Eric Allan Kunkel

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, IA with Fr. Timothy Pick officiating and Deacon Doug Heeren assisting. Burial will follow at the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen, IA. Visitation with family present will be 4 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, there will be a vigil prayer service at 5 p.m. all at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen, IA. Visitation will resume on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Services have been entrusted to the Fisch Funeral Home & Monument of Remsen.  Online condolences can be sent at www.fischfh.com

Eric was born Sept. 23, 1986 in Le Mars, IA, the son of Mark & Doris (Rolfes) Kunkel.  Eric graduated from Remsen Union High School in 2005.  He received his Bachelor of Applied Science from AIB College of Business in 2009 and his MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2011. Eric pursued his dream of Finance.  Whatever Eric was pursuing, he did so with the utmost passion and perfection.  He was an active member of the Des Moines Area Rotary Club.  He was highly skilled in his many banking positions in the Des Moines area including his greatest achievement as Vice President.    

Eric was the life of every party; his uncanny laugh, his quick wit and warm heart drew everybody together and everyone always wanted him to be around.  He loved his extra-large family and was always at every family event.

He was a die-hard Iowa Hawkeyes, Cincinnati Bengals, NASCAR, and Oakland A’s fan, however any sport in the season ended up being his favorite.  He loved to golf with his family and always played in the family’s traditional 8-inch annual cup tournament in Remsen.  Eric never missed Remsen’s annual Octoberfest with his family.  He loved to prank his family any chance he got and even brought a real, live goat to the holidays.

He was devoted to his Shiba Inu, Tucker.  Nobody could love that 8-year-old dog more than he did.

He is survived by his parents, Doris and Mark Kunkel of Remsen, Iowa; siblings, Kent Kunkel of Waukee, IA, Kyle Kunkel (Charlotte Holub-Kunkel) of Le Mars, IA, Michelle Haage of Le Mars, IA, Evan Kunkel (Heidi Ploen-Kunkel) of Marcus, IA.  He had four nieces Mackenzie, Braelee, Kendall, Abylnn and four nephews Lawson, Maddox, Myles, and Abram.  He was loved by his 26 aunts and uncles and too many cousins to count, even for an experienced finance expert.  He was truly loved.

We do not know how we are going to live without him but are comforted knowing that he will be in the loving arms of his grandparents, Donald and Mavis Kunkel, Francis Rolfes and Nancy Rolfes.  We will meet again, Eric, “For Just one more.”

Casket bearers will be Kent Kunkel, Kyle Kunkel, Michelle Haage, Evan Kunkel, Mackenzie Kunkel, Andy Schlievert, Chris Aman & Jordan Tietz.

The Life of Eric Kunkel

     Eric was born from Mom and Dad, because how else would he have started?  He wasn’t the only “pickle” kid, he was a sibling to his other brothers and sister which we don’t have to list because this isn’t about them, it’s about Eric.

     Eric graduated from RU-High in 2005.  He moved to Des Moines and graduated from AIB (which doesn’t matter anymore since it no longer exists).  Due to the then recent downsizing at Dunder-Mifflin, he was forced to become a Vice President for a local bank.  He had many talents and skills including numb-chuck skills, and computer hacking skills.  I will get back to you on the talents.  

     Eric gave everything 100%...only after he had finished a beer.  He was the foreman of the office.  He had an idea of what needed to be done, as long as someone else had the tools, resources, time, and knowledge to do the work.  If you ever needed help, especially if it involved manual labor, he was there for you, but just not very good at it at.  He would always say “Do you want me to help or do you want to do it twice?”  None of this explains why he bought a house to renovate, but it does explain his frequent late night trips to the Lumber Yard.

     He loved the scent of Sex Panther cologne because it worked 60% of the time, every time.  He always drank better when he golfed.  He would always let you know when you hit well and would tell you, “Nice Hit Shane!” at least three times per hole.  He loved all sports including fishing out of a cooler.  Eric enjoyed grilling steaks and eating them too.  “He didn’t want salmon, he said that five times!”  But really, he did like salmon as long as it wasn’t from a chain restaurant (which it always was).   He loved his friends and family so much that he would take them to fancy restaurants and say, “Separate checks please.”  Eric once proved that there was indeed a bottom to the bottom-less mimosas. 

     His doctor always told him to eat more greens, so he took the time to sort his M&Ms.  He once burned 1200 calories before taking the pizza out of the oven.  He had an amazing ability to make a Blue Moon happen with the twist of a cap.

He would always refer to Kent’s twins as “Kent’s offspring” which he loved dearly unless they were touching his sh*t.  It was a good thing he didn’t have a drum set.

     He liked drinking with family and friends.  He would order pitchers of beer, one every 10 minutes until somebody passed out.  Then it went to one pitcher every 15 minutes.  At every Octoberfest in Remsen- yeah he tapped that Golden Keg.

     Every time they said it couldn’t be done; he just didn’t do it.  He was always “HERE” or “THERE.”  He enjoyed taking many “long” walks to the fridge and bathroom.

     If you asked Eric what he’s doing, he would always check his phone to see what time football, basketball, hockey, NASCAR, water polo practice, or any other random sport started before letting you know if he was busy.  If he could leave before half-time, he would hang out.

     He was always searching for the answer to “Do chickens have large talons?” and “How many times have you gone to the bathroom in your life?”

     No matter how hard it is or how many tears are shed, Eric’s glad you all came… “That’s what she said!”