Passed away in Sebastopol, CA, June 22, 2014 surrounded by his loving family. Husband of the late Margaret C. Jochim. Father of Betty L. Koenig and her husband Kim. Also survived by his beloved family of grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends. This strong man of faith enjoyed a long career in Marin, Sonoma and Lake counties, working as a building contractor for many years. He served in the U.S. Army, and after his discharge, returned to So. Dakota where he planned on going in the fields planting flax, and by chance his first crop were sun flowers rather than flax. Thus, he used the sun flower as his excuse to return to California and to Marin where he married, Margaret, whom he met while living in Marin. The sun flower from then on was his inspiration for hard work and a loving marriage of over 40 years. He always lived by his motto of "Don't Give Up". A native of Eagle Butte, So. Dakota, age 90 years.
Funeral services will be held, Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 1:00 pm at PARENT-SORENSEN MORTUARY & CREMATORY, 850 Keokuk St., Petaluma. Interment will follow at Cypress Hill Memorial Park. The family prefer memorials be made to the Hessel Church Building Fund, 5060 Hessel Ave., Sebastopol, CA 95472.