Donald Wesley Rossiter, 1925-2006

ROSSITER, VOTE, GARMS

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/1/2011 at 17:58:45

Donald Rossiter, 81, of Spencer, Iowa died on December 11, 2006 as the result of a car accident. Services are Friday, December 22 at the Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer at 10:30 a.m. Visitation is on Thursday, December 21 at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer from 5-8 p.m. Burial with military honors is in Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Memorials are preferred to the Grace United Methodist Memorial Fund in Spencer.

Don was born in Spencer to Burt and Pearle (Manning) Rossiter on March 23, 1925. He graduated from Spencer High School in 1942 and then enlisted in the Navy. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II.

Following his return from the Navy, he started farming. Don's home farm was south of Moneta. Along with crops, Don raised several thousand fattening sheep each year.

On February 11, 1948, Don married LuEtta Garms. LuEtta died of cancer after 28 years of marriage. Don married Elsie (Blomberg) Vote on March 4, 1978. Don lived and worked on the farm until his retirement in 1990. Following retirement, Don and Elsie moved to Spencer.

Don enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends. He especially looked forward to the annual reunions with his navy buddies from the LST 623 (Landing Ship Tank.) Don spent a lot of time still active at the farm. He kept a garden there as well as usually found something to fix. He constantly had projects to fix around the house. It didn't matter if it was broke or not, Don would fix it. Don was also active in helping with church activities serving most recently on the memorial committee. He knew his way around the kitchen well, spending a lot of time cooking and baking. Family and friends especially looked for the time of year when dilly bread was baking.

Don is survived by his wife, Elsie; son, Dennis (Debra) Rossiter of St. Peter, Minnesota and their sons, Craig and Ryan; grandson, Bryce (Nikol) Carlson of West Des Moines and their son, Drew. Don is survived by step-children, Dennis (Karen) Vote of Plano, Texas, Kathy (Doug) Peck of Spencer, Steve (Sharon) Vote of Phoenix, Arizona, Rhonda Blomberg of Houston, Texas, and Lynn Blomberg of McKinney, Texas. He is survived by brothers Lon (Mary Lou) Rossiter of Spencer and Roger (Maxine) Rossiter of Worthington, Minnesota as well as nieces, nephews, many step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren. Don was preceded in death by his parents, wife, LuEtta and daughter, Donna Peterson.