, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye. Wally and Evelyn had farmed northeast of Sumner since 1955.
Wally's death occurred Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, at Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner after a long battle with cancer. He was 81 years old.
Wally is survived by his wife, Evelyn of Sumner; two children, James (Sherrie) Erkel of Central City and June Erkel of Waterloo; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Robert C. (Jenny) Erkel of Lynnwood, Wash., and Harold J. “Pat” (Joyce) Erkel of Iowa City; and one sister, Gretchen (Guy “Jeep”) Jones of Cambridge, Ill.
Wally was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and one hour preceding services Wednesday at the church. Interment will in St. John Lutheran Cemetery.
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