John Howard DENHART

DENHART, NEWTON, SHAFER, KELLEY, WILKINSON, ALLPRESS, HATTON, STUCK

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/2/2009 at 22:46:02

OBITUARY - JOHN HOWARD DENHART

John Howard DENHART was born November 10, 1915 to Howard and Paroda (NEWTON) DENHART on the family farm North of Mount Ayr. He grew up on the farm and graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1934. On August 30, 1936, he was united in marriage to Vada Olive SHAFER. To this union was born a son, John Carlton, who died in infancy, and a daughter, Sybil Ann. John was a devoted husband and father. He cared for his wife in her failing health for 25 years before they entered the Clearview Home in August of 2000. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary just prior to Vada’s death on Sept. 11, 2002. He thoroughly enjoyed his daughter and his two grandsons, Kurtis and Karlin KELLEY and his two great grandchildren Kyle and Natasha KELLEY.

John worked as a farm hand for a period of time until he started working for his father-in-law, Day SHAFER, running SHAFER’s Service Station. He owned and operated that service station for 40 years until he retired in 1981. Many folks remember with fondness getting a “Dum-Dum” sucker as a child from him at the station.

John was a 50 year member of the United Methodist Church and Faith Lodge #179 in Mount Ayr. He was a past Worshipful Master of Faith Lodge #179 and District Lecturer #1584 for the Grand Lodge of Iowa. He was also a charter member of the Mount Ayr Lions Club.

Throughout his life he loved and participated in sports and watched the Iowa Hawkeyes faithfully. Dancing, playing cards, fishing and hunting mushrooms were favorite things to do too. He was an avid gardener and took garden products to everyone and was such a kind and caring neighbor and friend.

John passed away at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr on February 28, 2007 at the age of 91 years.

He is survived by his daughter Sybil KELLEY of Mount Ayr; grandsons, Kurtis KELLEY and friend Diane WILKINSON of Chelsea, Iowa, Karlin KELLEY & wife Shelley of Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska; great-grandchildren Kyle and Natasha KELLEY; a sister Dorothy M. ALLPRESS of Redding, California; 4 nieces and 4 nephews; several great nieces and nephews; cousins; friends and his faithful and caring nurses and aides for the last 7 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; infant son; two sisters, Ninabel STUCK [of Grand River] and Mary L. HATTON; brothers-in-law Burnison (S. B.) STUCK [of Grand River IA], William L. ALLPRESS, John P. HATTON; and a nephew Charles STUCK [of Grand River IA].

Services were held on Saturday, March 3, 2007, at 10:30 a.m., Wilson-Watson & Armstrong Funeral Home, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

SOURCE: www.funeralplan2.com/watsonarmstrongfh/archive?id=90611