Larry “Skip” D. Plank, 80, of Kalona, passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, at the University of Iowa Hospital. A private family celebration of life was held Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona. The service will be available via Livestream at the Beatty Peterseim Facebook Page. A memorial fund has been established for the Kalona First Responders and the Kalona United Methodist Church.
Larry David “Skip” Plank was born March 7, 1940, in Wellman, Iowa, the son of David and Faith (Wilkins) Plank. He graduated from Wellman High School in 1959. On Jan. 19, 1963, he was united in marriage to Karen Kepler at the Methodist Church in Kalona. He worked as an Electraforming Technician at Sheller Globe for 25 years and worked for 12 years at the University of Iowa before retiring from there in 2002. Skip was a member of the Kalona United Methodist Church, the Optimist Club of Kalona, the Odd Fellows and Fraternal Order of Eagles #965.
Skip enjoyed fishing, hunting, singing in the church choir, attending his grandchildren’s activities, and visiting with folks. Skip was a friendly, kind man that never knew a stranger.
Survivors include his wife: Karen of Kalona; three children: Lori (Dan) Kleopfer of Riverside, Jeff (Sandy) Plank of Iowa City, Ryan Plank of Kalona, five grandchildren: Zach (Michelle) Kleopfer, Jude (Heather), Chase, Avery and Shae Plank; and a great- granddaughter: Jayleigh; four siblings: Greg Plank, Sandra (Charles) Klopp and Jay Plank all of Wellman, and Justin Plank of South English; brother-in-law: Ken Kepler of Miami, Fla.; and sister-in-law: Sharon Plank of Iowa City.
Preceding Skip in death were his parents; and two brothers: William and Fred Plank.
