Ocala Star-Banner
November 4, 2008Ocala - Mr. Howard W. Lawrence, age 88, of Ocala, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Nov. 2nd, 2008 at the Summerville Assisted Living Facility in Ocala, after a battle with cancer. Howard was born in Montevideo, Minn. and grew up on a farm in northwestern Iowa.
He proudly served his country in the Navy during WWII from 1942-45. He attended Iowa State Teachers College, (where he met his beautiful wife, Lois, a very talented pianist and violinist) and the University of Iowa. He taught history in the public schools in Iowa and Michigan for 32 years. He moved to Florida in 1980, and lived in Citrus Springs and later, Ocala. He was very active in the church, and sang tenor in the choir for many years. He loved collaborating with his wife Lois at the piano. His passions, besides singing, were bowling, gardening, and watching all sports. He loved to travel, and always kept up with current events. He was a keen political observer, and was passionate about world events until the end of his life. He donated over the years to many worthy charities, and causes that were important to him. He was a devoted husband, and loving father, who always thought of others before himself. He will be missed greatly and will always be in our hearts.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lois, his two sons, Mark, of San Francisco, CA, and Ray, of Jacksonville, Fla., his brother Galen, of Doon, Iowa, his brother Duane, of Spencer, Iowa, and his sister Jane, of Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Ocala Star-Banner
December 22, 2012Citrus Springs - The Service of Remembrance for Mrs. Lois Wanda Lawrence, age 91, of Ocala, Florida, will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, December 22, 2012 at the Beverly Hills Chapel of Hooper Funeral Homes with Pastor Gordon Condit officiating. Interment will follow at Fero Memorial Gardens, Beverly Hills, Florida.
Mrs. Lawrence was born April 7, 1921 in Eldora, IA, daughter of the late Fred and Eva (Long) Miller. She died December 21, 2012 in Ocala, FL. She worked as a Music Teacher and moved to Citrus Springs, Florida from Mt. Clemens, MI in 1980. She enjoyed directing the choir and playing the organ at Citrus Springs Congregational Church.
Mrs. Lawrence was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Howard W. Lawrence, and sister, Muriel Mamminga.
Survivors include two sons, Mark H. Lawrence of Sausalito, CA and Ray J. Lawrence of Jacksonville, FL.
Find-a-Grave
For over 50 years, Memorial Day Services at the Riverview Cemetery at Doon, Iowa, were hallmarked by the tear-inducing sound of a melancholy bugle playing "Taps" in honor of fallen comrades.
The Bugler was World War II veteran Galen Scott "Bud" Lawrence. His annual salute to fallen comrades was but one example of a man who focused his life on service to his community, his church, and his family.
Galen passed away peacefully on July 30, having lived over 95 years since his birth May 17, 1921 in Montevideo, Minnesota.
Bud's parents moved the family to the farm near Doon in the height of the depression, and the family was often fed by proceeds from Bud's trapping of muskrats and beaver on the Rock River. One fall day Bud, then 13, offered to carry Joyce Ray's saxophone home for her after school. The romance sparked that autumn day would last for 80 years.
They were married near the end of the war at Joplin, Missouri, in services hastily arranged when Bud was granted a weekend pass. No family was present and there was no wedding cake. But Joyce always wanted one. So when Bud and Joyce celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, her children brought her-at last-a wedding cake.
Though she beamed with thanks and at 91 looked ready for another decade of life, a heart attack claimed her the very next day. Bud entered a memory care facility shortly thereafter, where he lived until a few weeks before his death.
Throughout his life, Bud went quietly about "doing his duty" for his family, his church, and his community.
He was an early pioneer in contour farming. In those days' corn rows were planted straight up and down the hill (causing major erosion when it rained) and old-fashioned neighbors thought "curvy-rows Bud" was crazy. But when his yields outpaced theirs, and when the Conservation Service gave him awards for leadership, they adopted his practices.
Bud loved kids. He served as a 4-H leader and Sunday School teacher for 25 years. He loved music and his quartet composed of members Buzz Hass, Louie Kopsas, and Ivan Krull, were asked to sing at over a hundred funerals at the church his great grandfather, William Wallace Reynolds, was instrumental in forming in 1885. Bud was the first in a long line of trombone players which included his brothers, sons, grandsons, and a nephew who plays today with the San Francisco Symphony.
Bud as a lifelong member of his Masonic Lodge; he served on the Historical Society and Township boards. He was an election supervisor, and a Republican convention delegate. His was a life lived with a simple, pure dedication to doing what he said responsible people do for their community.
He sat at the side of his mother all through her long fight against cancer; he and Joyce invited widows to share Christmas Eve with them, and brought gifts to the forgotten.
Oh, "Bailing Wire Bud" had his quirks. Most memorable was the electric fence "system" surrounding the farm. Dependent upon this tree branch and that rotted post, connected by a maze of dangling bailing wire, nobody could make "the system" work but him.
