Francis H. Krohnke

Francis Harold Krohnke was born at Denison, Iowa, April 4, 1940, the son of Harold and Margaret Miller Krohnke. He was raised on the farm at Schleswig and graduated from the Schleswig High School with the class of 1958. On November 5, 1960, Francis was united in marriage with Durene Schneider at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Charter Oak, Iowa. Their union was blessed with four children: Michele, Cheryl, Jeff and Jason. They made their home on the farm southwest of Schleswig where Francis was engaged in his lifelong love of farming. In later years he went into business with his son Jeff in OK Construction, retiring in 2006. Following his retirement Francis and Durene moved to Denison in 2007 where he had since resided. In his spare time Kronk loved playing cards with the grandchildren, trips to the Casinos, trips to Las Vegas and traveling with Durene. Other pastimes he enjoyed through the years were fishing, dancing and watching movies and Kronk will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a great joke teller, especially Ole and Lena jokes. He was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Denison. Francis died, surrounded by his loving family, Sunday morning, October 9, 2011, at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time of his death he had been blessed with 71 years, 6 months and 5 days. Including his parents, Harold and Margaret Krohnke, Francis was also preceded in death by his father-in-law, Paul Schneider and brother-in-law, David Schneider. Those remaining to cherish his memory include his wife of nearly 51 years, Durene Krohnke of Denison, Iowa; four children, their spouses and 12 grandchildren: Michele and Tom Reiman and children, Derek, Ashley and Chase Lilleholm of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Cheryl and Patrick Klein and daughter, Taylor of Dunlap, Iowa, Jeff and Kysa Krohnke and children, Patrice, Kayla, Whitney, Briley, Mariah and Jett of Schleswig, Iowa, and Jason and Sara Krohnke and children, Austin and Caitlin of Waukee, Iowa, one sister, Mary Elizabeth Krohnke of Denison, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Cyrenus and Jeannetta Knief of Deloit, Iowa, other relatives and friends.