Keith Brockman

Clarinda, IA

March 15, 1945-July 2, 2014

 

Keith Brockman, age 69, of Clarinda, entered into peace Wednesday, July 2 at Clarinda Regional Health Center, Clarinda. Funeral services were held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 5 at St. John Lutheran Church, Clarinda with Pastor Daryl Tompkins officiating. Visitation with the family was held 4-6 p.m., Friday, July 4 at Ritchie Funeral Home, Clarinda. Burial was in the Clarinda Cemetery, Clarinda. Memorials may be directed to the Clarinda Regional Health Center Relay For Life or the Nodaway Valley Historical Museum. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on our website at, www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Clarinda.

Keith Brockman, 69, of Clarinda entered into peace Wednesday, July 2 at Clarinda Regional Health Center, Clarinda.

Keith Oliver Brockman was born March 15, 1945 in Clarinda to Raymond and Della (Wagoner) Brockman. Keith grew up on the family farm near Clarinda. He attended Lee Grove Country School. Keith was the only student in his class at Lee Grove and was one of the last students to "graduate" from Lee Grove. He then attended and graduated from Clarinda High School in 1963. Following high school, Keith attended Iowa Western Community College. In 1967, Keith joined the Iowa Army Reserves, and was honorably discharged in February 1972.

Keith and Linda (Schmidt) were united in marriage on September 9, 1973. To this union, they were blessed with three children, Sarah, Matthew, and John.

Keith and Linda farmed in Harlan Township, doing custom farming and feeding cattle with his dad. In 1984, Keith went to work for Eaton Corporation and for most of the next 20 years Keith worked the night shift. In 2004, Keith retired from Eatons and started working for Orr Trucking delivering mail in and around Page County. He loved to visit with all the "mail deliverers" and was frequently seen waving at neighbors as he drove his route. In 2013, Keith retired from the mail delivery, but he loved that job!

Keith's greatest loves included visiting friends, playing cards, baling hay, selling hay, helping his sons when he could, and to assist anyone when they needed him. Keith rarely missed an opportunity to visit anyone who was having a health issue, or who simply needed a smile or kind word.

Over the years, he had many opportunities to hire and mentor young people. He hired countless numbers of youth and taught them to bale, load, and stack hay. He had a wealth of information about machinery, tools, and almost anything that required practical knowledge. He was "tough", but at the same time very generous and non-judgmental. No one was a stranger to Keith, and no one was above or below Keith.

In his retirement years, Keith became the "expert" on hay. He could tell you when to bale hay, when not to bale hay, and how dry or wet the hay was. One of Keith's favorite things to do was to "cater" to the women in his life. He always made time for his horse friends and customers.

In 1995, Keith was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that originated in the appendix. Following numerous surgeries and chemotherapies he became a model for other cancer patients to "watch". "If Keith can do it so can I".

After over 17 years, Keith was once again diagnosed with cancer. He was convinced that he could "beat" the cancer this time too, but it was not to be.

Preceding Keith in death were his parents Raymond and Della Brockman.

Left to cherish his memory are is wife, Linda Brockman of Clarinda; daughter, Sarah Playle and husband Doug, and their children Lauren and Owen of Ankeny; son, Matthew Brockman and wife Jessalyn, and their son, Reid of Clarinda; son, John Brockman and Elissa Reed of Clarinda; brother, Kenneth Brockman and wife Marta of Clarinda; sister, Nancy Aron and husband Chuck of Lincoln, Neb.; brother-in-law, Kenny Schmidt and wife Dallas of Hutchinson, Kan.; sisters-in-law, Norma Hartung of Haven, Kan. and Lois Wagoner and husband Roger of Clarinda; much loved nieces and nephews and many, many friends and family members.