Lloyd Russell Booth 1906-2006

BOOTH, KATZENBURGER, CRITTENDEN, BROOKS, GRAY, SHIELDS

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 6/3/2010 at 11:46:00

Death Notice:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 30, 2006)

BOOTH, "Johnnie" Lloyd Russell, 90, Afton, Iowa, died August 22, 2006. Funeral services were held in Osceola August 25. Burial was in the Hopeville Cemetery, Hopeville, Iowa.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 30, 2006)

"JONNIE" LLOYD RUSSELL BOOTH ... "Johnnie" Lloyd Russell Booth was born January 17, 1916, at Hopeville, Iowa, and passed away August 22, 2006. He was the second son of Ruth [Katzenburger] Booth and Sam Booth. He attended school at Hopeville and went through the 10th grade, the final grade offered there.

Johnnie hired out to many farmers to help where needed in the fields, feeding cattle, building fence, shocking oats, milking cows, and pitching manure. He also helped with stripping blue grass. In the summer, he followed Reese and Carl Burchett's thrashing machine, pitching bundles or stacking straw. Johnnie also butchered beef and hogs for many in the Hopeville area.

When Johnnie was quite young, he started a "trap line" which he walked early each morning. He would skin his catch, stretch the hides and sell the pelts, which he enjoyed. He said this made ore money than the dollar a day he got working on the farm when he grew older.

At a young age Johnnie got himself a "coyote hound." through the year, he enjoyed getting together with his friends who had "coyote hounds." They would spend lots of nights out listening to the hounds chase the coyote. Every hunter knew his own dog's "voice" and could tell whose dog was in the lead in the race.

When World War II started, the draft took most all of the young men in to the service. Johnnie was proud to have served his country for 3 1/2 years. He was a cook with the 3rd Army Medical Evacuation Hospital in the European Theater. He spoke of seeing Gen. George S. Patton many times. Johnnie was honorably discharged November 16, 1945, and returned to Hopeville, November 17, 1945.

Johnnie and Evelyn Adams were married December 24, 1945. They rented and lived on her father's farm north of Hopeville for 5 years where they raised sheep, cattle, hogs, and chickens. It was there they started their herd of registered Angus cattle.

In 1951, they bought a farm northeast of Grand River and moved there. They started raising turkeys and raised them for 12 years.

Bernison Stuck talked to Johnnie about Charolais cattle; he had seen them in Missouri and took Johnnie to see them. Stucks and Johnnie each bought 5 heifers and a Charolais bull. This started the Booth family with a registered Charolais herd.

Johnnie also enjoyed the turkeys. He often said they were always glad to see him anytime he went to the turkey range. They quit raising turkeys when it became impossible to be an independent grower.

Johnnie was a charter member of the Grand River Lions Club. He enjoyed all of their activities. He was the baseball coach for the baseball town team. Fred Edward kept the games scheduled for a full season of games. He also enjoyed the Lions Club sponsored Saturday night dances.

Johnnie was a member of the Grand River American Legion Charles Ladd Post for many years and enjoyed helping with the fish fry and turkey fry suppers.

All through the years, he enjoyed a good "coyote race" and being with the other coyote hunters.

Johnnie had suffered many strokes since the first one in 1979. He suggested going to the Afton Care Center, August 5, 2004. He did appreciated the care he received there.

He told Evelyn, "You don't need to come everyday, I receive lots of company from the girls here."

After Johnnie's 90th birthday, one of the girls was visiting with him. she asked him, "If you had your life to live over, what would you do differently?" He replied, "Not a thing."

Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, Orville Booth and Rex Booth; sister, Mildred Crittenden; nephew, Randy Booth; and niece, Barbara [Brooks] Gray.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn of Murray; son, Tim Booth of Creston; son Sam Booth of Murray; sisters-in-law, Dona Booth of Afton, Carolyn Shields and husband Bob of Ankeny, Darleen Brooks of Osceola; many nieces, nephews, and friends.