John Kilgore, 88, of rural Lehigh, died Friday, April 6, 2018 at Stratford Specialty Care. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at Foster Funeral and Cremation Center in Webster City with Pastor Richard Laird officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery near Stratford. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at the funeral home. John Elvis Kilgore, son of LeRoy and Clara Moore Kilgore was born July 26, 1929 on a farm near Latham, Illinois. He attended schools in Latham and graduated from Latham High School in 1947. In 1948, he enlisted in the United States Navy. While he was stationed in San Diego, California, he met his future wife, Muriel Ringgenberg, of rural Lehigh. John and Muriel were married in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 20, 1949. They lived in California while John served in the Navy. In 1952, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a corporal during the Korean War. While he was in the Army, Muriel moved back to Iowa. Upon returning home from military service, John built a new home on the family farm near Homer. He was a farmer, but he was also employed at Celotex in Fort Dodge from 1958 until he retired in 1991. John and Muriel continued to live on the farm until she moved to the care center in Stratford. He visited her every day at the care center until he also moved there in 2013. John loved life on the farm and he always raised a large garden. He read the daily newspaper cover to cover and was also an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan. He was a member of the Lehigh Christian Church and had served as a deacon. He also belonged to VFW Post 5720. John was blessed with a friendly smile, a trademark grin and a special wink. If you were lucky enough to be the recipient of his special grin and wink you knew he liked you. He was well-loved by all who knew him and he never met anyone he didn't like. John will forever remain in the hearts and memories of his family and friends. He is survived by his daughter Holly Keigley and her husband Del of Ames and grandsons Josh Runge, Stratford and Aaron Keigley, Ames. He was preceded in death by his wife, Muriel in 2014; parents; stepfather Wilbur Marshall; brother, LeRoy Kilgore, Jr.; and sisters, Laura Dickey, Opal Smith, and Ella Mae Ross. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family in memory of John. Condolences may be expressed online at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com

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