Ronald Lee DeBok

Ronald L. DeBok was born to Cleo and Walker DeBok in Lucas County, Iowa on Feb.  4, 1939.  He graduated from Chariton High School in 1957 and Iowa State University in 1961 with a degree in Civil engineering. He married Loretta Roth, who he always called Lori, in 1961 and they raised three daughters together: Lisa, Julie and Michele. Ron passed away August 22, 2022 at Lakeside Village in Panora in the Memory Care Unit following a broken hip.   

Service to his country was very important to Ron and after spending two years on active duty at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, he entered the Army Reserves completing service with the 103rd COSCOM in Des Moines and retired as a Lt. Colonel after 26 years of faithful service. After his time on active duty, he began working for the Iowa Department of Transportation, first in the design department in the Ames office then for 24 years as resident construction engineer in Jefferson, retiring in 1997. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Retired Officers Association and was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson for 50 years.

Following retirement, he and Lori enjoyed traveling and visited all 50 states and several foreign countries. His favorite activity was camping, especially when he could sit beside a campfire next to a lake watching the stars at night. He played a cornet in the Town and Country Band of Churdan for many years and enjoyed volunteering with Habitat for Humanity both in Greene County and in Florida, Greene County Adopt a Family and several church mission work trips. He was a patient and kind person who loved his family deeply and we will miss his dated, careful and plentiful notations in all his many files.

Ron is survived by his wife Lori; daughters: Lisa (Darwin) Tucker, and Michele (Chuck) Herscovici; five grandchildren: Amanda (Eric) Carlson, Heather Prescott, Sarah (Brandon) Morlan, Nathan and Elyse Herscovici; four great grandchildren: Gretah and Hudson Carlson, Micah Prescott and Conrad Morlan; other family members and many friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Julie DeBok. 

Memorials will be directed to his church, Town and Country Band, Greene County Adopt a Family and other charities he supported. The family would like to thank all of Ron’s caregivers who helped him locally, at Lakeside Village, and in Hospice of the Midwest.

Celebration of life was held Aug. 29 at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. Interment was held at the Jefferson Cemetery.