Allen G. Koethke, 79, of St. Ansgar, died Saturday, April 16, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville, Iowa, with Rev. Barbara Finley-Shea officiating. Burial will be at St. Peter Cemetery, Toeterville, Iowa. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, 207 S. School Street, St. Ansgar, Iowa.

Allen George Koethke was born Jan. 5, 1932, the son of Elmer and Lydia (Schroeder) Koethke. Baptized and confirmed at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville, Iowa; he attended church there all his life and served as a deacon and on cemetery committee.

Allen attended Drown Country School through eighth-grade and graduated from St. Ansgar High School. He was active in FFA, 4-H and rural youth group. Allen lived on the family century farm most of his life. He was a grain and livestock farmer, raising Guernsey cows and hogs. On July 19, 1981, he married Karen (Newton) Bruggeman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Lydia Koethke; sister, Viola Holstad and brother, Glen Koethke.

Allen is survived by his wife, Karen Koethke of St. Ansgar; two stepchildren, Jim Bruggeman of Clear Lake and Robin (Doug) Bless of Toeterville; five grandchildren, Amanda (Cory) Ransom, Samantha Bruggeman, Jonathon and Lizzie (Fusilier) Bless, Jacob and Jesse Bless; two great-grandchildren, Dayne and Ruby Rose Ransom; two nieces, Vicki Suhl of Worcester, Mass., and Nancy (Scott) Anderson of Hartsel, Colo.; brother-in-law, Arnold Holstad of Mason City and sister-in-law, Noreen Fink of Osage.