Leo Martin Haverkamp

Leo Martin Haverkamp, 98 formerly of Fort Dodge & Remsen, IA, died Thursday Sept. 3, 2009 at Grace Home in Graceville, MN.Funeral services will be 10:30a.m.,Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Remsen, with Rev. William McCarthy officiating. Friends may call anytime after 2p.m. Monday Sept. 7, 2009. There will be a rosary at 3p.m., a vigil prayer service at 7:30p.m. and Knights of Columbus and Catholic Order of Foresters rosary at 8p.m. all at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen, IA.  Leo was the 8th of 10 children born to Frank & Katherine (Berks) Haverkamp. Leo was born Sept. 18, 1910 on the family farm south of Remsen, IA which he purchased in 1948. On Jan. 15, 1935 he married Mary T. Freking of LeMars, IA. He continued farming and raising purebred shorthorn cattle until 1958, when the family moved to Fort Dodge, IA, where he was the owner and manager of the North Central Telephone Company. Leo sold the company in 1978, and retired three years later. Mary died Oct. 1, 1991. Leo and Mary will be remembered for their volunteer work, especially their mission to Tanzania, Africa in 1978, to install a telephone system for the Catholic Mission there. Leo’s work in the telephone industry afforded him and his wife Mary the opportunity to travel as a People-to-People goodwill ambassador to 35 countries, including Russia, China, and the Holy Land. In addition to playing volleyball in his spare time, Leo liked to do woodworking and restoration of furniture.On June 18, 1994 Leo married Nora Amick of Fort Dodge, IA. In 2006 Leo & Nora moved to Risen Son, a retirement community in Council Bluffs, IA. Nora died Jan. 21, 2007. Leo moved to Graceville, MN in March of 2009.Leo was survived by his and Mary’s 6 children: daughter, Delores and her husband Thomas J. Nealon of Omaha, NE, his daughter, Sr. Janet Haverkamp, OSF of Dubuque, IA, his daughter Joanne and her husband Arthur D. Abel of Graceville, MN, his son Leon and his wife Kathy Haverkamp of Tuttle, ND, his daughter, Lois and her husband David Dann of Peru, NE, his son, Mark and his wife Audrey Haverkamp of Underwood, IA; 12 Grandchildren; 24 Great-grandchildren; 2 Step granddaughters; 1 Step great-grandchild; His wife Nora Amick-Haverkamp’s children: Jerry and his wife Janet Amick of Vernon Hills, IL, John and his wife Joane Amick of Oelwein, IA, Jim Amick of Wichita, KS, Judy and her husband Stan Boyle of Dakota Dunes, SD, Janet and her husband Don Erpelding of Ankeny, IA; 18 Step grandchildren; 17 Step great-grandchildren. 2 Sister- in-laws, Mercedes Haverkamp of Remsen, IA, Therese Freking of LeMars, IA; 1 Brother-in-law Elmer Willenberg.Leo was an active member of Corpus Christi parish in Fort Dodge, IA, serving as altar boy and lector for the 6a.m. weekday masses for over 30 years, where he was honored as being “The World’s Oldest Altar Boy.” He served as chairman of the Marian Home Board and oversaw the building of the Home. He was a director on the Kiwanis Club Board, and advisor on the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Board, a district director for the NW Iowa District Order of Catholic Order of Foresters, a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of a Cursillo group, chairman of the Pioneer Exhibit of Telephone Equipment at the Iowa State Fair, a co-chairman of the 1984 Diocesan Development Program of the Sioux City Diocese, a recipient of the Governor’s Volunteer Award for his work with the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service for the Blind. He was active in Home, Inc. to help low income people acquire homes, and he managed the warehouse of furniture for needy people. Leo was preceded by his parents and all of his brothers and sisters.