Vernon J. Wittrock

1928 - 2021

Vernon J. Wittrock

Primghar, Iowa

Vernon J. Wittrock, 92, of Primghar passed away on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, at the Prairie View Home in Sanborn, Iowa.

Service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the United Church of Primghar with Pastor Mike Cooper and Rev. Steve Swenson officiating. Visitation with family present will be after 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Arrangements are under the care of the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Primghar.

Vernon John Wittrock was born Oct. 4, 1928, in an old farmhouse that did not have running water or electricity. He was the seventh child born to Hugo and Clara (Kock) Wittrock. Vern went to country school through the eighth grade as the only one in his class. He was baptized and confirmed in St. John's Evangelical Church (now the Primghar Library). He attended Primghar High School graduating in 1947. After high school he took a job working for two local farmers for $125 a month as a live-in hired man. He then was hired as herd manager for Farmer's Hybrids at Cherokee, Iowa.

In 1950 he was drafted into the United States Army for two years, serving about one year in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division. He came home and farmed with his brother Ervin. He met his future bride in the fall of 1954 and was married to Ruth Mahany on June 5, 1955, at Grace United Methodist Church in Sioux City.

He farmed for about five years and then took a job as field man for the Everly Co-op Elevator in 1960. In 1962 he was hired as assistant manager of the Superior Iowa Co-op. In 1973 he became manager of the Ocheyedan Iowa Co-op where he worked for 11 years. He then worked for the Bank of Cooperatives and Land O'Lakes as an interim manager for elevators that were having financial difficulties. After nine interim jobs he went to manage full time for the Northwest Iowa Co-op at Ashton and Allendorf.

After Vern retired on Jan. 1, 1990, he enjoyed traveling, riding Amtrak, and golfing. Ruth and Vern were blessed with four children - Ann (Bruce) Storm, Quentin (Cindy) Wittrock, Joy (David) Weingartner, and Eric (Kristi) Wittrock, and now have nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Vern was proud of his accomplishments in life, putting four children through college, building three new houses, and buying 21 new cars, never signing a mortgage.

He is survived by his wife; children; great-grandchildren; one brother Walter (Dick) and Leona Wittrock; one sister Marge (Leon) Hunt; and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Donald (Arlene) Wittrock and Ervin Wittrock; and sisters Wilma (Wessel) Rippentrop, Helen (John) Hansen, and Arlene (Everett) Brown.