Reinard Arthur Wulkow

Reinard Arthur Wulkow was born 18 November 1918 on the family farm in rural Sac City to Ernst Friedrich Johann Wulkow and Martha Wilhelmina Maria (Schwartz) Wulkow. He was baptized in 1918 and confirmed in 1932 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, and attended country school at St. Peter’s parochial school. Reinard graduated from Lytton High School in 1936, and went on to Iowa State University where he graduated with a major in Animal Husbandry and a minor in Military Science. Reinard was a member of Army ROTC in college, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant U.S. Army only 13 days after Pearl Harbor.

Reinard married Eunice Martha Leckband on 9 September 1942 in Salinas, California. During WW II, Reinard served his country in the European theatre of war, and was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle East Medal with Silver Star, WW II Victory Medal, Occupation of Germany Medal, American Defense Medal, and four overseas bars.

Upon returning home in 1946 Reinard took over the family farm operation. He served in many community groups including St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 4-H, American Legion, Sac County Historical Society, Youth For Understanding, Iowa State Historical Society, the Lytton Museum, and Coon-Valley Township. Reinard was active in Army Reserve activities until his retirement at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 18 November 1970. Reinard was also an expert marksman and enjoyed Rifle and Pistol League competitions.

Reinard and Eunice enjoyed traveling extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Some of the many hobbies Reinard enjoyed included photography, woodworking, building clocks, painting, and stained glass. He obtained his pilots license and was interested in antiques, rock hunting, fishing, hunting, horses, coin and stamp collecting, and scrimshaw. Reinard especially enjoyed his children and grandchildren.

Reinard passed away peacefully at the BlackHawkLife Care Center at 12:50 AM on Saturday, 11 October 2003 at the age of 84 years, 10 months, and 23 days. He is survived by his wife, Eunice Martha Leckband Wulkow, and daughters: Rebecca Ann (Wulkow) Scholes and husband Al, Waukee, Iowa; Melanie Jane Brockman (Wulkow) Englebrecht, Brockman, Cannons, West Des Moines, Iowa; Barbara Louise (Wulkow) Gregory and husband Butch (Robert Bruce), Glidden, Iowa; and Heidi Jo Wulkow, Santa Monica, California; grandchildren: Captain Chad Hotham Scholes, Reid Andrew Scholes, Joanne Elise Gregory, Maverick Lee Gregory, and step-granddaughter Brianna Leigh Hutson Gregory.

Reinard enjoyed everything about God’s creation, and was grateful for the opportunity to work on the land. He often said that life was filled with many joys, but that his greatest fortune was in having a faithful, loving, wonderful wife.

Funeral services for Reinard A. Wulkow were held on Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 10:30 am, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, rural Sac City, Iowa, with Rev. H. W. Kramer officiating. Dee Meyer played the organ and the congregation sang hymns. Jean Matter and Marylou McKinney took care of the flowers. The pallbearers included: Capt. Chad Scholes, Reid Scholes, Darold Matter, Dale Kreft, John H. Everts, and Laverne Arndt. Burial was at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery with full military graveside rites by Hutchinson-Liechty American Legion Post No. 546 of Lytton, Iowa.