Staff Sgt. Henry R. Vasey (1916-1945)

VASEY, RASMUSSEN, DINSMORE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal November 22, 1948 (page 4)

Hold Military Rites For Sgt. Henry Vasey

Military funeral rites held Thursday afternoon, Nov. 18, at 2 o'clock in the Collins Church of Christ for Staff Sgt. Henry R. Vasey with Rev. Henry Esch in charge.

Music was furnished by Mrs. Kenneth Tomlinson, Miss Calla Wood and Mrs. Lloyd Holland with Mrs. C. R. Stone at the piano. They sang "My Savior Speaks," "Prayer" and "Beyond the Sunset." Followed the last song Taps were sung.

Flowers were taken care of by Mrs. Orville Smith and Mrs. Glen Pointer.

Pall bearers were John Dodd, Chase Wescott, Dale Peer, John Torry, Forrest Lafferty and Wes McWherter.

Interment was in the Collins Evergreen cemetery with Military graveside rites in charge of Freland-Carver Post, No. 81, American Legion.

Legionaires taking part in services were Forrest Pointer, post commander, William Stoneberg, Jack Fertig, color-bearers; Charles Kimberley and Harold Kimberley, color guards, Floyd Oswalt, chaplain; Stanley Mitchell, past commander; firing squad, John Kingman, commander, Dean Partridge, William Noring, Chester Lillard, Berle Robinson, Howard Pitcher, Jack Stratton, Dale Deal and George L. Kimberly. The three gun salute was fired and taps and echo sounding by buglers.

Obituary

Staff Sargeant Henry R. Vasey, the youngest son of Henry R. and Ola M. Vasey, was born in Collins, Iowa, November 27, 1916. His father passed away when Henry was five and one-half years old.

He entered the ervice of his country in March, 1943 and was killed in action in Holland, February 27, 1945, at the age of 28 years and three months. He was with the Eighth Armored Division of the Ninth Army and was killed the third day after General Simpson started his march to cross the Rhine. He was buried in Margraten cemetery in Holland at that time.

He was married to Frances Rasmussen of Roland, Iowa, July 5, 1937. During Sgt. Vasey's entire service in the United States, his wife accompanied him and shared with him whenever possible the discomfort and hardship of the training period. Her affection and thoughtfulness were a constant source of comfort and inspiration to him.

He lived the most of his life in Collins with the exception of one year in Nevada, Iowa, and a few months in Oakland, Calif. He graduated from the Collins high school with the class of 1934. He was active in athletics, serving on the high school baseball and basketball teams and later on the independent teams. He clerked in stores in Collins and Nevada and served for a time as a clerk in the Collins Post Office.

One of his outstanding characteristics was consideration for others. He was thoughtful of his mother and was always trying to bring pleasure into her life. He never complained when he was in service, and all his letters reflected his concern over the possibility of his family's worrying about him. On several occasions in his letters he wrote that he felt there was a job to be done, and that when it was finished he would be returning home. The courageous spirit which he evidenced throughout his service was source of encouragement and comfort.

Collins was his home and the people of Collins his friends. Members of his family are sure that it would be his wish to be laid to final rest in the Collins cemetery.

Suvivors

Surviving are his mother, Mrs. Ola Vasey of Iowa City; his wife, Frances; three brothers, Lieut. (J. G.) M. E. Vasey of Pearl Harbor, Wayne Vasey of Iowa City and Marion Vasey of Oakland, Calif.; two sisters, Alta Vasey of Oakland, Calif., and Mrs. C. L. Dinsmore of Fort Collins, Colo. In addition to members of the immediate family he is missed by many other relatives and host of friends. He will be remembered by all as a splendid young man, who gave up a happy and promising life in the service of his country.

Relatives and friends attending were from Iowa City, Colfax, Maxwell, Nevada, Des Moines, Colo, Waterloo, Ames, Oakland, Calif., and Fort Collins, Colorado.