Hartkemeyer, Harold Louis

Harold Louis Hartkemeyer, 88, died Wednesday, July 3, 2013, at the Belle Plaine Nursing & Rehab in Belle Plaine following an brief illness. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 8, at Grace Lutheran Church in Blairstown, with the Rev. David Lingard officiating. Interment will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blairstown, with graveside military rites conducted by M.J. Kirby American Legion Post 170 of Blairstown. Visitation also will be held at the church from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

A memorial fund has been established.

Harold was born Oct. 30, 1924, near Keystone to Louis and Alma (Holst) Hartkemeyer and graduated from the Blairstown High School in 1942. During the Korean War, he served his nation in the U.S. Army. He was a member of M.J. Kirby American Legion Post 170 of Blairstown. On May 30, 1954, he was united in marriage to Marjorie Vogt in Blairstown. The couple farmed and raised their family on a farm near Blairstown.

Harold was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Blairstown.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Belle Plaine; his sons, Keith Hartkemeyer of Keystone and Kevin (Reyne) Hartkemeyer of Highland, Ill.; his daughter, Kelsey (Wayne) Ritscher of Keystone; six grandchildren, Brandon (Beth) Hartkemeyer, Tiffany Hartkemeyer, Emily (Matthew) Schulte, Lacey Ritscher, Ellie (Clay) Paciorek and Ethan Hartkemeyer; and two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Lauren Hartkemeyer.

He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings.

Phillips Funeral Home in Blairstown is in charge of arrangements and condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Published July 6, 2013 in The Gazette