Richard Kerkove

John “Richard” Kerkove, age 93, died peacefully on July 28, 2026, after a life filled with faith, family, hard work, and services. Richard was born on April 2, 1933, in rural Ollie, the sixth of twelve children born to John Leroy Kerkove and Addie Louise Spiess. There wasn’t much money and with a household of seven boys and five girls, the Kerkove children all worked hard to help support the family and played hard as well. When the Kerkove family moved to Sigourney, Richard had many part-time jobs including working at Jimmy Green’s ice cream shop and working as a shoe shiner at the barbershop. He also participated in high school sports, late-night raccoon hunting, stealing of ripe watermelons, and hooking up sleds to the cars of unsuspecting drivers for a free ride around town.

When Richard was a senior in high school, he met the love of his life, Margaret “Ann” Kerkove, who was a friend of his sister, Marlene. He graduated from Sigourney High School in 1952 and began working as a Telegrapher for the Milwaukee Railroad. Richard was drafted into the military in 1953 and served as a heavy equipment driver for Army Company B 804th Engineering Aviation Battalion in England, converting RAF Greenham Common into a bomber base during the Korean War.

Richard returned from Army duty in August 1955. He and Ann were married on October 15, 1955, and moved into their first home, a 28’ foot trailer in Melbourne, Iowa, where Richard resumed working for the railroad and their first child was born. Richard and Ann eventually moved to Hayesville to take up farming. In addition to farming, Richard worked for his father-in-law, Walter Fagen Jr., shelling corn for the Sigourney Elevator, was a dealer for Dekalb Seed Company, delivered for Gossett Feeds, and later retired as the custodian at the Keokuk County Courthouse.

Through it all, Richard and Ann’s farm in Hayesville was the center of raising their five children, hosting many meals for family and friends, making homemade ice cream, riding horses with their guests, taking guests out on hayrides, and raising their own meat and garden produce. Richard’s wife and children all knew they were loved, in spite of their many actions that caused Richard to sigh heavily, such as getting speeding tickets, wrecking multiple cars, leaving strips of grass when mowing the lawn, wasting precious water by allowing the hog water tanks to overflow, and in one case, fixing an overheating car by pouring gallons of water into the oil pan instead of the radiator. He stoically endured the annual family tradition of cutting a Christmas tree on the farm, listening to his wife and children cry because the tree was not tall enough to touch the ceiling, and returning home to find that several feet needed to be cut from the tree just so it could stand upright in the living room.

In addition to working hard, Richard was also a kind and service-oriented man. While serving in the Army, Richard often loaned money to his fellow soldiers on an interest-free basis so they could make it through to the next payday. He was known throughout the local community as the man who supported his wife by driving her around the county to complete her Hospice duties and by wrapping her homemade carmels. Richard also served as a leader for a number of years in the Sigourney Church of Christ, drove the Joy Bus to pick up children for church, helped with Vacation Bible School, served for many years on the Board of Trustees for Sharon Bluffs Bible Camp in Centerville, and was an active member of the local Republican Party. He was a member of the Sigourney Christian Church at the time of his death.

Richard was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 69+ years, Ann, infant grandson John Bown, infant great-granddaughter Jillian Rhoderick, his parents, and all eleven of his brothers and sisters.

Richard was survived by his five children Rick (Jodi) Kerkove of Lake St. Louis, Missouri, Tricia (Michael) Lawson of Dallas, Texas, Peggy (Rodney) West of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Janice Kerkove (David Richardson) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Joyce Kerkove (Bill Bowermaster) of Kansas City, Missouri, and special family friend Joy Bradley of Marthasville, Missouri;

Twelve grandchildren Kris (Alysia) Kerkove, Kari (Matt) Rhoderick, Kyle (Paige) Kerkove, Travis Bohl, Jessica (Mark) Comstock, Emily (Cody) Scholtus, Denita West, Carrie Ann West, Nathaniel Richardson (Trang Tran), Jonathan Richardson, Rachel Bowermaster, and Katelyn Bowermaster;

Fifteen great-grandchildren Carter Kerkove, Reid Kerkove, Jakob (Sam) Rhoderick, Jaden (Hannah) Rhoderick, Jameson Rhoderick, Tatum Kerkove, Dejah Bohl, Theo Bohl, Kaden Fisher, Jayden Comstock, Ethan Fisher, Greyson Fisher, Brody Barnhart, Leah Scholtus, AJ Tolliver; and

Three great-great-grandchildren Walker Rhoderick, Sloane Rhoderick and Ariya Tolliver.

Memorials may be made to Sigourney Christian Church or to Kavanah Media in support of the Messimer family mission to Taiwan.

Visitation: Tuesday August 4, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the Holm Funeral Home.
Funeral service: Wednesday August 5,2026, 10:00 A.M. Sigourney Christian Church.
Burial: Garrett Cemetery near Delta.