Vernon Leroy Trueblood
March 20, 1933 — May 31, 2017
Vernon ("Vern") Leroy Trueblood, 84, passed away on May 31, 2017. His death was very sudden and considered likely due to a heart attack. His body has been cremated.
Vern was born on March 20, 1933 in Moreland, KS to Everett and Vercie (Miller) Trueblood; their third son and last child. His family relocated to Pella, IA when Vern was 3 years old where he lived until he graduated Pella High School in 1951. Vern was an avid baseball player, and was shortstop for the Pella team.
After high school Vern enlisted in the US Air Force and was eventually stationed on a base in Japan, where he organized a baseball team there. He was enlisted during the Korean conflict and earned the rank of staff sergeant. He returned to Iowa after his 4 years of service and settled in Knoxville, where he gained employment at the VA Hospital, eventually running the Dept. of Outpatient Services. He met his future wife, Jo Ann Luscri, in Knoxville, who also worked at the VA. Vern and Jo Ann married on September 21, 1958. They had three children, Joy, Glenn and Kay. Vern was an active father, taking the children fishing, sledding, and hunting, among many other activities.
Vern played softball on a Belinda team, and coached Little League for many years, always having a winning season. He was an inspiration to his team of boys and was a steady hand guiding them to success. He also played in a Knoxville men's volleyball league for years. He loved to hunt duck, geese, pheasant and quail with his hunting dogs, fished frequently and took an annual trip with friends and often one brother to Lake of the Woods in Canada to fish for larger species. He also was in a card club with his wife and had many fun times with close friends alternating club nights at each other’s houses. He loved to swing dance, his father owning a dance hall as he was a child, and he and Jo Ann visited Des Moines to dance frequently. He especially enjoyed the big band era and the Glenn Miller band.
Vern loved people and could talk to anyone and was always a gentleman. He was a prankster who passed along his talkative, outgoing and jovial nature to all 3 of his children. Holidays at the Trueblood house were always filled with laughter and love (and a great deal of silliness).
Vern retired from the VA Hospital at the age of 54 1/2, and filled his time with fishing, hunting, Hawkeye sports, get-togethers with friends and family, and traveling to favorites such as Hawaii and taking cruises with his wife.
The highlights of Vern's life were watching all 3 children graduate from college and professional schools and be successful, and seeing his two grandchildren grow up. His children are all Hawkeyes, graduating from the University of Iowa. Vern and Jo Ann were season ticket holders at Kinnick Stadium and did not miss many games there. The most special moments to Vern were when his two grandchildren were born. Spending time with these two children, he taught them to fish and play cribbage. The kids could beat grandpa/poppa in his later years which he secretly enjoyed very much.
Vern was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Jo Ann, his brothers Everett ("Bud") Trueblood from Tucson, AZ, and Mervin "Merv" Trueblood from Pella, IA. He is survived by his children Dr. Joy Elaine (Trueblood) and Roger Hartnett of West Des Moines, Glenn Vernon Trueblood of Cedar Rapids, and Kay Lynn Trueblood of Denver, CO, his former daughter-in-law Tralawney Sue (Galvin) Trueblood, and two grandchildren, Joy's son Nicholas ("Nick") Reed Jordan, 21, of Des Moines, and Glenn's daughter Callarisse ("Cali") Nicole Trueblood, 18, of Cedar Rapids.
A celebration of life service will be planned, date pending at this time. Memorial contributions can be made to the organization Ducks Unlimited.
Vern was born on March 20, 1933 in Moreland, KS to Everett and Vercie (Miller) Trueblood; their third son and last child. His family relocated to Pella, IA when Vern was 3 years old where he lived until he graduated Pella High School in 1951. Vern was an avid baseball player, and was shortstop for the Pella team.
After high school Vern enlisted in the US Air Force and was eventually stationed on a base in Japan, where he organized a baseball team there. He was enlisted during the Korean conflict and earned the rank of staff sergeant. He returned to Iowa after his 4 years of service and settled in Knoxville, where he gained employment at the VA Hospital, eventually running the Dept. of Outpatient Services. He met his future wife, Jo Ann Luscri, in Knoxville, who also worked at the VA. Vern and Jo Ann married on September 21, 1958. They had three children, Joy, Glenn and Kay. Vern was an active father, taking the children fishing, sledding, and hunting, among many other activities.
Vern played softball on a Belinda team, and coached Little League for many years, always having a winning season. He was an inspiration to his team of boys and was a steady hand guiding them to success. He also played in a Knoxville men's volleyball league for years. He loved to hunt duck, geese, pheasant and quail with his hunting dogs, fished frequently and took an annual trip with friends and often one brother to Lake of the Woods in Canada to fish for larger species. He also was in a card club with his wife and had many fun times with close friends alternating club nights at each other’s houses. He loved to swing dance, his father owning a dance hall as he was a child, and he and Jo Ann visited Des Moines to dance frequently. He especially enjoyed the big band era and the Glenn Miller band.
Vern loved people and could talk to anyone and was always a gentleman. He was a prankster who passed along his talkative, outgoing and jovial nature to all 3 of his children. Holidays at the Trueblood house were always filled with laughter and love (and a great deal of silliness).
Vern retired from the VA Hospital at the age of 54 1/2, and filled his time with fishing, hunting, Hawkeye sports, get-togethers with friends and family, and traveling to favorites such as Hawaii and taking cruises with his wife.
The highlights of Vern's life were watching all 3 children graduate from college and professional schools and be successful, and seeing his two grandchildren grow up. His children are all Hawkeyes, graduating from the University of Iowa. Vern and Jo Ann were season ticket holders at Kinnick Stadium and did not miss many games there. The most special moments to Vern were when his two grandchildren were born. Spending time with these two children, he taught them to fish and play cribbage. The kids could beat grandpa/poppa in his later years which he secretly enjoyed very much.
Vern was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Jo Ann, his brothers Everett ("Bud") Trueblood from Tucson, AZ, and Mervin "Merv" Trueblood from Pella, IA. He is survived by his children Dr. Joy Elaine (Trueblood) and Roger Hartnett of West Des Moines, Glenn Vernon Trueblood of Cedar Rapids, and Kay Lynn Trueblood of Denver, CO, his former daughter-in-law Tralawney Sue (Galvin) Trueblood, and two grandchildren, Joy's son Nicholas ("Nick") Reed Jordan, 21, of Des Moines, and Glenn's daughter Callarisse ("Cali") Nicole Trueblood, 18, of Cedar Rapids.
A celebration of life service will be planned, date pending at this time. Memorial contributions can be made to the organization Ducks Unlimited.
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