Senator Ole John Kirketeg View All Years

O. J. KIRKETEG

MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee, appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character and public service of the late O. J. Kirketeg, begs leave to submit the following:

O. J. Kirketeg was born on a farm near Eagle Grove, Iowa, May 2, 1891. He was one of five children born to Knute K. and Olena Kirketeg. He later moved with his family to Cedar Falls and was graduated from the Iowa State Teachers College in 1912, and in 1917 was graduated from the college of law of the University of Iowa.

He was an active member of the American Legion and a charter member of the Bedford Post No. 164. He served as District Commander of the 8th Congressional District in 1921. He was a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church. He was city attorney of Bedford, past president of the Third Judicial Bar Association, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Iowa Bar Association. He served as county attorney in 1929-1930, and was serving his third term in the State Senate, having been a member of the Senate in the 47th and 48th General Assemblies.

Mr. Kirketeg was an active Mason, having received his Masonic degrees in 1914 when he was initiated in Columbus City Lodge No. 107 at Columbus Junction, later affiliating with Taylor Lodge No. 156 at Bedford. He served as Worshipful Master in 1939, was a member of Triangle Chapter No. 164, Royal Arch Masons of Bedford, and served the Grand Chapter of that body as Grand High Priest in 1931; a member of Tyre Council, Royal and Select Masons at Shenandoah; Bethany Commandery, Knight Templars at Creston; Za-Ga-Zig Shrine at Des Moines, and St. Ignatius Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, at Cedar Rapids. He was also a member of Bedford Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, and in 1937 served as Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of the Order of Easter Star. At the time of his death he was a member of the Order of Chapter Charity Board and was serving as Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Iowa.

On March 22, 1945, Senator Kirketeg was taken suddenly ill in his hotel room in Des Moines and passed away later that day at Mercy Hospital. He is survived by his widow, and two sisters, Mrs. Orville Evenson of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Mrs. A. O. Stensrud of Seattle, Washington. Senator Kirketeg always took an active interest in politics and was recognized as one of Iowa’s leading Republicans, having been appointed by Governor Blue to serve as a member of the Iowa State Tax Commission, a position he would have filled but for his passing. He left a worthy record as a member of the State Senate of Iowa.

Therefore Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Fifty-first General Assembly of Iowa, That in the passing of Senator Kirketeg, Iowa has lost a distinguished citizen whose life symbolized integrity and honesty in affairs of the state.

Be It Further Resolved, That this resolution be spread upon the records of the Journal of the Senate of the Fifty-first General Assembly of Iowa, and that enrolled copies thereof be transmitted to the members of his family.

O. H. HENNINGSEN,

O. N. HULTMAN,

H. M. KNUDSON,

Committee.

The resolution was unanimously adopted.