Arthur Berkenpas, 85, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, in St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, after a brief illness. Services: 11 a.m. Friday, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon, by the Rev. Daniel Johnson, Burial Lisbon Cemetery. FRiends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Morgan Funeral & Cremation choices, Mount Vernon Chapel.

Art is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Janet and Pete Novak of Central City and Karla Berkenpas and husband B. David Green of Richmond, Va.; a son, Larry and wife Elaine Berkenpas of Dixon, Ill.; three grandchildren, Tracy, Kyle and Lois; five great-grandchildren, Danielle, Christina, Bailey, Austin, and Reilly; 10 step-grenachildren; 15 step-great-grandchildren; five sisters , Edith Renken, Dorothy Hoppe, Lois Singer, Jean Van Rockel, and Frances Leonard; and a brother, Henry Berkenpas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Charleen; his daughter, Dianne Berkenpa who died in 1965; a step-grandson, Greg McCleary; four brothers, Leonard, William, Raymond, and Norman and three sisters, Della, Mildred and Alice.

Art was born Nov. 14, 1915, in rural Le Mars, Iowa, the sone of Jacob and Albertha Dambrink Berkenpas. He married Charleen Reinking on June 5, 1941, in Le Mars. She died May 12, 1989 The moved to rural Lisbon in 1957 from Le Mars. He farmed all of his life and took great pride in his work. He wintered for 25 years at Zapata, Texas. He was one of the founding members of St. Pauls's Lutheran Church. He enjoyed fishing, horse shoe pitching, playing pinochle and especially dancing.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Fund, PO Box 125, Mount Vernon, IA, 52314 or Camp Couragous, 12007 190th St. Monticello, IA 52310.

Cedar Rapids Gazette
Thursday, December 28, 2000
Cedar Rapids, IA