Link to Past Obituaries

Pauley Jones Funeral Homes

"Avoca Chapel"

Ronald W. Van Horn - Age 77

     Ronald "Tadpole" Wayne Van Horn was born on May 4, 1931, to O. L. And LaRue (Lunsford) Van Horn in Cantril, Iowa. He was baptized in Elk Horn, Iowa, and attended elementary school in Drakeville, Iowa. He graduated from Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Iowa.

     Ronald was inducted into the United States Army on May 8, 1952 and served during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged from the military on August 29, 1952.

     He was united in marriage to Joyce Irelan on February 23, 1953 in Bloomfield, Iowa. Four sons were born to this union: Gary, Dennis, David, and Ronald.

     Ronald began a career in road construction and spent over forty years in the business. He was a member of the Operating Engineer Local 234 and a member of the Disabled American Veterans in Atlantic, Iowa.

     He continued to live in the Walnut, Iowa, area after his retirement in 1995. He was admitted to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa, on February 13, 2009 and it was there that he died on Wednesday, February 18, 2009, having attained the age of seventy-seven years, nine months, and fourteen days. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Betty.

     Ronald is survived by his wife Joyce Van Horn of Walnut, Iowa; his sons: Gary Van Horn and his wife Joyce of Oakland, Iowa, Dennis Van Horn and his wife Diane of Peyton, Colorado, David Van Horn and his wife Judy of Underwood, Iowa, and Ronald Van Horn and his wife Angel of Topeka, Kansas; eleven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; his brothers: Victor Van Horn and his wife Anita of Des Moines, Iowa, Charles Van Horn and his wife Carol of Trear, Iowa, Lowell Van Horn and his wife Donna of Decorah, Iowa, and Larry Van Horn and his wife Shelva of Guthrie Center, Iowa; his sister-in-law Linda Crisafi of Walnut; other family members and friends.

     A private service will be held at a future date for his family.