Urban "Berk" Anthony Berkes Obituary (1933

Urban A. "Berk" Berkes, 85, of Fayette, Iowa died Sunday morning, August 12, 2018 at his home with his family at his side. Mass of Christian Burial: 10:30 A.M. Thursday, August 16, 2018 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Fayette. Visitation: 4:00 to 7:30 P.M. Wednesday at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein and for one hour before the service at the church on Thursday. Rosary: 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment: St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, Fayette. Memorials may be directed in his name to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Palmer Hospice. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com Urban Anthony Berkes was born July 16, 1933, in Sycamore, Illinois the son of John and Mary (Then) Berkes. He graduated from Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois in the class of 1951. Following high school, Urban played semi-pro basketball and was recruited as a basketball player by Iowa State University. Instead of continuing his basketball career, he chose to farm the family farm. Urban was united in marriage to Patricia Ann Kempson on June 26, 1954 in DeKalb, Illinois. They farmed in the DeKalb-Kaneville area where Urban hosted foreign agriculture tours for the Illinois Farm Bureau. He received a Top Ten Hog Producers honorable mention award from the Illinois Farm Bureau. The family moved to their farm near Stanley in 1972 and then to their farm near Fayette in 1986. Urban enjoyed farming, mowing lawn, winters in Florida and spending time with his family. He had previously been a member of the Kaneville, Illinois Fire Department. Urban was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Fayette where he had previously served as parish council president. Urban is survived by his wife of 64 years: Patricia Berkes of Fayette; 6 children: Daniel (Renee) Berkes of Union Grove, AL, Ken Berkes of Oelwein, Jane Berkes (Brian Shannon) of Hawkeye, Marla (Bret) Warnke of Westgate; Jennifer Brownell (Judd Steben) of Polk City and Tracey Fucaloro of Urbandale; 13 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren and a sister: Mary Pauline Janicki of Carpentersville, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents; step-father: H.C. Stokley; 2 grandsons: Quinton Berkes and Devin Berkes; step-grandson: Alex Warnke; sister and brother-in-law: Veronica and John L. Fraser; brother and sister-in-law: LaVerne and Bernie Berkes; and brother-in-law: John Janicki.