Maurice 'Mort' John Ockenfels Sr.

MAURICE "MORT" JOHN OCKENFELS SR.

Iowa City

Maurice "Mort" John Ockenfels Sr., 92, died Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, surrounded by his family.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 23, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Iowa City, with the Very Rev. Rudolph Juarez officiating. Visitation will be Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City, where the Knights of Columbus will recite a rosary at 5 p.m. Burial with military honors will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Mort and Marcy Ockenfels Scholarship Fund for the Children's Cancer Connection.

Mort was born June 21, 1925, in Walford, Iowa, the son of John and Lillian Delaney Ockenfels. He was a graduate of Hartwick High School in Hartwick, Iowa. From 1947 to 1952, he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Mort married Marcy Barker on Nov. 29, 1949, at Hamilton AFB, Calif.

In 1967, Mort and Marcy founded City Carton Recycling Co., which they operated for 25 years. Following retirement in 1990, Mort and Marcy sold the business to their children. City Carton Co. was the largest recycling company in Iowa.

In 1958, Mort and his brother operated Carl's Cartage Co., a local trucking company. In 1963, Mort established Ockenfels Transfer.

Mort was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the Bishop Cosgrove Assembly, Old Capitol Kiwanis, the American Legion and the Moose.

Mort and Marcy wintered in Arizona for over 30 years. Mort liked to play euchre, fish and pilot his company plane. He was an active pilot until he turned 79. Most important to Mort was his family.

Mort is survived by his loving wife, Marcy; their eight surviving children, Donna (Fred) Renon of San Diego, John (Deb) of Swisher, Mark of Davenport, Andy (Kathy) of Riverside, Tim (Lisa) of Mount Pleasant, Cindy Ward of Davenport, Chris (Verlaine) of Riverside and Margie (Dennis) Maurer of Waterloo; 12 grandchildren, Charles (Sheila), Brandi (Jenn), Dan, Kris, JR (Jesse), Travis (Torri), Austin, Jake (Cindy), Abbey, Becca, Christine and Jennifer (Daryl); 12 great-grandchildren, Jacey, Justin, James, Gavin, Alexia, Jon, Kayla, Sam, Alex, Zack, Abel and Charlotte; and siblings, Larry (Mary) of Swisher, Rosie Beadle, Margie McFate and Marilyn (Charlie) Ong, all of Cedar Rapids, Therese Johnson (Clair Rausch) of Iowa City and Virginia Storjohann of Centennial, Colo.

Mort was preceded in death by his parents; his children, Jerry, Debbie, Gene and his wife, Vivian, and Maurice Jr.; and siblings, Dick Ockenfels and Carolyn Dohrer.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.