Clarence Kennicker, 86, of Holy Cross, died Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at the Hawkeye Care Center in Dubuque.

A prayer service will be held at 3:00 PM Friday, August 6, 2021 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home, 3860 Asbury Rd, followed by visitation until 7:00 pm.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Clarence will be 10:30 AM Saturday, August 7, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rickardsville with Father Noah Diehm as the Celebrant. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Rickardsville. Full military honors will be rendered by the American Legion Post 6 and the Iowa Army National Guard. The mass will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home’s Facebook page and will also be available to view later at www.hskfhcares.com.

Clarence was born September 14, 1934, in North Buena Vista, IA, the son of Alfred and Bernadette Riniker Kennicker. On July 25, 1970, he married Florence Selena Leick at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubuque.

He was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving in Korea after the conflict.

He worked on the Kennicker Family Farm and for John Deere Dubuque Works as a Department Supervisor where he retired from in 1986.

He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rickardsville. His hobbies included working on his farm, cutting wood, checking the neighborhood fences with his Mule SxS, and fishing with his brothers and nephews. Most of all, he cherished time with his family. His friends and family knew him by his nickname, “Cheese”, and “Grandpa Cheese” by his youngest granddaughter.

Survivors include his wife, Florence; one son, Jeff Kennicker of West Des Moines; one daughter-in-law, Darlene “Dar” (Clay) Bolsinger; three grandchildren, Keisha (Kevin) Mueller of Dubuque, Nathaniel (Fiancé Baylee Hoerner) Kennicker of Holy Cross, and Jaida Bolsinger of Rickardsville; two brothers, Gerald (Karen) Kennicker of Guttenberg, IA, and LeRoy (Dorothy) Kennicker of Holy Cross, IA; one sister, Mary (Melvin) Barth of Durango, IA; four sisters-in-law, Dorothy Crews and Eileen Merfeld, both of Dubuque, Ruth Leick of Luxemburg, IA, and Betty Leick of Epworth, IA; one brother-in-law, Arnie (Vicky) Leick of Des Moines, IA; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Steve Kennicker, his parents, five brothers, Edward, Raymond, Lawrence, Leon, and Frank Kennicker, three sisters, Stella Bertjens, Marita Etter, and Teresa Hefel, eight sisters-in-law, Eunice, Irma, and Kathryn Kennicker, Marina Hess, Rosemary Tharp, Irma Schrobilgen, Lucille Stoffel, and Dorothy Ellerbach, ten brothers-in-law, Joseph Bertjens, Samuel Etter, and Robert Hefel, Merlin and Leonard Leick, Irvin Stoffel, Jack Hess, Richard Tharp, Ernie Ellerbach, and Melvin Schrobilgen.

The family wishes to thank Finley HomeCare, especially Traci Sweeney, for her special care of Clarence.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in care of the arrangements.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Clarence’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.