Seaman 1st Class Leon Arickx, 22, was killed in action on Dec. 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Leon Paul Arickx was born Dec. 28, 1918, in New London, Minnesota, the son of Charles and Irma (Vergote) Arickx. His family moved to Mitchell County, Iowa. Leon attended Fairview Country School in Mitchell County and graduated eighth grade from Mitchell Community School. He worked as a farm hand and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy. While serving on the USS Oklahoma, he was killed in action during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Family members remembered Leon as a big jokester who loved to tease all family members and who loved to dance.

Deceased family members include seven sisters, Bertha (Dell) Lievrouw, Susie (Frank) Boerjan, Lena (Cyril) Heydeman, Evie (Lawrence) Moeykens, Mary A. (Russ) Michels, Adella Arickx and Mary Magdeline Arickx; and three brothers, Frank (Katie) Arickx, Ray (Juanita) Arickx, and Joe (Gayle) Arickx.

He is survived by 17 nieces and nephews and numerous cousins.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 7, 2018, at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Osage, Iowa, with Father Raymond Burkle and Rear Admiral John Kreitz presiding. Full military honors will be accorded by the U.S. Naval Funeral Honors Team of Fort Des Moines, Iowa.