DRURY, Arvin Ray

DRURY, ENGLAND, INGHAM, NIELSEN, RIES, THOMS, ROTTINGHAUS, KRONLOAGE, HOLT, BARZ

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/23/2013 at 22:57:26

Obituary - Arvin Ray Drury
1922 ~ 2007

Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
March 27, 2007

MASON CITY — Arvin R. DRURY, 84, of 15 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Mason City and formerly of Swaledale, died Saturday evening (March 24, 2007) at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at the First Baptist Church, 125 E. State St. in Mason City, with the Rev. Ronald STEIN, officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Swaledale.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 Second St. S.E. in Mason City, and will continue on hour prior to Arvin's service at the church.

Those wishing to extend memorials may wish to direct them to the Arvin R. DRURY Memorial Fund. Thoughts, condolences and stories may be e-mailed to the family on the www.fullertonfh.com Web site.

Arvin Ray DRURY was born on Dec. 28, 1922, in Swaledale to L. Earl and Ethyl (ENGLAND) DRURY. He was the youngest of three children. While attending high school, Arvin played basketball and baseball and was a drummer in the band. He graduated from Swaledale High School in 1941.

Arvin was inducted into the United States Army on Feb. 9, 1943, from Camp Dodge, and served his country during World War II in the South Pacific. For three years, his duties included service in Guadacanal, Bouganville and the Phillipines. Arvin was formally and honorably discharged from his military service on Dec. 19, 1945, from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Upon his return to Iowa, Arvin chose to attend college, his first year at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, followed by a year of college in Omaha, Neb.

Arvin was united in marriage to Marcelle INGHAM in Swaledale and the couple became the proud parents of six children.

On Dec. 22, 1975, in Sioux Falls, S.D., Arvin married Doris L. NIELSEN. They treasured their time spent together while dining out, dancing and joining in or hosting family gatherings.

Some of Arvin's leisure activities and hobbies included golfing, fishing, playing Bingo, cards and pool, completing woodworking projects, both large and small, and watching sports, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes or the Cardinals.

Arvin took great pride in providing for his family. He was employed with the Chicago Great Western Railroad as a railroad telegrapher and station agent for 17 years. Following his employment with the railroad, Arvin worked as a bookkeeper for G.A. Eddy and Sons in Swaledale and later at Winnebago in Forest City until he retired in 1984.

Arvin was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mason City and a very active member of the Senior Citizen's Activity Center in Mason City.

Arvin will be dearly missed by family and friends who have shared in his life.

He is survived by his wife, Doris DRURY, of Mason City; his four children, Douglas and Sheryl DRURY, of Cedar Rapids, Tom and Christian DRURY, of Pasadena, Calif., Karen and Ed RIES, of Mason City and John DRURY and Celeste THOMAS, of Swaledale; his five step-children, Dixie and Jim ROTTINGHAUS, of Des Moines, Susan KRONLAGE, of Epworth, Dalena and Mark BARZ, of Ventura, Christine and Mark HOLT, of Mason City and Kenny and Sandy NIELSEN, of Rockwell; and his sister-in-law, Shirley DRURY, of Alamo, Texas.

Arvin will also be a cherished memory to his 27 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and numerous other relatives and friends.

Preceding Arvin in death are his parents, Earl and Ethyl DRURY; his infant daughter, Linda DRURY; his son Robert "Bobby" DRURY; two brothers, Wilson and Herschel DRURY; one granddaughter, Phoebe DRURY; and one grandson, Ellis Thomas DRURY.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2013