Obituary of Earl Jerome Harke

A Mass of Christian Burial for Earl Jerome Harke of Old Monroe, MO, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Monroe. Father Richard Rath, church pastor, will officiate with burial in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Old Monroe. Serving as pallbearers will be Craig Westhoff, Jim Harke, Andrew Keeteman, Ben Flake, Larry Bowman and Vince Harke. Mr. Harke, 90, passed away Saturday afternoon, November 26, 2022 at Oak Pointe Assisted Living in Warrenton, MO. Born October 29, 1932 on the family farm near Old Monroe in Lincoln County, MO, he was the son of Lawrence J. and Lucille “Lucy” Wehde Harke. Earl was a 1950 graduate of Buchanan High School in Troy, MO. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from September 12, 1956 until he was honorably discharged on September 11, 1957 Earl was an avid baseball player with the Old Monroe Hard Road ball team. He was united in marriage on February 9, 1962 at St. Joseph Church in Josephville, MO to Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Molitor. This union was blessed with three children: Lynn, Philip and Ellen. Earl was a farmer in the Old Monroe area most of his life, retiring in 2017. He was a member of the Old Monroe American Legion Post #490. He was a lifelong member of Immaculate Conception Church in Old Monroe. Earl was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Lucy Harke; four brothers: Roy Harke, Bob Harke, Gary Harke and Carl Harke; one sister, Harriett Bauer; and his son, Philip Jerome Harke who died in 2018. Survivors include his beloved wife of 60 years, Betty Harke of Old Monroe; two daughters: Lynn Keeteman and her husband, Dean, of Wright City, MO, and Ellen Flake and her husband, Tim, of Warrenton, MO; seven grandchildren: Kathleen Keeteman McCoy, Amanda Keeteman Foeller, Kevin Keeteman, Andrew Keeteman, Ben Flake, Abby Flake and Erin Flake; and three great-grandchildren. Earl also leaves two sisters: Ruth Bauer and Kathryn Bowman, both of Old Monroe; three sisters-in-law: Norma Harke of O’Fallon, MO, Ann Harke of Old Monroe, and Bernadette Harke of Old Monroe; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until time of the Mass at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Monroe. Memorials may be made to American Legion Post #490 in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.