VANDEVENTER, Richard Lazell 1915-2009
RAMSEY, VANDEVENTER, PURDUM
Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/7/2009 at 13:45:38
FORMER ROCKFORD MAN DIES
VanDeventer, Richard Lazell "Van"
MASON CITY, IOWA - Richard Lazell VanDeventer, 93, passed away peacefully Friday (March 27, 2009) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.
According to his wishes for cremation, inurnment with military rites will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2009, at the Jackson Memorial Cemetery at Montezuma.
Richard Lazell (Van) was born on June 12, 1915, at Dean, Iowa, to Peter and Ethel (Purdum) VanDeventer. The family moved to Montezuma, Iowa, where he graduated from the Montezuma High School in 1934.
He married Mildred Maxine Ramsey, of Brooklyn, Iowa, on March 30, 1941. Richard Ramsey, David Jon, and Donna Maxine VanDeventer were born to this union. They lived in Montezuma where Van worked for the Montezuma Municipal Light Plant.
Van served in the U. S. Navy on the USS Long Island during World War II from 1944-1946. The family moved to Rockford, Iowa, in December 1949, where Van was employed as the superintendent at the Rockford Municipal Light Plant. He retired at the age of 62. Van and Maxine moved to Mason City, Iowa, in 1996. His family was his pride and joy.
He was an honorary life member of the Rockford Volunteer Fire Department, a 50-year member of the Rock-Sirius Masonic Lodge No. 294, a lifetime member of The Walker-Graper American Legion Post 0338, and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Rockford.
Those left to honor his memory are wife, Maxine; children, David (Christy) VanDeventer, of Algona and Donna (Mike) Smith, of Rockford; grandchildren, Tony (Erin) Smith, of Ankeny and Brandi (Curt) Jones, of Rockford; and Kaci VanDeventer, of Mason City and Kelli (Richard) Penton, of LuVerne; great-grandsons, twins Hayden and Nicholas Smith, of Ankeny; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Ethel; brothers, Ray, Clell, Lloyd, and Lavern; sisters, Florence and Ruthe VanDeventer; and son, Richard Ramsey VanDeventer.
Stories, thoughts, and condolences may be shared with the family on the Fullerton Funeral Home Web site at www.fullertonfh.com .
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the family at 1117 Fourth St. S.E., Apt. 3, Mason City, IA 50401, for future disbursement.
Arrangements are with Fullerton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 123 Second St. S.E., Mason City., 641-423-8676.
[Published in the Mason City Globe Gazette online 4/7/2009]
Floyd Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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