Fred R. Krenk, age 79

Fred R. Krenk

Obituary

   Fred R. Krenk, age 79, of Madrid, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at his residence of Madrid, Iowa. 

A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. Father William A. McCarthy will officiate. Military Rites will be conducted by the McNamara-Moore Post No. 61 of the American Legion of Ida Grove, Iowa. Committal Services will follow in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery of Ida Grove, Iowa. A Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on Friday, December 10, 2021, with a vigil service at 7:45 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. 

The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com 

Freddie “Fred” R. Krenk, Sr. was born on June 17, 1942, in the upstairs corner room of his home in Dwight, NE, to his parents Fred John Krenk & Helen Rose (Barcal). The family moved to Ida Grove when he was 6 months old where he grew up on a farm. In his youth he was a member of 4-H and the Boy Scouts (where he achieved Eagle Scout). He graduated in 1960 from Ida Grove High School and went on to Iowa State University, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, in the ROTC, and graduated in 1964 with an Ag Business Degree. After college he served in the Army for 2 years as an officer and was stationed in Korea during the Vietnam War. Following deployment, he served 4 years in the reserves where he taught signal corp and other classes. 

Fred started his working life with jobs at a couple of banks and came back to Ida Grove to be a ranch hand for his brother John. When he was working for his brother, he met and later married Juella “Jo” Marie Brinkman on December 27, 1975. He eventually worked for the feed store in Ida Grove and owned his own feed store, Krenk Feed Service. 

Fred, Jo, and their three kids moved a few times including to Cedar Rapids and Harlan, to work for ADM, New York Life Insurance, and Crow’s Hybrid Seed Company. He retired in Wayne, NE, from Mycogen Seeds in 2008 after working as a salesman for 12 years. After retirement he drove a van for the Senior Center. Then after Jo retired, they moved to a townhome in Madrid, IA, where Fred was president of their homeowner’s association.

Fred’s favorite past times were playing card games (like Solitaire, Golf, and Sevens) or reading books by Vince Flynn. In the winter months, he loved watching football (cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones and Minnesota Vikings) and playing with the grandkids, sledding and making snowmen and snow angels in the snow! However, his favorite time of year were the summer months, where he enjoyed tending to the garden (especially the roses), but most of all spending time taking his family and friends boating and pulling the grandkids on the “water couch”.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Juella Krenk of Madrid, IA; three children, Freddie Krenk of Madrid, IA, Mandy (Miguel) Santander of Lincoln, NE, and Monica (Ben) McIntire Omaha, NE; eight grandchildren, Dominic Flores, Dayanara, Alex, Isabela, Brayden and Addison Santander and Phoebe and Micaela McIntire; his four brothers John (Rachel) Krenk of Ida Grove, IA, Jerry (Carol) Krenk of Schoolcraft, MI, Ben (Co) Krenk of Pembroke Pines, FL, and Bernie (Loni) Krenk of Ida Grove, IA; as well as nieces, nephews, and many other extended family and friends.