Wendell V. Green

Wendell V. “Pat” Green, 94, of Mason City, passed away Sunday, October 20, 2013, at Heritage Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Rev. Steve Hansen, Grace United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Wendell V. Green memorial fund. Wendell was the second of three sons born May 13, 1919 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota the son of Alvin and Lillian (Durland) Green. He attended school in Sioux Falls and as a youngster moved to the farm of foster parents Emmett “Gage” and Elizabeth Riley of DeSmet, South Dakota. He moved to Stanhope, Iowa in 1935. Wendell married Ruby Marie Walters August 31, 1940 in Unionville, Missouri. The couple made their home in Story City, Iowa where Wendell was employed at Williams Elevator. He entered the US Navy in May of 1945 and after his training at Great Lakes, Illinois, he sailed to Okinawa Japan aboard the USS Cahaba. He was there at the end of the battle for the island. He left Okinawa sailing across the South China Sea to the Port of Amoy China. He left China and crossed the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal back to the United States returning home to Mason City in May of 1946. Four children were born to Wendell and Ruby, two sons and two daughters. Wendell was a dedicated shift supervisor at Northwestern States Portland Cement Company in Mason City until his retirement in 1984. For some years, he was also self-employed in delivering clay tile to Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois farms. He was later employed by Plagge Truck Line, Mason City. Fishing was among Wendell’s favorite past times, the highlight of which were two trips to Canada. For several years after retirement, he did upholstery work in his home-based shop. He also enjoyed gardening and working in his yard. He was an avid reader on many subjects, his favorites being politics and watching the stock market. At the age of 82, he purchased a home computer and learned how to send and receive e-mail and surf the web. Wendell was a member of the American Legion since 1947. Wendell is survived by his 2 sons, John (Maxine) of Mason City, Joe of Des Moines; 2 daughters, Annette and Nancy of Mason City; grandchildren, Jeff, Tony, January, and Heath; great grandchildren, Jason, Pete, Jordan, Jade, Jacob, Leah, Jessica, Heather, Scott, Elizabeth, Hunter, Cierra, and Piper; 8 great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Marjorie Turner of Chino Hills, California; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 brothers, Alvin and Gerald; wife, Ruby; two grandchildren, Hans and Lee.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Wendell V. Green memorial fund.