Kenneth DeBerg

Kenneth Wayne DeBerg, 78, of Grundy Center, passed away on November 3, 2019, at Grundy County Memorial Hospital after a short battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 11, at 6 PM at United Reformed Church in Wellsburg with Pastor Joel Wories officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 3-6 PM at the church. Inurnment will take place at a later date. Abels Funeral and Cremation Service, Engelkes-Chapel is taking care of Ken and his family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be donated to a cause in Kens memory at a later date. Online messages of condolences may be made at www.abelsfuneralhomes.com.

Ken DeBerg was born on January 3, 1941, at Allen Hospital in Waterloo to his parents Joseph and Catherine (Bakker) DeBerg. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Dike High School with the class of 1958. Ken went on to attend and graduate from AIB college in Des Moines. Ken was married to Eileen Appel in 1961 and together, they had three loving children, Mike, Curt, and Tracy; Ken and Eileen later divorced. He held a few different jobs prior to working for Farmer’s Co-op in both Grundy Center and Reinbeck. Ken worked in the office until he later transferred to driving a feed truck for many years. He also farmed the family farm and raised hogs alongside working at the co-op which was truly his passion. Ken later was remarried to Peg Riebkes in May of 1988 at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grundy Center, which ended in divorce.

Ken enjoyed many hobbies in his free time, constantly cheering on the Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs. He was a family man, loving the time he got to spend with his children and grandchildren, especially attending their many events. Ken was known to sing, belonging to a couple different choruses, including the Twin Town Barbershop, Interfaith Chorus, and Relative Sound. In Ken’s later years, he developed quite the hobby for “people watching” and was rather fond of driving his golf cart around, including on the sidewalks, for which his children apologize. He was a vibrant person, enjoying spending time and conversing with anyone who would give him the time. Ken was a member of the Grundy Center Fire Department for over three decades; he was also a member of Bethany Presbyterian Church and later United Reformed Church in Wellsburg.

Ken is survived by his loving children Mike DeBerg of Hudson, Curt (friend Jaclyn) DeBerg of Omaha, NE, and Tracy (Jeff) Beenken of Grundy Center; step-children Ryan (Mindi) Buseman and family and Robbyn (Tim) Diamond and family; grandchildren Amanda (Chris) Kehe, Alisa, Kylie (friend Sam), Madison (friend Carter), Aurora (friend Colton); great-grandchildren Kenzie and Kellan; nephews Mark and Brent Cirksena and families; sister-in-law Lois DeBerg. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Craig.