Harvey Dale Boeckholt

A Funeral service for Harvey will be celebrated at 11am on Monday, November 3, 2025, at St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church, 4600 Meredith Drive, Des Moines, Iowa with a luncheon following at the parish hall. Visitation will begin at 10am prior to the service. A private family Military graveside service will be held at 1:30pm at Merle Hay Chapel Hills Cemetery, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church or the VA Central Iowa Health Care System.

Harvey passed away peacefully, Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the age of 96. He was born on June 18, 1929, in Woden, Iowa to parents Herman and Marie Boeckholt. He had six siblings, Edna, Johnny, Harold, Don, Elda and Elinor.

Harvey was raised near Bancroft, Iowa and graduated eighth grade from Kossuth County schools in Algona, IA in 1942 which merited him admission to high school. He was a good student and even won a spelling bee in elementary school. Harvey then went to work farming on various farms with his family. He later worked at the hatchery in Bancroft and began construction work as a carpenter. He was drafted into the US Army in 1951 and served two years in Germany during the Korean War. In 1952 he married his beloved wife Donna Marie McGee from Bancroft, IA. The couple made their way to the Des Moines, IA area. Harvey built their family home in Dogpatch where they raised their five children.

He worked as a brick layer, framer, and cabinet maker but primarily as a self-employed finish carpenter from which he retired over 20 years ago. Harvey was very social and loved playing cribbage, pitch and poker. He loved being with his family and considered a houseful of noisy kids the perfect background for a nap in his recliner after dinner. He loved telling stories from throughout his lifetime and remembered everything in vivid detail. He also loved hunting and golf, but especially fishing. If you wanted to know what the crappies were biting on, you called Harvey!

He and Donna traveled throughout the United States visiting many national parks and landmarks during their retired years. Harvey was a member of St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church for 58 years where he ushered and was active in the Knights of Columbus. He was also a long-time member of the VFW Post #9127 in Beaverdale, Iowa where he served two terms as post Commander.

Harvey is survived by his daughters, Angela Stevenson (Kevin), Connie Hayes (Tom), Tina Eggers and Theresa Lynch. Grandchildren: Tommy, Vicki, Scotty, Rachel and Dominick Hayes, Nicholas Boeckholt, Mitch and Matt Eggers, Kelly, Maddie and Andy Lynch, Tomi Jo Day and Travis Limke, and 10 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Dianne Schiltz and brother-in-law Roger Wilhelmi as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Donna, his son Martin Dale Boeckholt, his siblings and their spouses, sons-in-law John Lynch and Scott Eggers, and several nieces and nephews.

We want to thank the rehab and hospice staff at VA Central Iowa Health Care System in Des Moines (https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/50797090/) for their dedicated and compassionate care of our father.