Clarence "Duke" J. Kettler, 102, of Le Mars, formerly of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away on Monday, March 28, 2016 at the Plymouth Manor Care Center in Le Mars. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016 at All Saints Catholic Parish-St. James Church in Le Mars. Father Kevin Richter will celebrate Mass. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Alton, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home. The family will be present from 5-7p.m. with a scriptural prayer service at 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to Mass on Friday.

Clarence Joseph Kettler was born on March 25, 1914 in Lismore, Minnesota, the son of Leo J. and Ann Marie (Hastert) Kettler. He attended school in Alton, Iowa and later took a positon in Le Mars, Iowa with Sherman Poultry. Clarence trucked for Sherman between Le Mars and O’Neill, Nebraska. It was in O’Neill that he met Evelyn M. Hoaas. The couple was married on December 18, 1939 in O’Neill. They moved to Le Mars where Clarence took a correspondence course in radio repair.

In 1941, in order to aid the war effort, Clarence took a position with the Army Air Corps in Sioux City where he repaired B-17 aircraft. Towards the end of the war he moved to Pocatello, Idaho to repair aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater. Following the war, Clarence and Evelyn moved to Sioux City and Clarence formed an electrical installation business that wired rural homes. He traveled throughout the area wiring homes that have never had electricity.

Clarence used his ingenuity at Gamble’s where he repaired appliances. He then took a position at William’s Appliance in Sioux City doing the same work. He would stay at that position until the age of 65. He continued with William’s on a part time basis for the next 10 years. Evelyn passed in September of 2000. Clarence moved to the Plymouth Manor Care Center on September 24, 2012.

In earlier years, Clarence and Evelyn enjoyed annual fishing trips with their family to Minnesota. He and Evelyn also liked visiting Las Vegas and the north shore of Lake Superior. He closely followed the stock market and never stopped learning.

Clarence will be lovingly remembered by his children, Richard and Pamela Kettler of Dakota City, NE and Margaret A. “Peggy” Woolworth of Hinton, IA; grandchildren, Monique (Jay) Noteboom of Hinton, IA, Mason (Juliana) Woolworth of Dakota Dunes, SD and Emily Frank of Ankeny, IA; great- grandchildren, Grace and Ruby Noteboom of Hinton, IA; brothers, Milo Kettler of Le Mars, IA and Robert (Rose) Kettler of Savage, MN.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Evelyn; sisters, Loretta (Fay) O’Connell, Cleo (Kal) Kohler, Florence (Lenard) Chudeke and Mary Ann (Sylvan) Ralter; brothers, Lloyd (Inez), Lawrence, Walter and Albert “Tony” Kettler.

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