Rex D. Sherburne (D. 2001)

SHERBURNE, TUTTLE, ARCHIBALD, BARNHILL, THARP, NICHOLS, PACCICO, FERGUSON, FOX, HART

Posted By: Anonymous volunteer
Date: 1/8/2023 at 19:51:21

BEACON - Rex D. Sherburne, 79, of Beacon, died Tuesday, Dec. 18, at University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. His funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Garland Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel in Osklaoosa, the Rev. Lanny Tuttle officiating. Burial: Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa, with military rites by Harry L. Anderson Post No. 34, American Legion, and the V. F. W. Visiting hours are open today at the funeral chapel, with family present 7-8 p.m. today. Memorials: Oskaloosa Little League Association, or a charity of the donor's choice.
Rex Darrell Sherburne was born Jan. 8, 1922, in Oskaloosa to Donald and Clara Archibald Sherburne. He attended Garfield and Lincoln elementary schools and Oskaloosa High School. As a young man he was a lifeguard and swimming instructor with the Red Cross at the Oskaloosa Municipal Pool and Lake Keomah. His father received his high school diploma, because Rex graduated early and joined the United States Navy. He served with the Sea Bees from Sept. 7, 1942 to Nov. 14, 1945. While home on furlough he married Virginia Eileen Barnhill on Oct. 2, 1944, in Oskaloosa. After he returned from the Navy, they moved to Ottumwa, where he worked in the John Deere factory for a short time. He went on to study mortuary science, apprenticed at Powers Funeral Home in Oskaloosa, then graduated from the College of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, Mo., on June 11, 1948. He was employed with the Hill & Frederick's Mortuary in Davenport for three years. He worked at a Des Moines funeral home, then moved to Winterset to work at the Richard's Funeral Home for two years. In 1950 he moved back to Oskaloosa and became a brakeman and conductor for the M. & St. L. Railroad, where he worked nine and half years. On Aug. 29, 1960, he broke his neck on a trampoline, and was paralyzed from the neck down and not expected to recover; he did recover fully, except for a slight limp. Rex then became an office deputy with the Sheriff's Department under Walter Tharp. After nine years there, he worked in the Clow machine shop for two years. He then ran for county treasurer and served four terms, from 1971 to 1986, when he retired.
He worked for Little League as a board member, scorekeeper and announcer, a diamond in Vanderwilt Park was named in his honor, and he received several awards from the National Little League in Pennsylvania. He was a worker and supporter of the Sheriff's Posse for many years, as well as working for the Southern Iowa Fair. He had sold tickets at the pit gate for races, harness races and demolition derbies since he was a young man. He was a member of the American Legion, the V. F. W., the D. A. V., Tri-Luminar Masonic Lodge, York Rite Masons, Kaaba Shrine, the Lions Club and the Mahaska Traveling Chief's Camping Club. He was a lifetime member of the Mahaska County Historical Society, and a member of Central United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia; a daughter and son-in-law: Peggy and Paul Nichols of Richland; a son, Rex Lee Sherburne of Oskaloosa; seven grandchildren: Kelli Paccico, Jessica Ferguson, Angela, Elizabeth, Jonathan and Benjamin Sherburne, and Eric Fox; and three great-grandchildren: Sam Ferguson, Matthew Hart and Michael Paccico.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a great-grandson, Andrew Hart. (The Oskaloosa Herald, no date).