Joseph C. Huninghake, 65, of Seneca, Kansas, died on Friday, May 22, 1981 at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. He had been ill for the past year with cancer.

He was born on July 20, 1915 on a farm east of Baileyville to August and Mary Macke Huninghake, one of nine children. He attended Sacred Heart School in Baileyville. As a young man he worked at the Gockel General Store, and later drove a truck for Ben C. Holthaus.

During World War II, he served from 1941 to 1945 with the U.S. Army in the 62nd Engineering Division in the European Theatre. Over the years, he kept in contact with his old Army friends and enjoyed meeting with them.

On September 5, 1945 he married Dorothy Bergman at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. They lived in St. Benedict where Joe worked at his father-in-law’s grocery store. Later they lived on a farm before moving to Seneca in 1963. Joe farmed and worked at the grain elevator in Seneca. In recent years he did carpentry work on his own, and was also employed by Neff Decorating.

He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca, and the St. Joseph Society at the church. He was also a member of the Seneca Memorial Post #7458 of the VFW.

Survivors are his wife Dorothy of the home in Seneca; three sons, Bill and Steve, both of Topeka, and Tim of the home; three daughters, Connie (Bob) Jeanneret of Shawnee, and Brenda and Glenda Huninghake, both of Topeka; two sisters, Elizabeth Osterhaus and Ann Osterhaus, both of Seneca; and two grandsons.

He was preceded in death by six brothers, Herman, Frank, George, Henry, August and Paul Huninghake.

Rosaries were prayed on Saturday and Sunday evenings, May 23 & 24, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial was offered by Fr. Albert Hauser on Monday morning at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers were Vic Olberding, Joe Gudenkauf, Bob Brinker, Marcellus Koch, Henry A. Holthaus and Wilfred Smith. Active pallbearers were nephews James Sudbeck, Richard Huninghake, Raymond Huninghake, Leon Osterhaus, Jerry Osterhaus and Tom Haverkamp. Servers were Mike Osterhaus, Matt Osterhaus, John Sudbeck and Jerry Bergman. Full military honors were provided at the cemetery by the Seneca VFW and American Legion.

Memorials may be given for the Equipment Fund at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, and sent in care of the family.