Funeral services for Vernon E. Rath, 83, of Aurelia, will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday, August 13, 2011, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurelia with Pastor Larry Lemke officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. Visitation will be Friday from 2:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church. A memorial fund has been established. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.
Vernon Eugene Rath was born on August 25, 1927 to Henry and Mabel (Keller) Rath at Cushing, Iowa. He attended school in Correctionville, and graduated in 1945. Vernon entered the US Navy in 1945, and was honorably discharged in 1946. On August 13, 1949 Vern married Loretta Jensen in Blue Earth, MN. He attended Buena Vista College, graduating in 1953. He taught Social Studies and Math at Meriden, Woodward, Kingsley, and Aurelia, quitting in 1964. He coached basketball and several other sports as well. They had moved to Aurelia in 1960. He was a founding member of the Aurelia Golf Club, and was still working there as the greens keeper. Vern was a beekeeper until 1979, having enjoyed raising bees and their honey. He was a Cherokee County Extension Youth and 4-H leader. Vern was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church and Men of Faith, and held several church offices. He was a member of the Aurelia Fire Department from June 1964 to June 1974, and a member of the Aurelia Kiwanis. He played basketball and football for Buena Vista, and enjoyed softball and golf. He always enjoyed attending his kids and grandkids activities, and spending time with his grand and great-grandchildren.
Vern died Wednesday, August 10, 2011, at the St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Preceding Vern in death were his parents, one brother and two sisters and their spouses; Wayne and Virginia Rath, Margaret and Ray Fixsel, and Blanche and Bob McLeish.
Survivors include his wife Loretta of Aurelia, five daughters, Corinne and her husband Jim Bengtson of Kissimmee, FL, Jeanine and her husband Ed Benson of Aurelia, Ann and her husband Drew Coombs of Loveland, CO, Barbara and her husband Dan Huseman of Aurelia, and Lisa and her husband Mark Cmelik of Aurelia. Also surviving are twelve grandchildren, Amanda and husband Robert Locke, Adam Bengtson, Chad and wife Lisa Benson, Chris and wife Karen Benson, Brandon and wife Brandi Coombs, Ragen Alstrom, Neil Huseman, Amy and husband Derrick Elman, Erin and husband Scott Patton, Scott Cmelik, Whitney and husband Mike Kuehn, and Chrysta and husband Cory VanderPloeg, 17 great-grandchildren, two brothers-in-law and their wives, Virgil and Jean Jensen of Kingsley and Roger and Sylvia Jensen of Sac City, one sister-in-law, May Ann Jensen of Aurelia, nieces and nephews, and other relatives and friends.