Vernon Bucklin

Vernon Bucklin, 95, of Aplington, IA passed away peacefully on Monday, January 22, 2024, at Franklin General Hospital. Woodley Funeral Home and Crematory of Hampton is caring for Vernon and his family. Burial will be decided at a later date at Restland Cemetery in Baxter. Vernon was born on August 1, 1928 to George and LuRetha Gearhart on the family farm near Ira, Iowa. His mother always said Vernon was a thoughtful and quiet child. He learned to play piano by ear by listening to his mother play. He served in the Army from 1947 to 1949 and was a Military Police officer in Korea. He was united in marriage to Imogene Cornelison on July 26, 1950 in Marshalltown, Iowa and resided in Ira, Iowa. In his early years he enjoyed coon hunting with his brother Edward. He later took up the hobby of growing hybrid roses. People always talked about what beautiful roses he had. He and Imy (everyone called Imogene by that name) were avid bowlers and belonged to several bowling leagues. They were both very good at bowling and appeared on the television show Let’s Go Bowling featuring the high scoring bowlers from leagues around the state. He was active in the Ira community and enjoyed watching Vikings football. The family vacationed every year in Minnesota enjoying fishing. Vernon's family and Jim Clements family shared a tiny cabin during those vacations. After his retirement from the Maytag Company as a Plastics Department Supervisor he and Imy moved to a farm near Park Rapids, Minnesota. There they raised beef cattle and enjoyed their large vegetable garden. They especially enjoyed the time when their children and grandchildren would stay at the farm during their vacations. He loved watching birds and often built houses out of scraps of wood. They would feed the birds throughout the long winter months and would get excited when a new variety would show up at their feeders. After the death of his wife Imy, he remained on the farm in Minnesota. He was united in marriage to Phyllis Barrett on July 3, 1998 in Park Rapids, Minnesota. They lived on the farm for a time and then moved to an acreage near Aplington, Iowa to be near his and her families. He enjoyed planting trees and their vegetable garden. They continued the enjoyment of providing food and shelter for the birds. Those left to honor his memory are his wife Phyllis, son Dan (Andi) Bucklin, Mingo, Iowa, daughter Paula Maher, Baxter, Iowa. His step children Vanessa (David) Tisler, Prairie du Chen, Wisconsin, April (Patrick) Schumacher, Fredericksburg, Iowa, Alyssa Gifford, Waterloo, Iowa and Greg Gifford, Aplington, Iowa and his 4 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, 6 step grandchildren and 1 step great grandchild and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Imogene, his brothers, Thomas, Edward, Russell and Gerald and his brother-in-laws Layman and Rex. He was also preceded in death by his sister-in-laws Wilma, Helen, Jean and Donna and his son-in-law William (Paula) Maher.

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Vernon Bucklin

August 1, 1928 - January 22, 2024