Charlotte Ruth Krogh

Charlotte Ruth Krogh was the youngest of ten children born to Anton and Martha (Hansen) Jensen. She was born January 31, 1929, at her parents’ home in Oakfield, Iowa. She died with her sons at her bedside on December 14, 2021, at the Exira Care Center at the age of 92 years, 10 months, and 13 days.

Charlotte was baptized and confirmed at the Exira Lutheran Church. She attended rural school, “The Oakfield Academy.” After graduation, she earned a teaching certificate and taught country school.

On April 16, 1948, she was united in marriage to Charles Edwin Krogh at the Exira Lutheran Parsonage by Reverend Stanley Larsen. Their union was blessed with three sons Terry, Dennis, and Randall. They moved to Charles’ family farm, the Martin Krogh farm, east of Exira which they later purchased. There they grew row crops and raised livestock for many years. Like every good farm wife, Charlotte helped Charles farm, cared for the boys, took meals to the field, cared for her chickens, and tended a large vegetable garden. She enjoyed cooking fresh vegetables and canning the extra produce. Once the boys were off to school, she would work during harvest for Garst Seed in Coon Rapids sorting corn. For a time, she was employed at a vacuum cleaner factory in Atlantic. With the boys grown she started a second career as a dietary aide at the Exira Care Center. She retired after 23 years of service. Once she and Charles moved from the farm into town, she continued to work by helping at Kessler Funeral Home in Exira for several years.

Charlotte was a longtime member of the Exira Lutheran Church and active in the Ladies Group. Through the years she was a member of a neighborhood club, “the home and garden” club, but her favorite club membership by far was being part of the Red Hat Society. She always looked forward to her excursions with this fun-loving group of “girlfriends.” She loved to travel and enjoyed many trips to Branson. The highlight trip of her lifetime was traveling to Denmark with her sister Claire McNutt and brother-in-law Leland Jones. They spent time with their Danish cousins who helped them explore the land of their heritage. Charlotte collected D&G Copenhagen porcelain. She was thrilled to purchase several pieces while visiting Denmark.

Preceding her in death were her husband Charles E. Krogh; son Dennis Krogh; daughter-in-law Joyce Krogh; her parents Anton and Martha Jensen, brothers and sisters Chris and wife Eloise Jensen, Carl and wife Ethel Jensen, Walter and wife Doris Jensen, Bertram Jensen, Claire and husband Darwin McNutt, Bertha Hestir, Mary and husband Sam Simonsen, Mar Soliene Jensen and Pauline Jones; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Martin and Edith Krogh; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Dale and wife Elinor (Babe) Krogh and Agnes Rose and husband Clarence Christensen.

Left to cherish her memory are sons Terry and wife Charlene Krogh of New Providence, Iowa and Randall and wife Dottie Krogh of Atlantic; grandchildren Kyle and wife Teri Krogh of Huxley, Iowa, Victoria Krogh of Atchison Kansas, Christopher Krogh of Chicago, Illinois, Tyler and wife Heather Beckel of Winterset, Iowa, and Randi Cranston of Atlantic, Iowa; her great grandchildren Kale, Jace, Bode and Gage Krogh of Huxley, Iowa, Jackson and Camille Beckel of Winterset, Iowa; her step-grandsons Eric Clinton of Falls Church, Virginia and Kyle Joseph and wife Alysia Clinton of Cedar Falls, Iowa; step great grandchildren Andrew Clinton of Richmond, Virginia and Katlyn and husband Mike Egan and their daughters Millie and Maddie (Madison) Egan of Vienna, Virginia; one brother-in-law Leland Jones of Story City, Iowa along with special nieces, nephews and many other relatives and friends.

The family will meet with friends Sunday afternoon, December 19, 2021, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Monday, December 20, 2021, at 10:30 AM at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery following the service. The casket bearers will be Charlotte’s grandsons: Kyle Krogh, Tyler Beckel and Christopher Krogh, great grandsons Kale, Jace, Gage and Bode Krogh.