LUCE, John Leroy

LUCE, OVERHOLTZER, JONES, DELONG, CHERINGTON, HUDSON, KENDALL, MYERS, IMHOFF

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/27/2015 at 11:35:53

Obituary ~ John Leroy Luce
August 21, 1923 ~ June 01, 2002

Leon Journal-Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
June, 2002

John Leroy Luce, son of Leon Miles and Carrie Marie Overholtzer Luce, was born Aug. 21, 1923, near Van Wert in Decatur County and died June 1, 2002, as the result of a four-wheeler accident on his farm. He was 78.

He attended one-room country schools in Decatur County and was the third generation to attend Fairview School. He graduated from Leon High School in 1943.

He married Mildred Louise Jones at the Leon Brethren Church on June 10, 1945, and they became the parents of three children.

Mr. Luce accepted the Lord as his Saviour and was baptized at the Fairview Methodist Church early in his life. He often quoted the 23rd Psalm which he memorized many years ago. He attended the Leon Brethren Church for almost 60 years.

He began farming with horses at age 13 after his father died. Early in his marriage he spent three years off the farm living in Osceola working as a grocery clerk, a mechanic, a shipping clerk for Snowdens, a policeman and as security for the Clarke County Fair. Later while farming, he worked at the Humeston Sale Barn, Leon Ford Implement, as a driver for Borden milk routes and as a government sheep scabies inspector. He also worked at the Decatur County Fair, and for the last 14 years at the Iowa State Fair Ye Old Mill ride. He sold seed corn for 50 years, the last 30 for DeKalb.

Mr. Luce liked to travel. He visited 12 foreign countries and 49 states, missing only Alaska. He was a snowbird. He spent the last 14 winters in Arizona making new friends and playing shuffleboard.

He loved farming an died on his own farm doing what he loved.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son-in-law, Paul E. DeLong; a sister, Jeanne Cherington and a brother-in-law, Al Cherington.

Mr. Luce is survived by his wife; two daughters, Carolyn DeLong of Tulsa, Okla. and Donna Hudson and her husband, Chuck Hudson of Dorena, Ore.; a son, Gerald Luce of Decatur; seven grandchildren, Candace, Christopher and Caitlin DeLong of Tulsa, Jason Luce of Indianola, Steven Luce of Dallas Center, David Hudson of Monument, Ore. and Rebekah Hudson of Dorena; a sister, Marie Kendall and her husband, Jack Kendall, of Cedar Rapids; and aunt, Ruth Myers of Leon; other relatives and friends including lifelong friend Charles Imhoff.

Funeral services for Mr. Luce were held June 8, at Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, Jack Kendall and Dale Short officiated. Pianist was Virginia Webb and soloist was Chuck Hudson who sang Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling and Jesus Is Calling.

Casket bears were Jason Luce, David Hudson, Randy Cherington, Ronny Cherington, Wayne Welborn and Dennis Deemer. Honorary bearers were Candace De Long, Christopher De Long, Caitlin De Long, Steven Luce and Rebekah Hudson.

Interment was in the Leon Cemetery at Leon.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015