Charles (Chuck) Franklin Buerckley, age 82, of Carroll, IA, and formerly of Zearing, IA, passed away on Friday, May 3, 2024 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, IA.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Central Church in Carroll with Pastor Ryan Gallegos officiating. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery with full military honors by the Carroll American Legion and the Iowa Army National Honor Guard.
A visitation will be held Saturday morning from 9:30 – 10:45 A.M. prior to the service.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.
Chuck was born on July 15, 1941, at Memorial Hospital in Eldora, IA, and was the son of Austin and Cora (Straud) Buerckley. He attended rural schools near Radcliff, IA, and later the Radcliff Community Schools. The family moved to Zearing, and he graduated from Zearing High School with the Class of 1959. He was employed by a local contractor in Zearing and hauled milk. On December 11, 1963, he was drafted into the United States Army. During his tour of duty, he served overseas in Bangkok, Thailand and was honorably discharged on October 12, 1965. He returned to Zearing and helped his father operate the family farm and continued to drive trucks hauling milk.
On February 24, 1968, he was united in marriage to Laura Wheeler at the Christian Church in Boone, IA. The couple was blessed with two sons, Jeff and Ray. He was employed for Standard Oil and later sold to Thermagas where he hauled propane for over 32 years. At the age of 59, Chuck began working for the National Animal Disease Center in Ames until he retired at the age of 72. He was a former member of the Nevada Masonic Lodge #99, Zearing American Legion Post 0116, and the Zearing Christian Church and served as an elder for many years. In 2015, Chuck was honored and enjoyed the Honor Flight he was able to take to Washington D.C. In November of 2016, Chuck and Laura moved to Carroll to be closer to their family. He was a member of Central Church in Carroll. You could often find Chuck visiting with everyone, as he never met a stranger. He was an avid baseball fan and loved to watch dirt track car racing. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters.
Chuck is survived by his wife Laura Buerckley of Carroll, IA; sons, Jeff (Amy) Buerckley of WA, and Ray (Joellen) Buerckley of Carroll, IA; granddaughters, Isabella Baldus of Ames, IA, and Josie Buerckley of Carroll; brothers, Howard (Mable ) Buerckley of Osage, IA, and Bill Buerckley of Zearing, IA; sister Emma (Mike) Bielenberg of Coon Rapids, IA; brother-in-law Roger (Jeanette) Wheeler of Surprise, AZ; sister-in-law Rita Wheeler of Ogden, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers; Herold Buerckley and Cleo Buerckley; sister Vickie (Tom) Ferrell; brother-in-law John Wheeler; and sister-in-law Linda Cheville.
