LuVerne D. Bakker, 72, of Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at Grundy County Memorial Hospital, while under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, November 7, 2011 at the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church in rural Grundy Center, Iowa, with Pastor Dale Janssen officiating. Burial will follow the funeral service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center. A visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center.
LuVerne was born on May 7, 1939 in Hardin County, Iowa. He was the son of Menno and Lenora (Knock) Bakker. He grew up on a farm in rural Steamboat Rock and moved to rural Grundy Center in 1957. He graduated from Grundy Center High School with the class of 1958. LuVerne joined the National Guard in 1957 and served until 1961. He was united in marriage to Charlotte Kruse on December 2, 1960 at the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church. They made their home in Grundy Center and welcomed three children into their family.
LuVerne was employed at Norwesco Inc. for 42 years and retired in 2003. He also farmed those years and retired from farming in 2005. He was a long-time member of Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church and served the church as a deacon. LuVerne served on the barn quilt committee for several years. He enjoyed his tractors, going on tractor rides, traveling to Branson, spending time at the farm and visiting with friends and family.
LuVerne is survived by his wife, Charlotte Bakker of Grundy Center; his children Dean (Sandy) Bakker of Parkersburg, Nancy (Darwin) Stahl of Wellsburg and Kathy (Steve) Haverkamp of Grundy Center; his grandchildren Lindsay (Luke) Warren of Ankeny, Amanda (David) Capsopoulos of Lincoln, Dalton and Sena Haverkamp of Grundy Center and Sophie and Daniel Stahl of Wellsburg; his brother-in-law Doug (Connie) Kruse of Conrad; his sisters-in-law Barb Kruse, of Loveland, CO and Carolyn Thesing of Reinbeck.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers-in-law Bob Kruse and Charles Thesing.