Being a meteorologist during the War (stationed at Point Barrow, Alaska), Bud was convinced the ridge of land between Canton, SD, and Doon mysteriously "steered" thunderstorms from dropping their rain on the Lawrence farm. He called it the Ridge Effect.
Though he and Joyce were lovers forever, Bud mastered the art of getting-as he would call it-a "rise" out of Joyce. When he did, Joyce would lament she was "Budgravated". Nevertheless, he and Joyce set a standard in faithful marriage, something his sons have now carried on through over 80 combined years of marriage.
Bud's two brothers, Dewey and Howard, and sister, Jane, preceded him in death.
He is survived by two sons, Scott and Craig, and their wives, respectively, Marlys (DeRoo) and Marcia (Mostrom); five grandchildren, Elizabeth, Ralph, David, Anne, and Christopher; 9 great grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Elanor Lawrence of Fostoria, Iowa.
Find-a-Grave
Doon, IA: Joyce Lawrence, 90, of Rock Valley, Iowa formerly of Doon, Iowa died Thursday, October 23, 2014 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Joyce was a tireless advocate for her church, her schools, her community, and those in life who were less fortunate than her. She lived her entire life in Doon, Iowa, except for a brief stint at the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
She ended her life as she lived it: with a party. Joyce and her lifelong partner, husband, and friend, Galen Scott (Bud) celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family the night before her death. Married during the height of World War II, Joyce and Bud were joined together in Joplin, Missouri. It was one of those war-time ceremonies with only a preacher and his wife in attendance, with no reception and fanfare following. And no cake. At the evening celebration on their 70th last Wednesday (October 22, 2014), her daughter-in-law, Marlys, brought a wedding cake. "I had to wait 70 years for this," said Joyce. "And at last I finally have one."
Her children and her friends cannot remember even a day when Joyce was not bubbling with optimism, encouraging others on to be positive and tackle even the hardest tasks in life with joy.
Faced with moving from their 50 year farm home to an assisted living facility and realizing the need to downsize, Joyce parted with earthly possessions with ease, hosting a giant auction sale to disperse it. "There are things in life you just have to do," she said, "and you need to be positive and get at it. Get it done."
Her sons, Scott and Craig, remember Joyce's never-give-up spirit of adventure, including episodes of storm chasing, Civil War battleground tours, and her many plays and stories used in celebrations at her church and community anniversaries.
Times were hard on the farm in the 50's and 60's, and though Joyce could operate a tractor as well as Bud, she spent nights and weekends getting a college degree in elementary education. Many hundreds of students enjoyed the imagination present in her classroom. She also served as principal of schools in Doon and Rock Rapids. Her earnings from teaching paid for college degrees for Scott and Craig at the University of South Dakota, just as she had planned.
Joyce is survived by her husband, Galen of Rock Valley; two sons, Scott and his wife Marlys (DeRoo) Lawrence and Craig and his wife Marcia (Mostrom) Lawrence, both of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; 5 grandchildren, Anne, Betsy, Ralph, David, and Christopher; as well as 6 great-grandchildren; and sister Joan Ray Smith.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Alice Ray; and her sisters, Jackie Ray Vermeer and Jean Ray Laury.
75795. Duane Reynolds Lawrence
Warner Funeral Home
Duane "Dewey" Reynolds Lawrence, the son of Cleon Wesley and Rachel Olive (Reynolds) Lawrence, was born March 22, 1924 in Montevideo, MN.
His childhood years were spent near Doon, Iowa, where he received his education, graduating from Doon High School. After his schooling, he entered the military and served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from 1948, until his honorable discharge in 1951. During his military career, he enjoyed playing in the Army Military Band.
Dewey married Elenore Van Berkum on June 8, 1951 in Rock Valley, IA.
Following their marriage, they lived in Sioux Falls, SD for 15 years. He attended Remington-Rand Tech. School in Hartford, CT, and Business Machine Tech School for Underwood-Olevette in Elmira, NY. He then began his carrier at Remington-Rand Corporation. They moved to Spencer, Iowa, in 1966 where he worked for Modern Business and later Spencer Office Equipment. He was a member of the Langdon United Methodist Church. Dewey also was a member of Glen Pedersen Post #1 - American Legion of Spencer. He also enjoyed bowling and playing basketball on the senior team in his later years.
Duane passed away at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer, Iowa on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at the age of 89.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Howard and a sister, Beverly Ranschau.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Elenore of Spencer; two sons: Duane "Randy" Lawrence and his wife, Vickie of Olathe, KS and Kenneth Lawrence and his wife, Jeannie of Langdon, IA; two daughters: Valerie Paulsen and her husband, Kreg of Langdon, IA and Kerrie Kramme and her husband, Dan of Spirit Lake, IA; 10 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; one brother, Galen "Bud" Lawrence and his wife, Joyce of Doon, IA; other relatives and friends.
