DANFORTH, Wilbur 1917-2007

DANFORTH, SHRODE

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 10/19/2007 at 11:58:59

VINTON, IOWA -- Wilbur Danforth, age 90, a resident of Village Ridge in Marion for the past year, and formerly of Mitchell county, Iowa, died on Saturday, October 6, 2007 at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids following a brief illness.

Memorial Services were held on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton. Committal Services will be held at Liberty Cemetery near Little Cedar, Mitchell County, Iowa at a later date. Phillips Funeral Home in Vinton is in charge of arrangements.

Wilbur was born on April 19, 1917 in Reeder, North Dakota. After his parents' homestead was destroyed by a tornado in 1923, they moved to his grandparents' family farm north of Little Cedar, Iowa, where Wilbur later farmed with his father.

After graduating from Little Cedar High School, he attended Hamilton Business College. In 1953 he moved to Osage where he was the first manager of Mitchell County Farm Service, a job that later took him to New Hampton and finally to Vinton.

Wilbur and Vernice Shrode were married in 1938. They were parents of Margaret (Mike) Potter of Richfield, Minnesota, and Jerry (Nan) Danforth of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who survive him, as do his four grandsons: Chris Potter of Bloomington, Minnesota, Tim (Michelle) Potter of Savage, Minnesota, Jeff (Truscee Dorham) Danforth of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Chad (fiancée, Janet Devine) Danforth of Chicago, Illinois. His great-granddaughters, Sarah and Sophie Potter also survive.

Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents, by his wife, by his sister and by his brother.

Wilbur was a Mason and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Vinton.