Gahring, Charles 'Chuck'

Charles “Chuck” Gahring, died on his 87th birthday this past Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, following a sudden illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at St. John Lutheran Church, Keystone, with the Rev. Douglas Woltemath officiating with a military flag presentation conducted by Merkel-Bockholt American Legion Post No. 107 of Keystone and Iowa Military Funeral Honors. Interment will be held at the Keystone Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Phillips Funeral Home in Keystone.

Chuck was born Jan. 31, 1924, near Marengo, to John and Eva (Fetzer) Gahring and graduated from the Marengo High School in 1942. From 1946 to 1948, he served his nation in Korea as an MP in the U.S. Army.

On Jan. 17, 1951, he was united in marriage to Selma Iburg at St. John's Parsonage in Keystone. The couple farmed north of Keystone, before moving to town. Selma preceded her husband in death on April 17, 2009.

Chuck was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone, the Merkel-Bockholt American Legion Post No. 107 of Keystone and the Keystone Turners. He possessed a love of flying, had a private pilots license, owned a Cessna airplane and built a gyrocopter. He also enjoyed photography as his special hobby, taking pictures of the progress of community construction sites and projects. Always with his camera ready, his favorite subjects for frequent snapshots were his family and friends - whether they were “ready” or not.

He is survived by his daughter, Connie (Tom) Pickering of Van Horne; his son, David (Sherry) Gahring of Keystone; his grandchildren, John (Misty) Gahring, Michael (Jessica) Gahring, Daniel (Mary) Gahring, Jennifer Gahring, Angela (Jason) Franzenburg and Benjamin Pickering; and his great-grandchildren, Jackson and Jordan Franzenburg and Brianna and Alaina Gahring.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his sister, Melba McGivern.

A memorial fund has been established.

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