Ransom, Francis Keith 1925 - 2019

RANSOM, AITCHISON, MATZEN, GERARDI, HOLLOWAY, WALLACE, KELLETT, WILLIAMS, NORRIS, WALLS, HUBBARD

Posted By: Gayle P. Snow (email)
Date: 5/16/2023 at 21:31:42

Mason City Globe Gazette; 31 Mar 2019

Francis Keith Ransom, 93, of Ventura, died Thursday, 28 Mar 2019, at Oakwood Care Center, in Clear Lake.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, 2 Apr 2019, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, with military honors provided by the Clear Lake VFW Post 4868 honor guard. Burial was at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, in Mason City.

Family suggests memorial contributions to the Ventura Fire Department.

Keith was born 3 Jul 1925, the son of Edmund and Marion (Aitchison) Ransom in rural Clear Lake. He married June Matzen on 6 Sep 1942, in Bethany, MO, and to that union five children were born.

Keith graduated from Mason City High School in 1943. He joined the United States Army Air Corps and served during World War II. He later would return to Ventura, where he was a partner in Ransom Brothers Garage before owning and operating Ransom Garage, both in Ventura. He helped create the Ventura Protection Association (Ventura Fire Department) and served as chief for 60 years. In the 1970’s he was a partner in Best Way, which developed and manufactured farm equipment. In 1967, he followed his true love of farming and continued until his last crop in 2017.

Keith was a long standing member of the Ventura and Clear Lake Lions Club. He and June were very active in their younger years, dancing, traveling with friends, bowling and riding snowmobiles. When he wasn’t working on the farm, Keith cherished the time spent with his family.

Keith is survived by his wife of 76 years, June Ransom, of Ventura; four children, Nancy (Ken Wilhelm) Gerardi, of Columbia, MO, Duane Ransom, of Ventura, Julie (Gary) Holloway, of West Plains, MO, and Doug Ransom, of Clear Lake; five grandchildren, David (Debbie) Gerardi, Sara (Keith) Wallace, Amanda (Steve) Kellett, Shane (Allena) Holloway and Delishia (Matt) Williams; 10 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two step-granddaughters; six step-great-grandchildren; a sister, Ruth Norris, of Mason City; and a sister-in-law, Marjorie Walls, of Clear Lake.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Gary Ransom; siblings, Don (Lucille) Ransom and Lois (Lynn) Hubbard; and three brothers-in-law, Charles “Chuck” Norris, Donald Walls and Paul Matzen.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.