Elsie (Zeimet) Kunkel

Elsie Agnes Kunkel, age 91, of Britt died September 12, 2018 at Kanawha Community Home after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 139 3^rd Street South East in Britt with Fr. Paul Lippstock officiating. Burial will be at St. Benedict. Visitation will be held on Monday, September 17, 2018 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM with a Scriptural Wake Service beginning at 4:00 at Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West in Britt. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.

Elsie Kunkel, daughter of Henry and Lona (Illg) Zeimet, was born June 5, 1927 in St. Joseph, Iowa. The family lived on a farm near Bancroft. Elsie attended Catholic school in Bancroft, worked on the family farm, and cared for her four brothers with Muscular Dystrophy.

On February 16, 1949, Elsie was united in marriage to Bernard Kunkel at the Catholic Church in Bancroft, Iowa. The couple farmed near Clarion, Iowa until 1957 when they moved to the family farm in Wesley. They farmed until 1979 and later moved to Britt.

Elsie and Bernard managed the Hillside Country Club in Wesley for almost a decade. After moving to Britt, Elsie worked as a dietary services head cook at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital. She also provided professional sewing and alterations for several years.

She was a member at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Britt, a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

She enjoyed gardening, playing cards, golfing, bowling, cooking, sewing, and spending time laughing with grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her great-great-grandson.

Elsie is survived by seven children: Duane (Vicky) Kunkel of Wichita, Kansas, Larry (Jan) Kunkel of Crystal Lake, Dan Kunkel of Garner, Carol (Doug) DeGroote of Corwith, Daryl of Chandler, Arizona, Roxanne (Paul) Studer of Corwith and Allen (Karen) Kunkel of Springfield, Missouri; twenty-one grandchildren: Phillip, Brandy, Sabrina, Jamie (Sam), Heather, Ashley (Ben), Nick (Katie), Nathan (Teresa), Brent (Beth), Bethany (Mark), Benjamin, Kara (Jarom), Kody, Kate (Matt), Kristen (Tim), Jenny (Micah), Megen, Derek, Logan, Braden, and Eden; thirty great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; three sisters: Jo (Sam) Weatherly, Glady Thill, and Marge (Roland) Kinseth; sisters-in-law Edna Zeimet, Rose Marie Schiltz, Evelyn Kunkel, Margaret Kunkel and Nancy Kunkel; and brother-in-law Conrad (Rosella) Kunkel; along with numerous nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Lona Zeimet, her husband Bernard Kunkel, sister Gertie Diers, brothers Earnest, Julius, Eugene, Leo and Art Zeimet, seven sisters-in-law, and fourteen brothers-in-law.