Cletus J. Tekulve

May 15, 1931 - May 15, 2016

Cletus J. Tekulve, age 85 of Morris, died Sunday, May 15, 2016 at his home. Born December 14, 1930 in Batesville, he is the son of Anna (Nee: Schott) and Frank "Shorty" Tekulve. He married Doris Hilty May 30, 1954 at St. Jerome's Church in El Cerrito, California. Clete served in the Air Force during the Korean War. After the service, he purchased and ran Tekulve Florist for 20 years. He was a member of the Prell-Bland American Legion Post #271, a lifetime member of the Batesville V.F.W. Post #3183 as well as serving as Batesville Fire Department's Assistant Fire Chief for 15 years. He was also one of the original members of the Life Squad. Clete was a colorful individual. He had a lifelong passion for fishing. He also liked to garden, which apparently limited to raising onions and according to the family he enjoyed cooking...........whether it was edible was a different story. Clete also had a nickname for each of the grandkids, loved potato pancakes, limburger cheese, collected coins and was happy to discuss politics and didn't mind trying to correct your way of thinking if he disagreed. He is survived by his wife Doris; daughters and son-in-laws Margie and Don Maple, Mary and Jay Pfeiffer, Diane Tekulve, all of Batesville; son and daughter-in-law James A. and Jane Tekulve of Morris; sisters Joan Navarra of Greensburg, Pat Schutte of Harrison, Ohio, Sheila Doerflinger of Greensburg; brother James L. Tekulve of Phoenix, Arizona; 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by his son-in-law Dale Hirt. Visitation is Wednesday, May 18th, from 9 - 11 a.m. at Holy Family Church in Oldenburg. Funeral services follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. David Kobak O.F.M. officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military rites conducted by the Batesville V.F.W. and the Prell-Bland American Legion. The family requests memorials to Phi Beta Psi Sorority Cancer Research or the Holy Family Capital Improvement Fund.