Verne George Koenig

Thursday, May 18, 2023 3:44 pm

Verne Koenig, age 101, of Decorah, passed away at his home on Friday,
Dec. 16, 2022.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church, 701 Iowa Ave in Decorah with a meal and fellowship
following the service. He will be buried in the Decorah Lutheran Cemetery in the spring.Memorials in lieu of flowers may be sent to The  Verne Koenig Family, 110 Elm Court, Decorah, IA 52101.
Verne George Koenig was born on October 1, 1921, on a farm outside Postville,
IA, the son of Fred and Alma (Schlie) Koenig. On the farm he learned to play the
guitar and sing and decided he wanted to be a radio singer for his career.

Verne married Ardith Mae Schultz on Sept. 2, 1942, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in
Postville. In 1943 his first radio job was at KYUM in Yuma, Ariz., where he was
known as “The Country Boy” and featured him playing and singing old-time
country songs.
Back in Iowa in 1944, Verne worked at KFJB in Marshalltown, where he continued
playing and singing old-time tunes, this time as “The Blue Ridge Mountaineer.” In
1947, Verne moved to KDTH in Dubuque, where he sang, announced, fand read
the news. Also in 1947, KDTH started a sister station, KDEC, in Decorah. Verne
moved to Decorah and KDEC in 1950 and later bought the station with partner
Ken Bjerke.
In the 1950s Verne attended DJ conventions in Nashville and met and was
photographed with many of the biggest Country Music stars: Hank Williams,
Ernest Tubb, the Louvin Brothers, Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe and Porter Wagoner
among others.
After retiring and selling KDEC in 1986, he returned to singing and playing OldTime Country and Bluegrass music with the “Bluegrass Breakdown”, “The Nordic Players”, “Verne & Sandy” and “Koenig and Sons.” At the same time, he recorded two albums for Old Homestead Records: “Just Me and My Old Martin Guitar” and “Memories of The Carter Family.”
Verne was very proud that one of the many songs he wrote, “Sweet Virginia,” was
recorded by Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, well known artists of the WSM
Grand Ole Opry. In addition, a collection of songs that he wrote and performed,
“Americana in Country Music”, is in the Smithsonian’s Fine Arts archives program.
Verne was inducted into the Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
In addition to his musical activities, Verne was a founding member of Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church, a long-time member of the Bloomfield Township
Historical Society, an avid stamp collector and a die-hard Cubs fan.
Verne and Ardith were blessed to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with
family on Sept. 2, 2012.
Verne was preceded in death by his wife, Ardith, his son, Kelly, his parents, and all
five of his brothers and their wives.
Verne is survived by his daughter, Bonnie (Tom) Daleness of Franklin, WI; two
sons: Gary (Peggy) Koenig of Broomfield, CO, and Jody (Beverly) Koenig of
Chandler, AZ; daughter-in-law Karla Koenig of Waunakee, WI; eight
grandchildren: Corey (Jami) Daleness of Muskego, WI, Kevin (Christine) Daleness
of Fox Point, WI, Angie (Ben) Fleckenstein of New Berlin, WI, Kristi (Kyle) Oakland
of New Berlin, WI, Sarah (Brad) Cisco of Iowa City, IA, Andre Koenig of Decorah,
IA, Kelly (Abbey) Koenig II of Waunakee, WI, and Kari Koenig of Waunakee, WI;
fifteen great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Lorna (Jess) Mooneyham of Yuma,
AZ and a large extended family.