Ferdinand “Ferd” Wilson Lemke

Ferdinand “Ferd” Wilson Lemke, 87, of Clear Lake, formerly of Meservey, Iowa, passed away on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Clear Lake Evangelical Free Church, 1310 Highway 18 West, Clear Lake. Burial will be held in Meservey Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 310 1st Ave N, Clear Lake.

Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa and/or the Evangelical Free Church, Clear Lake.

Ferdinand Wilson Lemke, son of Amalia (Hueneman) and Ferdinand A. Lemke was born on Feb. 19,1936. Ferd graduated from Meservey High School with the class of 1953. He graduated from Waldorf College, Forest City, and served in the Armed Forces. He was stationed in France.

On April 9, 1960, Ferd was married to Bethel Haberkamp at Peace Reformed Church in Garner. Ferd and Bethel farmed a Century Farm established in 1876 in Meservey until they retired and moved to Clear Lake in 2011.

While farming, Ferd also sold grain bins and commercial feed mills. When Ferd lived in Meservey he was active on the Meservey-Thornton School Board. He was also a member of the Clear Lake Lions Club.

Ferd and Bethel enjoyed traveling many winters to Florida. They visited all 50 states.

Ferd enjoyed his morning coffee at Donna’s, in Meservey, as well as the Backyard Deli and VFW, in Clear Lake, with the group known as ‘The Hearing Impaired.” He enjoyed many years fishing in Canada and skiing in Vail, Colo. with many longtime friends. He especially enjoyed going to his grandsons’ activities.

Left to treasure his memory are his wife, Bethel; two daughters, Beth (Scott) Newhard, of Van Meter, Iowa and Kay (Brian) Hrubes of Ocala, Fla.; grandchildren, Robert (Olga) Beran, Zachariah (Shelby) Kasper, Ezekiel (Sarah) Kasper, Christopher (Laura) Hrubes, Eric (Kayla) Hrubes, and 10 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; Bethel’s parents; sister, Elizabeth (Charles) Lynde; sister in-law, Beverly (Ernest) Helgren.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.