Cleo Gingerich

A celebration of life for Cleo V. "Butch" Gingerich 82, of Kalona will be held Wednesday, March 23 at 10:30AM at the Kalona Mennonite Church in Kalona with Pastors Scott Swartzendruber and Mick Murray officiating.  Burial will follow at the South Gingerich Cemetery in rural Kalona.  Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 22 from 2-8 PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona where the family will greet friends from 2-4 and 5-8PM.  A memorial fund has been established for the Kalona Mennonite Church and the Kalona First Responders.  Cleo Gingerich died Sunday, March 20 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City following a lingering illness. Cleo Victor "Butch" Gingerich was born July 25, 1928 in rural Washington County the son of Cornelius and Ruhama (Yoder) Gingerich.  He graduated from Kalona High School in 1947.  He served in 1 W in Eldora at the Boys Training Facility.  On June 12, 1956 he was united in marriage to Dorothy Swartzendruber at Bethel Mennonite Church in Wayland.  Cleo was employed at the Maplecrest Turkey Processing Plant in Kalona, Pepperidge Farms in Iowa City, and as a security guard at Sheller-Globe and National Computer Systems in Iowa City.  He was baptized in his youth at the East Union Mennonite Church, was a member of the Iowa City Mennonite Church for several years and was currently a member of the Kalona Mennonite Church. Cleo enjoyed traveling, nature and watching football, basketball, figure skating and auto racing. Survivors include his wife Dorothy of Kalona, one daughter Marsha and husband Arlis Diener of Kansas City, KS, one son, Vaughn Gingerich of Kalona and a number of nieces and nephews. Preceding Cleo in death were his parents, one brother, Emmett Gingerich and four sisters, Hettie Hoylman, Ida Yoder, Mena Pauline Langlas and Dorothy Gingerich.