VARNER, Robert G. (1933-2020)

VARNER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/28/2021 at 16:33:12

Robert G. Varner
(March 7, 1933 – December 9, 2020)

IDA GROVE – Services for Robert G. Varner, 87, of Ida Grove will be at a later date. Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home in Ida Grove is in charge of arrangements.
Robert Grier Varner was born March 7, 1933, in Newton, second of four children born to Harold Grier and Clara Nelda (VanderHart) Varner. He grew up in Reasnor and attended high school in Newton, where he graduated in 1951. He then joined the U.S. Air Force and served his country 11 years. After basic and technical training, he served three years at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico, working in the control tower as an air-to-ground radio operator. In February 1955, he met Airman 1st Class Vera F. Clow and they married Aug. 17, 1955. After returning to the States, Bob was stationed in Abilene, Texas, where his two oldest children were born, Daniel Grier and Vicky Jo. He was sent to school to become a cryptographer and was promptly sent to Saudi Arabia for a year. Upon his return, he was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Neb. Shortly thereafter, he went to recruiters’ school and was stationed in Waterloo, where he and his family lived for five years. After 11 years of service to his country, it was time to try civilian life. He and his wife were blessed with two more children, Robert Kevin and Nancy Jane. The family settled in Ida Grove in 1971, where Bob lived the rest of his life. He opened an office supply store, which he owned for two years. He then bought a dry-cleaning business in Mapleton and, after three years, moved it to Ida Grove. In 1989, he and a few partners built and owned the Pronto Market convenience store on the property where the dry-cleaning shop had been. They sold Pronto in 2017 to Casey’s. Bob served in the Iowa National Guard for 12 years, and he and his wife were very active in the American Legion for many years. He died Dec. 9, 2020, at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Clara Varner; and his older sister, Vivian Dobson. Left to remember him are his loving wife of 65 years, Vera Varner of Ida Grove; and his children: Daniel G. Varner (Diane Dolly) of Sioux City, Vicky Jo Varner (Robin Wiley) of Hollywood, Calif., Robert K. Varner (Pauline Hogan) of Englewood, Colo., and Nancy J. (Keith) McPeters of Canyon Country, Calif.
Sources: Ida County Courier, Ida Grove, Iowa, Fri., December 11, 2020 and Christensen-VanHouten Funeral Services, Ida Grove, Iowa at http://www.christensenvanhouten.com/