Ralph King

RALPH KING

Lowden

Ralph George King, 90, of Lowden, passed away Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, at Wheatland Manor. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowden, with the Rev. Steve Anderson officiating. Burial will follow in Lowden Cemetery. Visi-tation will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Chapman Funeral Home in Wheatland.

Ralph was born July 9, 1924, on the family century farm near Lowden, to George and Emma (Ohlragge) King. He attended a country school and finished his education in Lowden. He was baptized and confirmed at Zion Evangelical Reformed Church in Lowden.

Mr. King was drafted into the Army on Feb. 23, 1944, at the age of 19, during World War II. He served in the European Theatre as a rifleman. He was in the Battle of the Huertgon Forest and the Battle of the Bulge (The Bloody Bucket). He was captured in December 1944 at Clervaux, Luxemborg, and was transferred to Prison Camp IXB, Bad Orb, Germany. He was in Company Headquarters and Headquarters, 28th Division, 110th Regiment.

He married Jeanette Wenndt on Sept. 21, 1947, at Trinity Lutheran parsonage in Lowden, by the late Herman Mass. He became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church after his marriage. He and his wife farmed on the family century farm and also sold Golden Harvest seed corn for more than 26 years. He and his wife retired to Lowden in 1987.

Ralph was a life member of National Ex-POWS and Disabled American Veterans; a charter member of Eastern Iowa Ex-POWS, serving on the executive board a number of years; State of Iowa Ex-POWS; VFW Post 2537 in Tipton; American Legion Post 366, Lowden, where he served as commander; AMVETS Post 16, Lowden; and had served as president of the Lowden Memorial Park. He received his POW Medal in the 1980s at the Rock Island Arsenal.

He is survived by his daughter, Vicky (Rick) Brunscheen of Wyoming; son, Gary (Joni) King of Eldridge; four grand-children; two stepgrand-children; nine great-grandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; three stepgreat-great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; wife; brother, Norman King; sister-in-law, Carol Heiney; and foster sister, Eva Otte.

He loved his family, puttering on the farm and having coffee at the cafe and the quarry with friends.

Memorials may be directed to the Cedar County VFW and the Trinity Lutheran Church.

Please direct online condolences to www.chapmanfh.com.