Ben Kropf

Funeral services for Benjamin George Kropf, 58, of Humboldt will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt with the Rev. David Hobbs officiating.  Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt.  Following the service his body will be cremated and spread in Lake Superior where he kept his sailboat. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Faith United Methodist Church or to the American Liver Foundation.

Benjamin George Kropf of Humboldt, IA passed from this world to the next after a long illness on April 29, 2010 at the age of 58 with his daughter Brook and son-in-law Bill by his side. Ben entered this world on Christmas day in 1951 to Benjamin Harold and Marjorie Ellen (Gillgrass) Kropf in Lake City, Iowa. At the age of three Ben and the family moved to Humboldt were he grew up with his four siblings (Larry, Marian, Donald, and Keith) and graduated from Humboldt High School in 1970. Ben attended AIB in Des Moines before finding a job with the Iowa Highway Commission in Davenport, IA where he met and married Melody Jo Clark (Patterson) in 1972. In 1973 the couple welcomed a baby girl Brook Ann. He later worked for Alcoa before beginning an almost 30 year career with MidAmerican Energy (formally Iowa Illinois Gas and Electric). After his divorce, Ben raised his daughter Brook on his own. In 1984, Ben transferred to the Ft. Dodge Mid American office where he worked as a lineman, residing in Humboldt with his daughter. In 2006, Ben retired from MidAmerican due to complications with his illness. Always the hopeful dreamer Ben had many hobbies including owning a sailboat which came true two years ago. He also enjoyed scuba diving, tending his garden pond, going to movies and helping anyone who needed a hand. Ben never met a stranger and those who know and love him are saddened by his death, but know that he has found peace with his God. He was a devoted father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He is survived by his daughter, Brook (William) Easton of Iowa City; grandson, Edison and a new grandson expected on May 12; his siblings Larry Kropf of Scottsdale, AZ, Marian (Paul) Anderson of Dakota City, Donald (Candace) Kropf of Clear Lake, and Keith (Janice) Kropf of Oklahoma City, OK; and his nieces and nephews, Eric, Jeremy, Chad, Aron, Jim Lloyd, Elizabeth, Katherine, Christian, Amy Thomas, and Drew.  He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.