Earl DeVine, 84

Services  for Earl DeVine, 84, of Slayton will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton, MN on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Doug Minton officiating. Interment is at Slayton Memorial Gardens, Slayton, MN. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Totzke Funeral Home in Slayton and one hour prior to the service on Thursday.

Earl DeVine was born on August 21, 1925 at Clear Lake, South Dakota to Edmund William and Sadie Mitchell DeVine. He attended grade school and graduated from Slayton High School in 1942. He then entered the U.S. Marine Corp. and served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. After his discharge from service he returned to Slayton. On June 28, 1953 he and Dorothy Hill were married at her parents home near Hadley, MN. Earl worked doing propane gas delivery, furnace repair, interior design and painting. Earl and Milton Schroeder partnered to run Midwest Supply in Slayton and Tracy for 28 years. Earl and Dorothy had the privilege of becoming guardians to two teenage children, George and Jane Bowman. Earl was very involved in the community and was given the Buzz Erlandson award in 2008. He remained at his home after Dorothy died in June of 2004 until moving to the Lindenwood Assisted Living in Slayton in July of 2009. Earl passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2009 at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 84. He was an active member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton where he held various positions and sang in the church choir. Earl was also known as the MSP (Mill Street Poet) and had a passion for sharing his writing with his family and friends. Earl was active member of the Murray County Christmas Project, Lake Sarah Pals, Murray County Health Alliance, Barber Shop Quartet and a former member of the Slayton Volunteer Fire Department. He also belonged to the Slayton American Legion. He was always willing to throw a line in to fish or play a hand of cards.

Survivors include his two special children who they helped raise, George (Marilyn) Bowman of Marshall, MN and Jane Balch of Marshall, MN; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Leona Morris of Grants Pass, OR, Lyle (Bonnie) DeVine of Santa Ana, CA, Donald (Dorothy) DeVine of Broomfield, CO and Eddie (Esther) DeVine of Slayton, MN; sister-in-Law, Dolores Ewy of Scottsdale, AZ and many nieces, nephews other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Dorothy, brother, Merle and sisters, Ruth and Gladys.

 

Ronald Gibbons, 74

Ronald G. Gibbons, 74 of Sergeant Bluff, died Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at his residence after a long battle with lung disease.

Services were held Friday, September 18, 2009 at the Community United Methodist Church with Rev. Deborah Stowers and Rev. Dr. Paul Samuelson officiating.  Per his wishes, he was a donor with the Iowa Donation Network. Arrangements were under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

Ronald was born on January 22, 1935 in a farm house north of Newell, Iowa, to Norman and Blanche (Waterman) Gibbons. Ronald attended Newell consolidated school. Following high school he worked 18 months with the Illinois Central Railroad. He accepted full time employment with the Chicago & Northwestern railroad for 35 years until he retired in August 1989.

Ronald married Shirley Davison on June 20, 1954 in Varina, Iowa and was married to her for 55 years. Five children were born to this union.

After retirement Ronald flew search and rescue for the United States Air Force with the Civil Air Patrol and drove for Senior Help Mates. He was active with the Lion’s Club for 35 years, a Boy Scout leader, loved playing piano, was an avid bowler and golfer, served various commissions for the City of Sergeant Bluff and the Community United Methodist Church, enjoyed gardening, hunting and was an expert fisherman.

Survivors include his wife Shirley of Sergeant Bluff; sons Craig (Sherry) Gibbons of Fort Dodge, Iowa and Randy (Jani) Gibbons of Worthing, South Dakota; his daughter Susan (David) Buysse of Tracy, Minnesota; 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; his sister Linda Szabaga of Bettendorf, Iowa, his sister-in-law Norma Gibbons of Bella Vista, Arkansas; his daughter-in-law Sheila Gibbons of Boone, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Patricia, a son David and his parents and three brothers, Clifford, Daniel and Keith Gibbons.