Vernon Shogren

Vernon E. Shogren, 82, of Waukon, IA, died Sunday, December 24, 2017, at his home. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 30th, at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Center Baptist Cemetery, rural Lansing, IA. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Vernon Earl Shogren was born July 2, 1935, at home on the family farm in Lansing, IA, the son of Clarence and Lillian (Johnson) Shogren. He was baptized at Village Creek Baptist Church in rural Lansing. Vernon attended Center #3 grade school and in 1953, graduated from Waukon High School. After graduating, he moved to North Dakota to farm with his uncle until enlisting in the Navy in 1955, serving two years. Following his honorable discharge, Vernon returned to the home farm in Lansing, raising Black Angus cattle and corn. He also sold seed corn for DeKalb and was on the Farm Service Board. In addition, he was president of Farm Bureau from 1968-70. While there, he met Janice Eileen Klees, Farm Bureau's secretary at the time, and waited until his presidential term was over before asking her on a date. On September 23, 1972, they married at Village Creek Baptist Church. They continued farming and in 1997, received the Century Farm designation.

For 30 years, Vernon also drove school bus for Allamakee Community Schools. In 1990, Vernon was involved in a farm accident and lost both arms. In 1991, he and Janice moved into Waukon and Vernon continued his career with the school district as a crossing guard, retiring in 2015. Vernon was forever thankful for the Fire Department for their help and for everyone welcoming him back into the community after the accident and letting him live his normal life.

Vernon was a member of Center Baptist Church in rural Lansing where he served as vice chairman and taught Sunday school; he also belonged to First Presbyterian Church in Waukon. For many years, he hosted the Center Township Republican Caucus. Vernon loved to sing and was part of the Little Switzerland Barbershoppers, serving as a past president. He enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, and spending time with his grandchildren. Vernon was also a staple at the S&D café every morning, drinking coffee and eating breakfast.

He is survived by Janice, his wife of 45 years, of Waukon; his son Andy Shogren of Lansing; daughter Cindy Shogren and her children Zachary and Diana Davison of Waukon; his brother Lester (June) Shogren of Clermont, IA; two sisters: Clarice Fisher-Taylor and Joyce (Bill) Stanton of Davenport, IA; four sisters-in-law: Janice's twin sister Janet (Bill) Reinhardt of Waukon, Nancy (John) Bakula of Fort Atkinson, IA, Susan (John) Balik of Protivin, IA, and Linda Lou (Phil) Heeler of Savannah, MO; two brothers-in-law: Kermit (Ann) Klees of Waukon and Daniel Klees of Cedar Rapids, IA; and several nieces and nephews.

Vernon was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents: Gustaf and Caroline (Swenson) Shogren and David and Lydia (Colson) Johnson; two nephews: Richard Stanton and Joe McKee; mother- and father-in-law Paul and Coral (Moose) Klees; and brothers- and sisters-in-law: Bill Fisher, Dixie and Albert Keenan, and twins Samuel Klees and Sandra McKee.

Honorary casketbearers are Don Aldrich, Bugsy, Ernie, and Ray Burroughs, Dan Cunningham, Dick Elliott, Roger Ericson, Kenny Krambeer, and Howard Van Ruler. Casketbearers are Dan, Dave, Derrick, and Terry Shogren, Doug Ahlstrom, Adam Quandahl, David Sandry, and Larry and Lynn Schellhammer.