Emery Christian Christoffersen was born to Andrew and Anna (Christensen) Christoffersen in rural Shelby County, Iowa on September 26, 1926, the eldest of four children. He grew up on farms in Audubon and Shelby Counties and raised in the traditions of his Danish ancestors. He was baptized and confirmed in Immanuel Lutheran Church. His early education was in country schools where he learned, among other things, English, as he spoke only Danish when he began.
Emery loved farming and worked alongside his father and son most of his life. But he was also very mechanically minded and could fix almost anything! In addition to farming, he worked at a car dealership in Kimballton and later at a welding shop in Harlan before meeting the love of his life, Ruby, when she came to teach at Jackson No. 6.
Emery and Ruby Holmes were united in marriage on August 6, 1950, in Manilla, Iowa. To this union, three children were born before they moved to a farm near Dow City, Iowa in 1956. During those years, Ruby taught, and Emery helped to build the packing plant in Denison, hauled feed, did custom grinding and welding, raised 1,000 laying hens, as well as working two family farms.
In 1995, they returned to Kimballton in retirement where he continued to farm with his son for nearly 20 years. Emery enjoyed his hobbies of collecting toy farm machinery (as well as numerous working farm tractors), model railroading, and building scale models of equipment for his train layout.
The Lord called Emery home at his home in Kimballton on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. He was 97 years of age.
Emery was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Darlene Hansen and his son, David Christoffersen.
He is survived by his beloved wife Ruby Christoffersen of nearly 73 ½ years of Kimballton; his daughters Shirley Christoffersen of Urbandale and Carol Forshier and husband Kevin of Redfield; three grandchildren, Adam Forshier and wife Betty of Cedar Falls, Abbi and Aaron Forshier both of Grimes; two great grandchildren, Emma and Bruno; a brother Dalton Christoffersen and wife Sylvia of Atlantic; a sister Ardyce Lee of Westminster, Colorado; a brother-in-law Tom Holmes and wife Sally of Union Grove, Wisconsin; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral Service
10:30 a.m. ~ Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Kimballton, Iowa
Officiating Reverend Tim White
Congregational Hymns
“How Great Thou Art”, “Amazing Grace” Marcia Nelson, Organist
Recorded Music
“Going Home” Gaither Vocal Band
Urn Bearer
Adam Forshier
Honorary Urn Bearers
Abbi Forshier and Aaron Forshier
Place of Rest
Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Kimballton, Iowa
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
9:30 - 10:30 am (Central time)
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Kimballton, Iowa
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
10:30 - 11:30 am (Central time)
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Burial will follow at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Kimballton, Iowa
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