MAGEE, Lloyd Earl 1923-2002

MAGEE, REDMAN, NAIL, DAVIS, CLARK

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 9/8/2012 at 15:05:33

Lloyd Earl Magee, 78, Ames, formerly of Dunkerton, passed away Sunday, June 16, in Des Moines, from complications following heart bypass surgery. Lloyd was born on August 12, 1923, to Earl David "Pete" Magee and Myrtle Ann Redman Magee. He has been reunited in Heaven with his parents and younger brother, Howard.

A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, June 19, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Dunkerton.

He is survived by a large family, including his wife, Sharon Nail Magee, Ames, and brother and sister-in-law, Cecil and Annabelle Magee, Sun City West, Ariz. He also is survived by son Wayne Magee and wife Nancy, Cedar Falls; daughter Carol Magee Levine and husband Herbert, Clive; son the Rev. Gordon Magee and wife Denna, Minocqua, Wis.; daughter Laraine Magee Davis and husband Rick, Clive; and daughter Barbara Magee VanWey and husband Kirby, Sammamish, Wash. His stepsons are Christopher Nail and wife Mary Kay, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Andrew Nail, North Pole, Alaska. Lloyd delighted in his eight granddaughters, who range in age from 31 to 9; and two great-granddaughters, Kristen Arcand and husband Eric, Kissimmee, Fla.; Brooke Schafer, husband Steve and daughter Sydney, Urbandale; Jaclyn Levine, Clive; Carey Eigen and husband Greg, North Saint Paul, Minn.; Courtney Rupple, husband Paul and daughter Aubrey, Menasha, Wis.; Cassie Magee, Minocqua, Wis.; Christa Beeler and husband Rob, Des Moines; and Madison VanWey, Sammamish, Wash.

Lloyd married Sharon Nail Magee in July 1987, and had been married to Marion "Snookie" Magee Clark prior. He attended Iowa State College (now ISU) and Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). He was active in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, 410th Infantry, and also served with 1st Cavalry, 97th Infantry Division, 387th Infantry Regiment. He was proud to have attained the rank of Major. Lloyd served both his country and his communities in many ways: He was an ROTC instructor while at ISC, led Boy Scout Troops, and served on the School Board of the Dunkerton Community Schools. He also served on the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, was the Director of the Census for the 3rd District of Iowa for the 1970 Census, was Executive Director of the Iowa Republican Party during the 1980 Presidential Elections, and was active in the Iowa and Black Hawk County Republican Party for many years. Lloyd also was a 33rd Degree Mason, a member of the Waterloo Elks and Shrine, and the Story County Shrine. A carpenter by trade, Lloyd and his father owned Earl and Lloyd Magee Building Contractors in Dunkerton. When health problems intervened, Lloyd began his career as a field sales representative for Monarch Life Insurance Company (now Banner Life).

Lloyd loved to spin a yarn. He read voraciously and was a student of American history. He was a member of "The Greatest Generation" and he enjoyed keeping in touch with his Army buddies over the years. He was part of the Occupation of Japan following World War II, and loved to tell the story of being in charge of the convoy that escorted the young Crown Prince Hirohito (later, Emperor Hirohito) from the train station to a safe location. He was active in Peter Kress American Legion Post #636, Dunkerton, where he served as Sergeant at Arms for many years. Lloyd would be proud to know that "Taps," which was written by Dan Butterfield, Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and a relative of Lloyd's, will be played by American Legion Post #636 at the conclusion of military rites.

He delighted in being able to find a "Dunkerton Connection" wherever he went. Within 10 minutes of meeting Lloyd, a person would already have learned he was from Dunkerton, and that back in '33, the DHS boys' basketball team won the state tournament. He enjoyed travel, having been to all 50 states, Japan, the Panama Canal, Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada. His loves were his wife, his children and grandchildren, fishing (and fishing tales of woe), hunting, golfing, watching baseball, carpentry, woodworking and all things Iowa State. In his later years, Lloyd often joked that if he had known how long he was going to live, he would have taken better care of himself. We think he did the best he could and we'll miss him dearly.

[Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home Obituary]