Vernon Hamilton

Vernon E. Hamilton, the son of Guy and Opal (Osterson) Hamilton, was born February 20, 1936 at Paton, and left this life May 19, at the Stewart Memorial Hospital in Lake City. He lived his life to the age of 79 years.

Vernon graduated from the Dana High School in 1954. While in school, Vernon enjoyed raising sheep. After he graduated, he worked with his father shelling corn and hauling gravel. On August 27, 1961, Vernon was married to Shirley Kay Allen at the Presbyterian Church in Churdan. Three daughters were born to this union. After their marriage, Vernon and Shirley made their home in Dana and Vernon operated a gas station. In 1975, Vernon started farming Shirley dad’s farm near Churdan. In 1980, after the death of Shirley’s dad, the family moved to the farm outside of Churdan.  During the late 1980s, as well as continuing to farm, Vernon started working at the Jefferson S & S Store; later the Country General Store, for 15 years. He stopped farming in 1992 but continued to raise sheep and later donkeys. Vernon served on the Greene County Extension 4-H Council from 1986 to 1989 and received awards from the Greene County Lamb Producers for his service on their Board of Directors and from the Mid Iowa Lamb and Wool Producers for his service to the lamb and wool industry. Vernon enjoyed many things in life such as camping and fishing, making an occasional trip to a casino, going to any type of a sale, antiquing, going to fairs such as the Iowa State and Clay, Greene and Calhoun County fairs or just taking a drive in his truck.

Vernon was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church in Paton.

Vernon is survived by his wife, Shirley, three daughters, LesLa (Mark) White of Bondurant, Iowa, Dana (Basil) Coale of Gainesville, Virginia and Eugenia (Jeff) Hartsook of Madrid, and 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister, Joyce and an infant grandson, Joseph Allen Coale.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. May 22, from the 1st Presbyterian Church in Paton with Rev. Daniel Emmert officiating. Burial was made in the Paton Township Cemetery near Paton. Musical selections, “In the Garden” and “The Old Rugged Cross” were sung by Rochelle Guess and Renaye Lindgren.

Serving as casket bearers were Kent Wilson, Marcus Vogel, Bob Hamilton, John Hamilton, Mark Hamilton and Dennis Tilley. Serving as honorary casket bearers were Vernon’s grandchildren:  Reed, Alex and Alisa White; Nathan and Rowan Coale; Raeann, Olivia and Dillon Hanlon, Sullivan and Karrigan Hartsook.

Brown Funeral Home of Churdan.