Karl Melvin Sibert

KARL MELVIN SIBERT

Cedar Rapids

Karl Melvin Sibert, 86, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, June 19, 2019, at Meadowview Memory Care. Services at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Entombment in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. There will be a visitation from

5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

Karl was born on June 26, 1932, to Mae Sibert in Wright Township, Confidence, Wayne County, Iowa.

He was raised on the Sibert family farm in Confidence, Iowa. In the sixth grade, he dropped out of school and worked for his grandparents. For several years, he worked odd jobs just to make ends meet. His first marriage was short-lived, where he had three children, Peggy, Melvin and Sandra. Those three children were given up for adoption by their mother before Karl had a chance to fight for them. Karl never forgot his three children, and eventually found them again in 1977.

In 1955, he met Marlene Kitzman on a blind date and they married on Feb. 19, 1956, in What Cheer, Iowa. Karl and Marlene had their son, Randy Lee Sibert, on Sept. 1, 1956. They were both proud parents. In February 1962 they adopted their daughter, Karla Sue Sibert, to make their family complete. Karl was a hardworking man, never without a job, and provided for his family as he could. Karl worked as a welder for Iowa Manufacturing/Cedarapids Inc. for 48 years, retiring in 1998. He worked every chance he had, mowing lawns, working for Glenn Miller, Alpha Crush Stone and many others, while still employed by Iowa Manufacturing. He had stories of "partying with Howard Hall at the Brucemore Mansion" where he met the famous "Lions of Howard Hall." He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and most of all, a hardworking individual who loved his family and all of his fury four-legged grandanimals. He celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary with his wife Marlene, in a nursing home after breaking his left hip in February 2016.

He is survived by his son, Randy (Cindy) of Cedar Rapids; daughter, Karla of rural Palo; son, Melvin, daughter, Sandra, and all those family members in Texas; grandchildren, CarrieAnn (Tab), Ryan and Amanda of Cedar Rapids; three great-grandchildren, Zackery and Maddison Richards and Jaden Chapman of Cedar Rapids; great-great-grandson, Aspen; brother in-law, Charles Kitzman and wife Neisha of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Julie Sibert of Newton, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a special family member -- his dog Duke -- and all of the four-legged animals he adored at his daughter's acreage.

Karl was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene (Kitzman) Sibert; mother, Mae (Sibert) Greene; stepfather, Ferman L. "FL" Greene; brother, Adolph "Joe" Sibert; sister, Elizabeth Pelock; sister-in-law, Roberta (Kitzman) Haupert; brother-in-law, Mark Haupert; nephew, Craig Kitzman; daughter, Peggy Williams; and his granddaughter, Christina Marie Sibert.

Thank you to everyone who helped Karl and his family during his last 10 years of life, while he fought his Lewy body dementia. Karl was a proud hardworking individual. His determination on whatever he was facing at the time was apparent to those whose life he touched. He will always be remembered as a man who could and would do anything for others before himself. He was a strong man who never gave up until the end.

Please leave a message or tribute to the Sibert family on our web page, www.cedarmemorial.com, under obituaries.