ROGER D. SONKSEN, 69, of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, January 15, 2014 in the Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 20th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Pastor Kevin Miller of the First Evangelical Free Church in Sioux City will officiate. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee. Visitation will be on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. with the family present from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Roger was born on September 2, 1944 in Anthon, Iowa to Ronald & Alice (Carlson) Sonksen. He was married to Dawn Parker on November 27, 1961 in Cherokee, Iowa. He was a heavy equipment operator working for Hallett Construction in Cherokee and later Mauer Construction in Lake View, Iowa. He had also worked for the Cherokee County Road Maintenance Dept. for several years. He had been a part-time rural mail carrier for the Cherokee Post Office until his health failed this last year. Roger loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, trapping, collecting and restoring antique farm equipment, driving around the countryside, gardening, growing and selling his vegetables, and attending all of his grandchildren's events. He had been a resident of Larrabee and Cherokee most of his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Gary Sonksen.

He is survived by his wife Dawn, his three sons and their families, including 13 grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter: Gary (Sherry) Shaefer of Cherokee and their children--Amber and her daughter Cayleigh, Autumn, Shanon, Richie, Shayla, Matthew and Joe; Dean (Sherri) Sonksen of Cherokee and their children--Camron, Matt, Brittany and Brady; Nick (Shawna) Sonksen of Sioux City and their children--Skylar and Raegan.