LeVerne 'Kirk' M. Kirking

LeVerne (Kirk) M. Kirking died Sunday afternoon at home in rural Lodi. He was born in Vernon County, on March 28, 1924 to Selmer and Tillie (Larson) Kirking as the youngest of three sons. Earl and Lester preceded him in death. At age four his mother died and they lived with their uncle and aunt for three years until their father remarried. They were very fortunate to have someone to give them good care at this time and also a loving step-mother, Luella Williams. After graduating from a small country school and Westby High School, LeVerne attended Platteville College before joining the US Navy. Following officer training while at Cornell and Penn State Universities, he served on the USS Wichita in the Pacific theater including Nagasaki, Japan until the end of WWII. After returning stateside, LeVerne married Jean Bayles whom he had met at Platteville. He received his degree in Agricultural Education from UW-Madison. He then joined his father-in-law on the family’s dairy farm and taught at local schools. When their farm was expanded to include a laying hen operation, LeVerne also became “the egg man,” delivering eggs to families and retail establishments in the Madison area. He was proud to open their farm to international students studying sound farming methods at UW-Madison. Last year theirs was recognized as a Centennial Farm at the Wisconsin State Fair for 122 years of ownership in the same family. LeVerne served on the Lodi School Board. He was a member of the Lodi United Methodist Church for 66 years and the Lodi American Legion post. Retirement provided the opportunity to rekindle his avocations as hunter and fisherman. This past April he participated in the Badger Honor Flight to Washington, DC. Kirk will be remembered by all who knew him for his kind heart, gentle spirit and genuine interest in others. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, children: Duane (Marilyn), Ann Arbor, MI; Ann (Jeffrey) Post, Gaithersburg, MD; Bruce (Diane),Edina, MN; Gale (Regina), Brno, Czech Republic; Cheryl (David) Kilker, Lake Mills, WI and five grandchildren: Bryce, Sarah Jean and Blake Kilker and Alison and Marissa Post. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, August 3, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at LODI UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 130 Locust St., Lodi. Visitation will be from 12 noon until the time of the services on Friday at the Church. Burial will follow at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Donations in LeVerne’s memory may be made to the Lodi United Methodist Church, Badger Honor Flight or Home Health United. Hamre Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care 157 S. Main St. Lodi, 608-592-3201 www.gundersonfh.com Cemetery: Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery Donations in LeVerne’s memory may be made to the Lodi United Methodist Church, Badger Honor Flight or Home Health United.