Warner Funeral Home
Elenore Mae VanBerkum Lawrence, daughter of James and Magdeline (VanderBerg) VanBerkum, was born March 21, 1930, in West Branch Township near Sioux Center, Iowa (She always said she was born at the fork of the river near Caramel.)
Her childhood years were spent in Rock Valley, Iowa, where she received her early education, graduating from Rock Valley High School. She attended Sheldon Vocational College where she received her teaching degree in early education. She taught for one year in a one room schoolhouse in Plato Township.
Elly married Duane "Dewey" Lawrence on June 8, 1951, in Rock Valley. Following their marriage, they lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for 15 years where she worked in a nursing home. They moved to Spencer, Iowa, in 1966, where she worked at HyLine Hatchery for 16 years, retiring in 1985. Following her retirement, she bought and sold antiques.
Some of her hobbies included baking for family and friends, gardening, painting, making her famous potato salad and had collected over 400 Christmas ornaments.
After Dewey's passing in 2013, she moved to Langdon, Iowa, to be closer to family. She loved to sit on her front porch and read and watched her grandchildren play across the street.
She was a member of the Langdon United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women.
Elly passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 88.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Arlyn; son-in-law, Lee Spears; and her husband of 63 years, Dewey.
Left to cherish her memory are her sons, Randy (Vickie) Lawrence of Drexel, Missouri, and Ken (Jeannie) Lawrence of Langdon, Iowa; her daughters, Val (Kreg) Paulsen of Langdon, Iowa, and Kerrie (Dan) Kramme of Spirit Lake, Iowa; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; brothers: Jim (Dee Keagon) VanBerkum of Rock Valley, Iowa, Les (Mary Jane) VanBerkum of Le Mars, Iowa, John (Denise) VanBerkum of Jackson, Michigan, plus many relatives and friends
Porter Funeral Home
Beverly Jane Ranschau, 87, died Friday, March 1, 2013 at the Royale Meadows Health Center at Sioux Center, Iowa.
Beverly Jane was born August 31, 1925 at Montevideo, Minnesota, daughter of Cleon and Rachel (Reynolds) Lawrence. She graduated the Doon High School in 1943 and obtained a BA degree in liberal arts at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and had biked all the way to Canada with a college friend.
Jane married Richard Ranschau on May 25, 1952 at Doon. Together they farmed southwest of Rock Valley. Richard died August 9, 1982.
Jane enjoyed music, her cats and dogs. She loved her children and especially the grandchildren, and had a strong love for the Lord. Jane moved to Royale Meadows on November 2, 2012.
Surviving relatives include three sons, Les (Mary) Ranschau of Rock Valley, Doug (Melanie) Ranschau of Sioux Center, IA, and Lyle Ranschau of Rock Valley; 9 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and brothers, Galen Bud (Joyce) Lawrence of Doon, Iowa, and Duane Dewey (Eleanore) Lawrence of Spencer, Iowa.
Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; parents, Cleon and Rachel Lawrence; brother, Howard Lawrence; twin infant granddaughters, Tammy and Marsha Ranschau.
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
April 14, 2019Meyer, Bruce L., 97, of Bloomington passed away peacefully April 6, 2019. Born September 17, 1921 in Montevideo, Minnesota.
Graduated Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, enlisted in the Navy and served as Chief Petty Officer in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during WWII as a radio technician and radar and sonar operator. Also served in the Naval Reserve in California during the Korean conflict. Worked as a radio repairman, and electronic engineer for PAKO, Engineering Research Associates, Remington Rand Univac, Mobile Radio Engineering, and Control Data. Awarded four communications patents. Obtained his amateur radio licence (W0HZR) in 1946 and was a City of Bloomington Emergency Communications volunteer for 43 years, and member of the Navy-Marine Corps MARS group that used amateur radio to facilitate communication between servicemen and their families. He was a VEAP transportation volunteer for many years and a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Bloomington.
Preceded in death by parents, Dr. Clarence Meyer and Vera (Lawrence); brother, Fred; first wife, Dolores (Erickson); and second wife, Genevieve (Pittman).
Survived by sons, Gary (Heidi), Dean (Karen), Scott (Kate), and Craig Meyer; nine grandsons; two granddaughters; and five great grandchildren.
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
April 4, 1995CHARLTON - Helen A. (Day) Waite, 93, formerly of Hopkinton and Cape Cod, long active in the Order of the Eastern Star, died Saturday evening in the Masonic Home after an illness.
Her husband, A. Clayton Waite, died many years ago. A daughter, Shirley Waite of Hopkinton, died many years ago. She leaves many cousins. She was born in Hopkinton, daughter of Daniel P. and Jennie (Wilbur) Day, and lived many years in Hopkinton. She then lived many years on Cape Cod, mainly in Orleans, before moving to Charlton in 1987.
Mrs. Waite was a member of the Federated Church of Orleans, and a member and past matron of Summit Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, in Hopkinton.