Burial will follow at 1 p.m. in Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery.
Mr. Birkenholz died Wednesday, Dec 10.
He was born July 17, 1933, to Jesse and Ione Hickman Birkenholz in Des Moines, Iowa, and was raised in McAllen. He graduated from McAllen High School in 1951. He attended Texas A&M University for one year, then transferred to Texas A&I College in Kingsville, receiving a bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry in 1956. He married Nellie Beasley on Nov. 27, 1958.
He served 21 years in the U.S. Army’s Quartermaster Corps. His assignments included Stockton, Calif., Kansas, Virginia, Germany, Ohio, Vietnam, Utah and Ottawa, Canada. He received numerous commendations and awards. He retired in 1977 while stationed at Fort Hood. From 1980 to 2000 he was employed by various defense contractors at Fort Hood as a system analyst.
He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Belton, serving as a deacon, a member of the Golden Age Club, and caretaker of the Rose Garden.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years of Harker Heights; two sons, Jeff Birkenholz of Apple Valley, Minn., and Michael Birkenholz of Oklahoma City; and five grandchildren
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Belton building fund, 506 N. Main St., Belton, 76513, or to First Baptist Church of Killeen building fund, 802 N. Second St., Killeen, 76541.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. today at Crawford Bowers Funeral Home of Killeen.
