Evelyn Mae Checkel

Evelyn Mae (Reimers) Checkel passed away on October 31, 2017, at Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center, MN.

Evelyn was born on February 22, 1922, the fourth of five children to Charles and Wilhelmina (Tuschoff) Reimers in a farm house in rural O'Brien County, Iowa.

The family moved several times over the next four years in O'Brien and Clay Counties, between the towns of Hartley and Everly. Evelyn and her brothers and sister attended rural schools until she was in the 4th grade when she started attending the school in Everly where she attended until 8th grade.

As a child growing up in this area, a trip to Lake Okoboji and the Clay County Fair were highlights that she cherished the rest of her life.

After school she lived with family near Omaha, helping raise her cousin's children, then she returned to Iowa to assist her parents during World War II while her brothers were serving. Next she worked at the Hand Hospital in Hartley, Iowa where she worked as an assistant cook, and where she played on the Hospital's Bowling Team.

In 1952, the family moved to a farm south of Kasson, MN. At this time, she started working at the Desoto Chicken Processing Plant in Rochester.

In December of 1954, while attending a Christmas party, she met Leonard Checkel, and on May 1, 1955, he proposed and on August 20, 1955, they were married in Dodge Center. The temperature that day was 105 degrees. Upon moving to the Checkel farm near Kasson, Evelyn started selling eggs from her office in the house. With 400 laying hens, she typically sold about 30 dozen eggs per day, and soon developed a reputation for selling a quality product to individuals who came to the farm, to schools and numerous restaurants. Each year for 19 years she also worked at the canning factory in Dodge Center during sweet corn harvest.

She had a passion for traveling and toured with family and friends throughout much of the United States, a highlight being a trip to New York City and Washington DC during the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Leonard, her brothers, Cecil, Edward and Robert, and recently by her daughter, Patricia.

Survivors include her sister, Christine Reimers at Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center; son, James Checkel of Kasson, MN; daughter, Mary Jo (DWayne) Wieseler of Glencoe, MN; and granddaughter, Ashley Wieseler of Glencoe, MN.

The family asks that the memorials be made to Mayo Clinic Neurology Department; St. Jude's Children's Hospital or to the family.

A special thank you to the employees of Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center for the wonderful care she received while a resident there.

Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Czaplewski Family Funeral Home & Crematory, 25 South Street SW in Dodge Center and one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.

The funeral mass will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 4, 2017, at St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic Church, 20 Second Street NE in Dodge Center with Father Thomas Niehaus celebrating.  Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in Dodge Center.

Blessed be her memory.

www.czaplewskifuneralhomes.com