Home > United States of America > Iowa > Plymouth County > Le Mars > Memorial Cemetery > Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas

Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas

Birth	:	20 Sep 1913
Death	:	24 Dec 1978
Burial	:	Memorial Cemetery, Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.7875000, -96.1504920
Plot	:	Block 15 Lot 60
Description	:	Plymouth county home resident found frozen under railroad bridge. Le Mars police are attributing the death of Leonard Berkenpas, 65, of Le Mars to exposure. "There was not indication whatsoever of foul play in the death of the Plymouth county home resident," police chief Wilbur Petersen said Tuesday. Berkenpas' body was found under a railroad bridge along highway 3 near the home by patrolmen Randy Hazel and Mike Van Otterloo Friday morning, Dec. 29, after police were notified by the county home Berkenpas had not returned since the previous weekend. Petersen said police were notified of... Read More	Plymouth county home resident found frozen under railroad bridge. Le Mars police are attributing the death of Leonard Berkenpas, 65, of Le Mars to exposure. "There was not indication whatsoever of foul play in the death of the Plymouth county home resident," police chief Wilbur Petersen said Tuesday. Berkenpas' body was found under a railroad bridge along highway 3 near the home by patrolmen Randy Hazel and Mike Van Otterloo Friday morning, Dec. 29, after police were notified by the county home Berkenpas had not returned since the previous weekend. Petersen said police were notified of Berkenpas's absence by county home administrator Richard Porter at 10:27 a.m. Friday. "That was our first contact with them," Petersen said. No missing person report had been filed earlier. A little over an hour later, at 11:36 a.m., the frozen body was found under a Chicago and Northwestern bridge just southwest of the county home and east of Floyd Valley hospital. "The bridge is before you come to the County Club drive," Petersen said. Petersen said Berkenpas apparently stopped under the bridge to rest, which he occasionally did on his way to and from town. Petersen said county home officials were "under the impression" Berkenpas had been visiting with relatives over Christmas. After the county home checked with family members, they notified police that Berkenpas was missing. The Le Mars ambulance was summoned to remove the body to the hospital where it was examined by county medical examiner Dr. Daryl Doorembos. Dr. Doorenbos Friday afternoon said "we will be doing an autopsy," to determine the cause of death because the body was frozen. The autopsy report was expected Tuesday afternoon. Plymouth county sheriff Dave Stock and assistant county attorney Brian Michaelson conferred Friday afternoon with Plymouth county home officials. County attorney J. Michael Dull Tuesday said the investigation by his office and the county sheriff both concur there was no foul play in the death of Mr. Berkenpas. Dull said talks have been held with county home personel and with people at various places often visited by the Le Mars man. "He was last seen late in the evening Saturday, Dec. 23," Mr. Dull said. Dull added it is not unusual for a voluntary resident at the county home to be gone several days. He said Berkenpas did not actually sign in and out. Berkenpas would leave and be with friends or family or go fishing and this was his routine, Dull said. Some Christmas presents were unopened at the county home for Berkenpas. Leonard (Lum) Berkenpas was born Sept. 20, 1913, at Castlewood, S.D., to Henry and Anna Tammenga Berkenpas. He had lived most of his life in Plymouth county in the Seney and Le Mars vicinity. He had been a farm laborer. He had made his home the last three years at the county home. Services were held Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Mauer funeral chapel with Rev. Everett Staats officiating. Burial was in Le Mars Memorial cemetery under direction of the Mauer Funeral Home. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Michael (Gertrude) Zoerink, Le Mars, and Mrs. William (Esther) Faber, Orange City, and five brothers, Richard of Sioux Center, and Gilbert, Donald, Harold and Darrell, all of Le Mars. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Sidney; an infant brother and a sister. Le Mars Daily Sentinel Tuesday, January 2, 1979 Le Mars, Iowa

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas's memorial?
Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas's memorial is located at: Memorial Cemetery, Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA.
When did Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas death?
Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas death on 24 Dec 1978 in
Where are the coordinates of the Leonard “Lum” Berkenpas's memorial?
Latitude: 42.7875000
Longitude: -96.1504920

Family Members:

Parent

Henry Berkenpas

(1877 - 1970)

Anna Tammenga Berkenpas

(1882 - 1942)

Siblings

Richard Berkenpas

(1904 - 1997)

Sidney E Berkenpas

(1911 - 1965)

Gilbert Berkenpas

(1916 - 1998)

Donald “Don” Berkenpas

(1919 - 2002)

Gertrude H Berkenpas Zoerink

(1921 - 2015)

Harold Lloyd Berkenpas

(1926 - 2005)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Memorial Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7875000, -96.1504920

2. Calvary Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7939000, -96.1527100

3. Resthaven Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8375015, -96.1686020

4. Seney Cemetery
Seney, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8586655, -96.1265106

5. Saint Catherines Cemetery
Oyens, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8224200, -96.0563900

6. Saint Peter Cemetery
Brunsville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8081017, -96.2767029

7. Hillside Cemetery
Merrill, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7291985, -96.2544022

8. Assumption Catholic Cemetery
Merrill, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7214480, -96.2583450

9. Stanton Cemetery
Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6786003, -96.1900024

10. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Struble, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8953018, -96.2005997

11. Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8514600, -96.2902600

12. Saint Marys Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8078003, -95.9781036

13. Remsen Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8058014, -95.9775009

14. Union Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6917000, -96.0291977

15. Plymouth Presbyterian Cemetery
Brunsville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8208760, -96.3318410

16. Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Adaville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7484000, -96.3315000

17. Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery
Neptune, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6447560, -96.1148360

18. Floyd Valley Cemetery
Hinton, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6556015, -96.2514038

19. Mathwig Wetrovsky Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6338000, -96.1723000

20. Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
Hinton, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6330950, -96.1937720

21. Saint Johns Cemetery
Craig, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8939018, -96.3225021

22. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Johnson Township, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7416992, -96.3707962

23. Saint Marys Cemetery
Maurice, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9594002, -96.1769028

24. Saint Johns Lutheran Church Cemetery
Ruble, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8372000, -96.3799000