DEFENBAUGH, Larry Lee

DEFENBAUGH, RHODES, GILBERT, HOPKINS, WANNARKA, MONGAR, HOFFMAN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/23/2015 at 03:05:58

Obituary ~ Larry Lee Defenbaugh
August 05, 1939 ~ March 18, 2003

Osceola Sentinel-Tribune
Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa
March, 2003

Larry Defenbaugh, son of Earl “Bob” Defenbaugh and Wilma Lucille Rhodes Defenbaugh, was born August 5, 1939, in Mount Ayr and died March 18, 2003, at his home in rural Osceola. He was 63.

He graduated from Van Wert High School in 1957 and married Karen Jean Gilbert on Dec. 22, 1957 in Des Moines. The couple lived in Des Moines and Indianola prior to moving to a farm near Osceola two years ago. Mr. Defenbaugh worked as a salesman for 3E for ten years before working for Bridgestone Firestone as a tire builder for 17 years. He retired in 1985. He was a member of the United Steel Workers of America Local 310 AFL-CIO/CLC.

Mr. Defenbaugh liked spending time with his family and traveling. He also enjoyed gardening, growing flowers and planting trees around their home, carpentry and remodeling. He liked sprint car races and traveled to races in different parts of the country.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Survivors include his wife, Karen; daughter, Linda Hopkins and her husband, Michael Hopkins of Osceola; son, Jeff Defenbaugh and his wife, Jolee Defenbaugh, of New Virginia; his mother, Wilma Defenbaugh of Osceola; a sister, Sharon Wannarka and her husband, Bob Wannarka, of West Des Moines; six grandchildren, Brandy Mongar of Osceola, Angela Hoffman of Van Wert, Josie, Jake, Joshua and Jessica Defenbaugh, all of New Virginia; five great-grandchildren, Ashley, Kaylee, Destiny and William Mongar of Osceola, Isabella Hoffman of Van Wert, many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held March 21, 2003, at Kale Funeral Home, Pastor H. Robert Hopkins of West Des Moines, officiating. Burial was in Maple Hill Cemetery. Casket bearers were Howard Sinclair, James Lynch, Dale Garton, Randall Updike, Norman Dobson, Tom Curphey. Honorary casket bearers were grandchildren, Brandy Mongar, Josie Defenbaugh, Joshua Defenbaugh, Angela Hoffman, Jake Defenbaugh and Jessica Defenbaugh.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015