In Memory of Eileen Kienapfel

EILEEN E. (Peters) KIENAPFEL, 91, long time Carroll resident, passed away on October 26, 2010 at the Regency Park Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 30, 2010. Pastor David Anthony and Pastor Brian Licht will officiate at the service and burial will be in the Arcadia Cemetery. Organist for the service will be Janet Hoff and the congregation will sing “Just as I Am”, “How Great Thou Art”, and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. Casket bearers will be Bob Grundmeier, Tracy Onken, Louie Ferguson, and Duane Proctor. Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Friday where there will be a prayer service held at 7:00 P.M. The casket will be moved to the church at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday to lie in state until the time of service.

The daughter of Herman and Emma (Boldt) Peters, Mrs. Kienapfel was born in 1919 on a farm in Crawford County, Iowa. She grew up in the Carroll area and graduated from Carroll High School in 1937. After high school she worked for Saul and Sweany Law Firm in Carroll.

Eileen Peters married Harold “Hip” Kienapfel on August 23, 1941, in Arcadia, Iowa, and lived near Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for a year before Mr. Kienapfel received orders overseas during World War II. They have lived in Carroll since 1946. They had two children, Dr. Bruce J. Kienapfel and Dr. Lana J. VanderLinden.

While her children were in school, she was a stay-at-home mom. After her children graduated from high school, Mrs. Kienapfel worked several years for Ellerbroeks, a women’s clothing store in Carroll. Later she worked with her husband at the Region 12 Council of Governments. Together, Eileen and Hip started the Congregate Meals Program, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the Region XII Housing Authority, the Regional Transit Authority, the Elderbridge Area Agency on Aging, and the Area 12 S.A.L.T. Program. While she shied away from the limelight, Eileen was a full partner in support of her husband’s success during Mr. Kienapfel’s years as a political figure in Carroll.

She has been a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church for over 60 years and has served the congregation continuously through the unselfish donation of her time and talent in various church organizations. She was also a longtime member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Eileen and “Hip” were avid dancers and gave dancing lessons in the Carroll area for 32 years. Eileen also enjoyed baking pies, playing cards, traveling, reminiscing with friends, and was always a faithful “Hawkeye” fan.

Mrs. Kienapfel is survived by her daughter, Dr. Lana VanderLinden, of Rocky Mount, NC; a daughter-in-law, Nancy Kienapfel, of Ouray, Colorado; two granddaughters, Linda Kienapfel of Ouray, Colorado and Kai (Christopher) Gruber of Manhattan, Kansas; four great grandchildren, Megan Kienapfel, Ethan Gruber; Abigail Gruber and Aiden Gruber; one sister-in-law, Margie Kienapfel of Manning; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, “Hip” (2005), her son, Dr. Bruce Kienapfel (2006), her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Herman (Emma) Peters; her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Howard (Yvonne) Lesher; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Tom (Dorothy) Sharp; her parents-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick (Caroline) Kienapfel; and one nephew, Donald Sharp.