Wendell Earl Lampson, 92
Wendell Earl Lampson age 92 of Ionia, IA, died Sunday, August 23, 2020, at his home surrounded by his family.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, August 27, 2020, at Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory - Olson Chapel in Nashua with Sr. Diana Blong officiating.
Interment will be held in Oak Hill Cemetery, Nashua with Blake Bast, Adam Bast, Steve Bormann, Brian Phillips, Tim Hull, and Glen Smith serving as pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers are William Phillips, Max Phillips, Lila Bormann, and Landry Hull.
Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Thursday, August 27, 2020, prior to the service at the funeral home on Thursday.
Wendell Earl Lampson was born on July 11, 1928, to Charles and Alma (Thompson) Lampson on a farm near Ionia. Wendell grew up on the farm with nine siblings, helped with farm chores, did fieldwork, and attended country school.
He was a farmer at heart, and growing up in the Great Depression, he learned the value of hard work and being able to fix things himself.
Wendell enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a machine gunner on Heartbreak Hill in Korea in 1950 and 1951. He was grateful that he came home, but he never ever forgot his friends who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
He liked to roller skate, as did Susie Koleno, and one night, they met at the roller skating rink in New Hampton. They began dating and on Feb. 8, 1958, they were married at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Nashua. It was the beginning of a wonderful marriage that lasted for more than 62 years.
The couple had three daughters — Debora, Teresa, and Shelly — and Wendell was a loving, supportive husband, father, and grandfather. He worked as a contract milk hauler, but in later years, the couple purchased a farm south of Nashua and created the Lampson’s, Cedar View Orchard. He took great pride in that orchard and loved meeting the people who came to it to purchase the tastiest apples one could find.
Wendell was a man of many interests. He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, classic cars, gardening, and tinkering with machinery. He could fix just about anything. Wendell and Susie visited Florida during the winters, and he loved the fact that he could fish in the open water.
He did his best to spoil his grandchildren, and they loved coming to visit Grandpa.
Twenty years ago, the Lampson’s sold the orchard and moved to an acreage in the Republic area. He was most at home in the country, and both he and Susie had the “best neighbors.” Wendell was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, the VFW, and the American Legion. His faith was important to him, and he was a true patriot who loved his country and served it well.
Wendell will be missed dearly by those who loved him and those that served with him – be it in Korea or at home — but they are comforted by the fact that he is at peace and reunited with his Army buddies. Maybe Susie said it best, “It was nothing but happy and good.”
Wendell is survived by his wife of 62 years, Susie Lampson of Ionia, IA; three daughters, Debora (Mike) Parma of Rochester, MN, Teresa (Tim) Schmitt of Greene, IA, Shelly (Gary) Bast of New Hampton, IA; grandchildren, Wendy (Tim Hull) Schmitt, Jill (Steve) Bormann, Misty (Brian) Lampson-Phillips, Blake Bast, Adam Bast; great-grandchildren, Landry Hull, Lila Bormann, William Phillips, Maxwell Phillips, one brother, Glen (Jean) Huffman of Evansdale, IA; along with many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Charles, John, Russell, Harvey, and Harold Lampson; three sisters, Nina Smith, Ethel Diesburg, Mildred Lore.
