Albert Karns

Albert Junior Karns was born March 12, 1927, the son of Albert Jerry and Eva Alvina (Wahe) Karns in Anita, Iowa, and passed away November 16, 2010, at the Cass County Hospice Center in Atlantic, Iowa.


Junior was a life long resident of Anita, graduating from the Anita High School. He attended one year of college in Utah. Junior served overseas in the United States Army in WW II and then again in the Korean Conflict.

On June 13, 1952, he was married to Sherill Lynn Cooper at the United Methodist Church in Anita.

Earlier in his life, he worked at the Power Plant in Anita. After his return from Korea, Junior was employed for 20 years at the Anita State Bank, serving as bank president prior to his retirement from banking. Junior then worked doing carwash installations and repairs, finally retiring from the Gould Bearing Plant in Atlantic.
He loved the city of Anita, and was very active in community projects. He served as the secretary for the Anita Chamber of Commerce and was one of the founding members of the Anita Development Corporation. He was instrumental in the development of low income housing, the nursing home, the community center, the Grassroots trail, the Airport, Lake Anita State Park, the Hilltop housing addition and the band shell restoration project.

Junior was a founding member of the Anita VFW, a member of the United Methodist Church, the KP Lodge, and the Anita American Legion Post #210 as well as serving for over 50 years on the Anita Fire Department.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Eva Karns, and his siblings, Duane (Lorraine) Karns and Betty Joens.

Junior is survived by
his wife, Sherill Karns of Anita; his children, Chris (Kristine) Karns of Anita, Iowa, and Cindy (Terry Oathoudt) Karns of Anita, Iowa; his grandchildren, Laura (Erby) Fischer of Birmingham, Alabama, Anthony (Callie) Karns of West Des Moines, Iowa, Nicholas Albert (Kelly) Karns of Leeds, Alabama, Jake (Sheri) Karns of Anita, Iowa, and Joey (Tiff) Flathers of Anita, Iowa; his step- grandson, Jordan Winther; his great-grandchildren, Jack and Erby Fischer Jr., Garret Albert Karns, Emma Karns, C.J. Rochholz, Alexis Karns, Ty Flathers, Deegan Flathers and Christopher Karns; his siblings, Jerry (Shirley) Karns of Audubon, Iowa, Jackie (Larry) Kilcoin of Adair, Iowa, and Judy (Gary) Warwick of Atlantic, Iowa; his brother-in-law, Ivan Joens; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Anita, on Friday, November 19, 2010, from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.


Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Anita. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa. There will be a time for lunch and fellowship in the Anita Fire Hall following the committal service.

Memorials may be directed to the Grassroots Trail or the Evergreen Cemetery.

Hockenberry Family Care in Anita, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.