Obituary of Donald J. Kerf

Donald J. Kerf, 86, of Iowa City, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, under the compassionate care of Mercy Hospice. Funeral mass will be celebrated 10 a.m., Friday, June 6, 2014, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City with burial following at St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 1-7 p.m. at the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service with family present from 1-3 and 4-7. A Knights of Columbus will conclude the visitation beginning at 7 p.m. Memorials in Don's name can be made to Mercy Hospice or St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Donald Joseph Kerf was born March 27, 1928, in Iowa City; son of Joseph W. and Margaret E. (Northup) Kerf. He graduated from City High School and a few years later married Mayme Brownell at St. Wenceslaus in Iowa City. Don's first job was at the Swank Bakery, ultimately serving as a baker. After that, he was a co-owner of an organic fertilizer supply in Iowa City and Wellman and after that, spent the rest of his life farming. He prided himself in being natural, not using all the additives and chemicals, but using what God provided for him to provide for his family and others. He was a lifelong and very active member of St. Wenceslaus, a member of the Knights of Columbus council 14385; a 3rd and 4th Degree Knight; a member of the NFO and the Iowa Jurist Society. His family includes his children, Linda Davis, of Richmond, Robert (Elaine) Kerf of Lone Tree, Larry Kerf of Iowa City, Daniel (Barb) Kerf of Iowa City and Jacqueline (Jimmy) Miller of Wellman; brother, Thomas (Helen) Kerf of Chicago, IL; 13 grandchildren, Greg Davis of Kalona, Jeff Davis of Iowa City, Candy Axeen of Iowa City, Darin Kerf of Omaha, NE, Ronda Elsberry of Des Moines, Chris Kerf of Dubuque, Jennifer Peak of Missouri, Jessica Allen of Iowa City, Jeremy Miller of Wellman, Kelly Lodge of Iowa City, Gary Kerf of Sioux Falls, SD, Jennifer McMath of Worthing, SD and Shavaun Kerf of Minneapolis, MN, 20 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and sisters-in-law, Jean Hudson of Texarkana, TX and Maye Gilmore of Bettendorf, IA. Donald was preceded in death by his wife, Mayme in 2004; parents and an infant brother, Robert.