Walter August Noelck

Walter August Noelck, the son of William and Margaret (Herrmann) Noelck, was born July 1, 1923, at his parents’ home near Breda, Iowa and entered his heavenly home on August 31, 2018, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 95 years, 1 month, and 30 days.
Walter was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia, Iowa and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township, Audubon County, Iowa. He attended rural schools and graduated from Gray Consolidated High School with the Class of 1941. He was first in his family to graduate from high school. Walter worked on the family farm and assisted other farmers in the area until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1945. During his tour of duty he served with the first troops of the Occupation Army in Japan. In December of 1946, he was honorably discharged and returned to the area where he was employed at the Audubon Music Store.
On August 8, 1948, he was united in marriage to Joan Duede at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Audubon County. They were blessed with nine children Mary, David, Paul, John, Wayne, Alan, Ruth, Carolyn, and James. They moved to Ross, Iowa and Walter was employed at Farm Service selling and delivering gas and oil to farmers. Later he became a lighting specialist selling all types of lighting to commercial businesses until he retired. His family was the center of his life. He taught them how to fish, play cards, change tires, play games, and enjoy the “little things in life.” With his family and in retirement with Joan, they traveled the United States, first in their little pop-up tent trailer and then in their “Scamp”. They provided their children with a wealth of knowledge of the beauty and history of the country as they camped in many national parks and climbed lots of mountains. Walter liked to garden and always had a large garden which kept Joan busy canning all of the produce. But most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially the grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Walter was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa and then joined Zion Lutheran Church in Manning, Iowa.
Preceding him in death was an infant son John Noelck; his grand-daughter-in-law Mandy Noelck; his parents; his brothers and spouses: Emil (Inger Marie) Noelck, Elmer (Inez) Noelck, Melvin (Alice) Noelck, and Bill (Florence) Noelck; his mother-in-law and father-in-law Otto and Hazel (Dammann) Duede; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Midge Duede, Russell (Brenda) Duede, and Dean (Sandra) Duede.
Survivors include his wife Joan Noelck of Ross, Iowa; his children Mary (Don) Mulfinger of Burnsville, Minnesota, David (Susan) Noelck of Sussex, Wisconsin, Paul (Candace) Noelck of Boone, Iowa, Wayne (Beverly) Noelck of Hawarden, Iowa, Alan (Carol) Noelck of Avondale, Arizona, Ruth (Timothy) Obermeier of Spencer, Iowa, Carolyn Miller of Overland Park, Kansas, and James (Nicole) Noelck of Johnston, Iowa; his 24 grandchildren: Jeffrey (Clea) Mulfinger, Michael (Sarah) Mulfinger, Amanda (Christopher) Mulfinger, William (Laura) Noelck, Daniel Noelck, Adam (Katie) Noelck, Jessica Noelck, Jason (Chantalle) Noelck, Abby Noelck, Rebekah (Jason) Fischer, Amy Noelck, Kara (Joshua) Sherriffs, North (Michelle) Noelck, Sterling (Casey) Noelck, Forrest (Patti) Noelck, Katrina (Michael) Phelan, Bryan Obermeier, Connor Obermeier, Xavier Obermeier, George Miller, Rachel Miller, Taylor Noelck, Molly Noelck, and Isaac Noelck; his 14 great grandchildren: Ben Mulfinger, Will Mulfinger, Marcus Mulfinger, Campbell Mulfinger, Otto Noelck, Marjorie Noelck, Carter Noelck, Hazel Noelck, Beckett Noelck, Alistair Noelck, Iola Noelck, Noah Obermeier, Isobel Obermeier, and Aurora Phelan; his sisters and brothers-in-law Ruth Noelck of Geneva, Iowa, Carl Duede of Venice, Florida, Florence and Jerry Scott of Louisville, Kentucky and Mark (Beth) Duede of Santa Rosa, California; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Jonathan Conner on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Church in Manning, Iowa. Interment will be in the Lincoln Township Cemetery in rural Audubon County. The honorary casket bearers will be his neighbors: Bob Nelson, Dan Mennenoh, Gene Mennenoh, Aaron Jorgensen, Tom Campbell, Tom Dittsworth, Jim Bobenmoyer, Gary Wegner, and Ron Lebeck. The casket bearers will be his children Mary Mulfinger, David Noelck, Paul Noelck, Wayne Noelck, Alan Noelck, Ruth Obermeier, Carolyn Miller, and James Noelck. The family will meet with friends on Tuesday evening September 4, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. The family suggests memorials to Trinity Church Organ Repair Fund, the Friendship Home, The Lutheran Hour, the Orphan Grain Train, or Camp Okoboji.