Doug Kunkel

Doug Kunkel, 52, of Newton, died early Saturday morning, April 11th, at his home while in the care of his loving family and the Jasper County Hospice. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 15th, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Haverhill with Fr. Don Czapla officiating. He will be laid to rest in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown with a 7:00 p.m. vigil service. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. To friends and family attending Dougs service,you are welcome towear casual clothing in his honor. A fellowship will follow the interment at the Haverhill shelter house in the park. The Mitchell Family Funeral home is caring for Doug and his family. Ph 641-844-1234. To celebrate his memory- take five minutes to appreciate and enjoy the outdoors this week. Born on October 13th, 1956, in Marshalltown, he was the son of Elmer and Shirley (Malechek) Kunkel. He graduated from the Marshalltown High School in 1975 and later the University of Iowa with a degree in Economicsand a minor in Archeology in 1980. Doug was a self-employed contractor and a Master Carpenter. His favorite times were camping on any stream or in any wooded area, canoeing and fishing the Iowa River and trout streams of Northeast Iowa. He also enjoyed the pond and timber at the farm,and hunting Morel mushrooms.Dougloved having his family and friends join him and Laurie for cookouts and fireworks at the Kunkel farm. History,Anthropology and genealogy occupied a lot of his time, as well as searching the fields and streams for Native American artifacts, and old records and cemeteriesfor past family and friends buried there. Left to cherish his memory are Laurie, his loving wife whom he married in an outdoor ceremony at Wehrmans Prairie near Haverhill on August 29th, 1992, three children: Jason Matteson and his children Josie, Jackson and Jaydalin; Ben (Dawn) Matteson and daughters Emma and Chloe; and Casey Edwards all of Newton; his father Elmer (Judy)Kunkel; sisters: Geri (Craig) Kunkel-Pierce; Mary Jo (Terry Young) Kunkeland family, all of Haverhill; step-brother Tharren (Dawn) Keith and family of Washington, IA; step-sister Tori Keith of Mesquite, TX;his mother-in-law Mary Lou Norton; sisters-in-law Peg Edel andfamily, all of Marshalltown; Nancy Ellis andfamily of Muscatine, IA; brothers-in-law Doug (Jodi) Norton and family; Bob Norton, all of Marshalltown; and many relatives and a host of friends. In death he has rejoined his mother Shirley, father-in-law Jim Norton, brother-in-law Jim Edel and his grandparents.