Irma C. (Jagels) Kerksiek

Irma entered this world on December 14, 1931, in Mora, Missouri, near Lake Creek, where she was welcomed by her parents, Edgar and Erna (Heimsoth) Jagels, and two sisters--Kathy and Verna. Baby sister Loraine completed the family five years later.

Lake Creek was a German-American rural community and in the 1930s Low German was commonly spoken at home as well as in public. English was taught in school and both of Irma's parents knew English, but English did not become the common language in the community until after the United States entered World War II. Even in their 80s Irma and her older sisters could still converse in Low German.

Much of life in Lake Creek revolved around Holy Cross Lutheran Church, and her faith remained important to Irma throughout her life. Schooling occurred at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church school for eight grades, then an additional year at the public Lake Creek School, before finishing four years of high school at Cole Camp High School. Years later when her daughters were nearly grown she took some accounting classes at the community college.

Irma worked hard all of her life. After helping her father and mother on the farm and working at the Confectionary in Cole Camp while finishing high school, she went to work at Lamy's in Sedalia, where she sewed her finger in the sewing machine while making Levi jeans. Then it was on to Kansas City, where one of the managers at National Bellas Hess thought Cole Camp girls were good workers and her friend Juanita, who worked there, vouched for her. After marriage it was Cities Service Company where she made many friends. Later, she and her husband opened their own accounting and tax business. Even after retirement she worked as a census taker, a seasonal worker for the IRS, and a temporary employee.

In 1953 Irma married into "Cole Camp society," as she thought of it. Even though she, her mother, and Loraine moved into town after her father's death during her high school years, she thought of herself as a "country girl" and Leland Kerksiek was a "town boy". They enjoyed four years of married life before starting their family; ultimately, three daughters, Jo Ellen, Terrie, and Beth, were born. In addition to caring for her family and working, Irma did crafts with neighbor ladies, was a room mother and Girl Scout leader, and sewed her daughters' clothes.

Irma and Leland had more in common than just coming from the same small town. Playing cards, especially Pitch and Pinochle, seemed to be an essential part of being a German-American, a Cole Camper, or maybe just part of the Heimsoth (her mother's side) family and they played weekly card games for years. In later years Irma learned to play Bridge and several other card games. Her last years of life were enriched by playing Pinochle with a special group of friends who she had met while playing cards at the Gladstone Community Center. Irma and Leland also enjoyed friendly poker games with family and friends for a number of years. They loved to dance, and in the 1970s they took ballroom dance classes which led to them dancing once or twice a week for about a decade. Traveling, which began with a honeymoon to Colorado, was also very important to them, and once their daughters were old enough to be bearable travel companions they were included in family vacations. (Actually, Irma always insisted that "the girls had been perfect" on that first family vacation.) While Leland had been in the army after World War II, Irma was the first to fly in an airplane. When she was fifteen, someone in Cole Camp was giving airplane rides and Irma decided she wanted to see what flying was like; she didn't ask her mother first, she just took off in the passenger seat. Ultimately, Irma's travels included visiting every state in the United States; Canada and Mexico; and spending several weeks in Europe with Leland and dance friends.

Irma and her sisters always liked each other and even when they were children they got along as well as four sisters can. Their friendship really bloomed once most of their children were out of the house. It began with vacations that the four of them took together--and they always came home with plenty of stories to tell. What happened in Vegas didn't necessarily stay in Vegas! Irma always made a scrapbook of their trips so we can still share a laugh with "The Big Four." In later years (starting when they were in their 70s), they spent several weeks every year together, often in Cole Camp at Verna's. Yes, they visited their many cousins, but they then stayed up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning playing Scrabble and Rummikub.

Despite health challenges through much of her life, Irma remained a kind and quietly adventurous daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.

She leaves behind her daughters, Jo Ellen Kerksiek, Terrie Kerksiek, and Elizabeth Kerksiek; four grandchildren, Josh Duncan (Cece), Matt Duncan, Katie Giddens (Casey), and Jamie Kelly (Billy); and two special great-grandchildren, Haven Kelly and Grayson Kelly; eight nieces and nephews; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her three sisters, one nephew, her parents-in-law, brothers-in-law, and many friends.

Services are held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2003 NE Englewood Rd, Kansas City, MO 64118, on June 29, 2026. Visitation at 10 AM, followed by a funeral at 11 AM. Burial in White Chapel Cemetery, 6600 NE Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO 64119. A reception will follow at Holy Cross.

Pallbearers will be Josh Duncan, Matt Duncan, Billy Kelly, and Casey Giddens, with Katie Giddens, Jamie Kelly, Diana Vaughan, Don Eckhoff, JoAnnette Self, and Jim Howard serving as honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Smile Train Charity (https://www.smiletrain.org/), Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/), or Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2003 NE Englewood Dr, Kansas City, MO 64118 (https://holycrosskc.org/).