Mclane, Neil "Mick" 1912 - 1990

MCLANE, REED, VINDAHL

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/25/2011 at 12:28:43

Neil "Mick" McLane

Neil "Mick" McLane, 78, Akron, died Thursday, Oct. 25, 1990 at Sioux Valley hospital in Sioux Falls,

Services were held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Akron. Rev. William Flemr officiated. "Green Hills Far Away" and "Rock of Ages," were sung by Jon Harris, accompanied by Carol Harris, organist. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery in Akron, with military rites by Hoschler American Legion Post 186 of Akron. Arrangements were under direction of Schroeder funeral home in Akron.

Pallbearers were his grandsons, Tim Olson, Greg Plender, Roger Kasa, John Burris, Mike Kasa, Brian McLane, John Kasa, and Berk Haan. Honorary pallbearers were his granddaughters, Melinda Kasa Haughtaling, Rene McLane Hammons, Roxanne Olson Marti, Lisa Kasa Wolfe, Myra McLane, Cherie
Plender, Nancy McLane Lynch, Dawn Burris, and Jodi McLane Medina. Other honorary pallbearers were Burton (lefty) Swift, Burton (Bucky) Swift, Harold Higman, Jr., John Coverdale, Roger Schaffer, Daryl Fletcher, Steve Donnelly, Doug Bye, Nels Jensen, Bud Tiemens, Paul Larson, Bill Busker, Jim Hawks, R. D. Clark and Tom Waterbury.

Mr. McLane was born Jan. 5, 1912, in Avon, S.D., to Paul and Iva (Reed) McLane. He attended grade school there and graduated in 1930 from the Avon high school. He attended the University of South Dakota, where he was quarterback on the Coyote football team. He was also on the wrestling team. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

He met and married Peggy Vindahl of Hudson, S.D., also a student at the University of South Dakota. (After graduating, Mick and Peggy moved to Minneapolis, Minn. where he worked for the Buttercrust Bakery Co. In 1935 they moved from Minneapolis to Avon, where "Mick" owned and operated the McLane Meat Market. He sold the meat market to his brother C. N. "Stub" McLane and moved to Akron, Iowa.

When the United States entered World War II, he was called to active duty as an R.O.T.C. Second Lieutenant in the Fourth Div. of the U.S. army. He went in on D-Day, at Normandy, going through Paris, France, and on into Belgium. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge going into Germany, where he and his troops were credited with the capture of 55 German prisoners. He received four Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart. After the war, he returned to Akron and opened the McLane Grocery Store. Later he entered the teaching profession. He taught history and science and coached boys' basketball and track and had many successful seasons at Gayville and Meckling, S.D. He taught junior high science in Elk Point for 18 years, and retired from teaching in 1977.

He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran church in Akron; the American Legion and served as a past post commander of Hoschler Post 186, American Legion; VFW; Scoon Skinners; Lions club; and was
a lifetime member of the Akron Golf Club.

Survivors include his wife, Peggy of Akron; two sons, Neil Gordon, Jr. of Denver and Michael Harper of Dallas; five daughters, Oralee Kasa of Huron, S.D., Patricia Olson of Minneapolis, Mary Plender of Oklahoma City, Okla., Norma Haan of Sioux Falls, and Linda Burris of Ruthven, Iowa; 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; one brother, C. N. McLane of Rapid City, S.D.; four sisters, Lyle Wagner and Zola Dvoracheck, both of Rapid City; Zella Ackermann of Phoenix, and Muriel Holister of Seattle; a cousin, Sylvia Whitmeir of Spearfish, S.D.; several nieces, nephews and other cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Ted McLane, and a grandson, Danny Olson.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, November 1, 1990
Akron, Iowa