Verlin Lemaster

Verlin Lemaster, 80 of Buffalo Center died Friday, October 24, 2014 in Inver Grove Heights, MN. Funeral service will be 1:30pm Tuesday at First Reformed Church, Buffalo Center with Pastor Bill Peake officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7:00 pm Monday at the church and one before the service. Verlin Ray Lemaster was born on March 24, 1934 in Lovilla Iowa, the fourth of six children of Harley Ray Lemaster and Flossie Jeanette (Hamilton) Lemaster. Verlin was born without a left hip socket and for the first four years of his life he could not walk without depending on others for support. In March of 1939, a cutting-edge surgical procedure was performed in Iowa City, which created a new hip socket. The recovery and rehabilitation from the procedure was long and difficult. Through the experience Verlin learned the value of hard work, how not to give up, and the importance of helping others at a time when they most needed it. In November of 1939, the Lemaster family awoke to find their home in flames. Verlin and the others escaped through an upstairs window with only the clothes on their back. The house and all their possessions were lost. Family, friends, and the...[more]

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tire local community immediately rallied around the Lemaster family. From that experience Verlin learned about loss, what really mattered, and the importance of community. In the early 1940’s the family moved from Moravia, Iowa to a dairy farm located southwest of Thompson, Iowa where Verlin attended a nearby country school, often riding his horse to school. Later he attended Thompson High School. After high school, he initially drove gravel truck and then worked for the Buffalo Center Creamery picking up canned milk from the dairy farms. Verlin Ray married Violet Ruth Wirtjes - a Lakota girl - on April 20, 1956 at Ramsey Reformed Church. Four children were born to this union; Vernel Ryan in 1959, Valerie Ranae in 1960, Verdean Ray in 1962, and Vonda Ruth in 1965. In 1958, Verlin began a home dairy delivery service and is known by many as their milkman. His customers were from Buffalo Center, Thompson, Woden, Titonka, Lakota, Ledyard, Swea City, Elmore, Frost, and Rake. He continued the home delivery for fifty-years, eventually retiring officially in 2008. Verlin is most recently remembered as the owner of the original Casey’s General Store on Highway 9 and the Mill Road; which opened in 1978. He relished being a part of the business community and, whenever possible, supported community efforts. Verlin had a lifelong love of horses. Since the 1960’s Verlin continually had one or several around. Despite living in town, his children grew up with Shetland ponies and quarter horses. He later adopted wild mustangs and a few donkeys. They were a great source of joy and at every opportunity he would talk “horses” with whoever would listen. You may still hear a distant baying of his beloved donkey, Junebug, from the southeast corner of town. Verlin was a man of prayer and measured his life and actions using the Bible as his plumb line. He had strong convictions and the courage to stand firm on them. He believed he was placed on this earth to help others. Verlin enjoyed people. Afternoon coffee with the guys was his lifeline. He had an insatiable and sincere curiosity and those talks and the friendships that developed over coffee at the barbershop and deli meant a great deal to him. Verlin is survived by his wife of 58 years, Violet; sons Vernel of Lonsdale, MN and Verdean of Farmington, MN; daughters Valerie (Steve) Hauschildt of Inver Grove Heights, MN and Vonda (Craig) Wilson of Apple Valley, MN; seven grandchildren Kyler (Samantha) Hauschildt, Riley Hauschildt, Mikaela Wilson, Reid Wilson, Lindsey Wilson, Gabriella Lemaster, Christian Lemaster; great-granddaughter Aryana Lykowski; his sisters Marlene (Ray) Oulman from Excelsior Springs, MO and Gwendolyn Sheppard from Albia, IA; and many treasured nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Darrell, Vernon, and Dale.