Thurman Earl DENIO

DENIO, SCHROEDER, DRURY, EKVALL, SULLIVAN, HENELY, DONAHUE, KESSLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/3/2013 at 16:42:53

December 8, 1918 --- January 21, 2013

Thurman Earl DeNio, 94, formerly from Dows, Iowa, passed away early Monday, January 21, 2013 at Essentia Health in Duluth, Minnesota.

Thurman Earl DeNio, son of Allen and Marjorie (Schroeder) DeNio, was born on December 8, 1918 in Wright County, Iowa. He attended country school near Galt, Iowa, and Dows Community School. After graduation he attended Grinnell College. He started a farm implement dealership, selling Oliver equipment, and eventually expanded into a car dealership with the opening of DeNio Chevrolet. During World War II Thurman became a flight instructor in Texas, training many pilots for the U.S. Army Air Corp. Returning to Iowa, he became the State President of the Iowa Implement Dealers’ Association, earning a family trip to Cuba. In the mid-50s he returned to farming in Vernon Township.

On March 8, 1941 Thurman married Carolyn Drury in Dows, Iowa. They had three children – Douglas, David, and Susan. After many years of farming and raising a family, Thurman and Carolyn retired and spent winters in Sun City, AZ and summers at Lake Cornelia, IA. Carolyn passed away in 1985. Thurman married Colleen (Ekvall) Sullivan in 1987. Colleen passed away in 2008 in Peoria, AZ after a long illness. He was an active member of the Dows Presbyterian Church, and the Masonic Lodge.

In addition to Carolyn and Colleen, Thurman was preceded in death by his son, David DeNio, and his parents. Thurman is survived by his son, Douglas DeNio (Lynne); daughter, Susan DeNio (Ron Henely); grandchildren Dawn (Ted) Donahue, Darin DeNio, Daniel (Nicole) Henely, Sarah Henely, 2 great grandchildren; Conor Donahue and Gwendolyn Henely, sister Doris (Chuck) Kessler, brother Verl (Opal) DeNio, and special cousin Quentin DeNio.

A memorial service for Thurman will be held on June 15, 2013 at the Dows Presbyterian Church.

Wright County Monitor - Clarion, Iowa
January 31, 2013