Jerry Kokenge

Jerry Kokenge, age 67, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at his residence in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll with Fr. Timothy Schott of St. Lawrence Parish as Celebrant. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. on Monday where there will be a Rosary at 4:00 P.M., a Moose Memorial Service at 6:30 P.M., and a Christian Wake Service at 7:00 P.M.. The casket will be moved to the church at 8:30 A.M. on Tuesday where visitation will resume until the time of service. Music for the Mass will be by Marcy Anderson and Katelyn Renze. Lector for the Mass will be R.T. Schreck. Gift bearers will be his grandchildren Courtney and Kyle Snyder and Trey Jorgensen. Eucharistic ministers will be Dave Kokenge and Dave and Becky Snyder. Mass servers will be Cole and Colby Wiederin and Cale Scharfenkamp Casket bearers will be grandchildren: Trevin Jorgensen and Cole Snyder, son-in-laws: Mike Snyder and Dave Jorgensen, and friends: Al Luchtel, Al Riesberg, Terry Jensen, and Greg Stoelk. Honorary casket bearers will be members of the Carroll Volunteer Fire Department who served with Jerry. Burial will be in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Breda with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion. In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorials be made to the Carroll Volunteer Fire Department and may be left at the funeral home or the church or may be mailed directly to the Carroll Fire Department at 801 Bella Vista Dr. Carroll, Iowa 51401. Born on July 5, 1944 at Carroll, Iowa, he was the son of Lawrence and Florence (Steffes) Kokenge. He grew up in Auburn and Carroll and graduated from Kuemper High School in 1962. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served four years stationed in Texas and Iceland. Following his active duty, he served six years in the Army Reserves. He was married to Gayle Ocken on August 27, 1966 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda. Following their marriage the couple lived in Ft. Dodge for one year before moving to Carroll. Jerry worked for Mid-American Energy for 44 years, as a lineman for many years, and supervisor until his retirement in 2010. He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church and the Carroll American Legion where he served as Commander, and he served on the Carroll Volunteer Fire Department for 16 years. Jerry enjoyed fishing, motorcycling, snowmobiling, golfing, playing cards, and spending time with his grandchildren and family and going to his daughter’s and son-in-law’s place in the timber. Surviving are his wife Gayle of Carroll; two daughters: Jodi Jorgensen and her husband David of Carroll, and Janel Snyder and her husband Mike of Carroll; his mother Florence of Carroll; five grandchildren: Trevin and Trey Jorgensen, and Cole, Courtney, and Kyle Snyder; two brothers: David Kokenge and his wife Mary of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Danny Kokenge and his wife Laura of Milford, Ohio; six sisters: Nancy Graff and her husband Bruce of Henderson, Nevada, Joni Olson and her husband Les of Orlando, Florida, Connie Tunning and her husband Dick of Dedham, Deanna Fasbender and her husband Riley of Mesa, Arizona, Luwana Hass and her friend Mike Ross of Carroll, and Kristy Maasen and her husband Brad of Mt. Carmel; a sister-in-law Bobbi Kokenge; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father Lawrence, a brother Kenny, his mother and father-in-law Everett and Maxine Ocken, and two nephews Josh Tunning and David Siepker.