Tott, Vernon 1924-2005

TOTT, NOTEBOOM, SADLER

Posted By: Janet Bosler - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/9/2013 at 22:11:18

Sioux City Journal March 3, 2005

Born: 12-22-1924
Died: 3-1-2005

Vernon W. Tott, 80, of Sioux City died Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be at 11am Friday at Morningside Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Paul Spaulding officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Morningside Post 697. Visitation will be 1 to 9pm today, with family present 6 to 8:30pm and a prayer service at 7pm., at Larkin Morningside Funeral Home. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service Friday at the church.

Vernon was born Dec. 22, 1924, in Orange City, Iowa, the son of Hubert and Nellie (Noteboom) Toff. He came to Sioux City as a child and attended Sioux City schools. He attended Central High School until he joined the U.S. Army in 1943. He served with the 84th Infantry Division as a radio operator, with the rank of sergeant. He battled the Germans all across Europe and was in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Unit Citation and three Bronze Battle Stars, He was discharged from the Army in 1946. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Organization.

He worked for Swift and Co. for 37 years as a supervisor of the kill floors.

He married Betty Sadler in November 1974, in Las Vegas, Nev.

He was an avid fisherman and loved being outdoors. He enjoyed watching and feeding the birds and squirrels in his backyard.

Vernon dedicated the last 10 years of his life trying to find the Ahlem Concentration Camp survivors from World War II. He touched many lives by sending pictures and information to the survivors and their families. He sent countless hours driving to schools and many organizations talking about the atrocities that they had seen in the concentration camps so that it will never will be forgotten. One of the survivors of Ahlem made a generous donation to have Vernon's name inscribed on the donor wall at the National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. When asked to give a speech, he replied, "A Rabbi in Germany once told me that I was their angel and that I would live forever. With my name on this wall, I will live forever."

He is survived by his wife, Betty of Sioux City; a son, Richard Vernon Tott of Sioux City; a daughter, Nancy Ann Tott of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a stepson and his wife, Jon and Shelly Sadler of Sioux City; two stepdaughters and their husbands, Donna and Daniel Jensen of Sioux City and Vicki and Robert Hansel of Sioux City; seven grandchildren, Matt, Jayna and Sarah Sadler, Angie and her husband, Darin Miller, Colton Jensen, Rob Groves and John Hansel; two great-grandchildren, Kyle and Jaden Groves; a brother and his wife, Harold and Dorothy Tott of Dubuque, Iowa; a sister, Viola Madsen of Lincoln, Neb., and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by four brothers, William, Hubert, Lester and Eugene Tott; and four sisters, Nellie Vaugh, Jennie Herbold, Marie Vaa and an infant sister.

Pallbearers will be Tom Tott, Tim Tott, Steve Soukup, Dale Rudd, Rob Groves and John Hansel.