Rick Paul Harpenau

Rick Harpenau, 51 years old, of Remsen, IA, died after a courageous 3 year battle with cancer on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Sioux City, IA.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday Jan. 17, 2017 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen with Father William McCarthy officiating and Deacon Rick Roder assisting. Burial will follow at the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Remsen. Visitation will be anytime after 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. There will be a parish rosary at 5 p.m. and a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m. followed by a Knights of Columbus Rosary, along with a 4th degree chalice presentation all at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen. Visitation will resume Tuesday morning from 9:30 until service time at the church.

Rick was born June 3, 1965 to Paul Harpenau and Mary Lou (Vondrak) Harpenau Gergeni at Sacred Heart Hospital in LeMars, IA. He was raised in Remsen and attended St. Mary’s High School graduating in 1983. Throughout the years, he was employed at Muller’s Furniture, helped his parents at the Bonanza Car Wash, Harker’s Inc. and later went to school in Jackson, MN at Southwest Technical College graduating in 1994 with his Electrical Utility Technician with A.A.S. diploma. In Aug. 1988 he married Jan Miller. The couple made their home in Remsen until 1992 when they both went to school in Minnesota. Upon graduation they moved to Anoka and started working at Anoka Electric, later Connexus Energy which he worked for 8 years. They moved back to Remsen and he began working at Nipco in LeMars in Nov. 2000 and continued to work as control operator until the present date.

Rick was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed fishing, driving his 1964 Thunderbird, spending time with family, going to community activities, working on various home improvement projects, watching American Pickers, being active in the K of C’s and being a volunteer in the community. He was always concerned about others even when he was battling cancer he liked praying for others.

Rick is survived by his wife, Jan of Remsen; his son, Chris (Morgan) Harpenau of Sioux City, IA, his daughter, Stacy (Cody) Heeren of Remsen, IA; his father, Jim Gergeni of LeMars, IA; his siblings, Nick (Anita) Harpenau of Fairborn, OH, Terry (Debbie) Harpenau of Beavercreek, OH, Kelly (Tony) Schmidt of Alton, IA, Roberta (Ken) Bundy of LeMars, IA, Jan Shirley of Scottsdale, AZ; sisters-in-law, Pam (Tim) Brownmiller of LeMars, IA, Susen Miller of Ada, MN, Diann (Rick) Prussia of Hendrum, MN, Sharon Gregor of Mora, MN; brother-in-law, Bob (Gina) Miller of Twin Valley, MN; he is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Preceded by: parents, Paul & Mary Lou, mother and father-in-law, Russ & Janice Miller, and brother-in-law, Ross Miller.

Casket bearers will be Kevin Muhm, Keith Schiltz, Tim Hansen, Marc Scheitler, Nick Nemmers and Bill Wolf.

Honorary bearers will be members of the Knights of Columbus