st successfully completed 25 bombing missions as part of the 447th Bomb Group of the 8th Army Air Corps.
While in England he met Margaret Mary "Jane" Butler. They were married June 16, 1945 in her hometown of Keighley, Yorkshire, England. After the war, they made their home in LeMars where Vern worked at the B&B Store. In 1959 they moved their family of five children to Storm Lake when he went into business for himself. Vern's Variety opened in August of that year in space formerly occupied by Wallen's Variety Store. Ten years later, the business expanded and opened as Vern's in a new, larger location at 702 Lake Avenue. Within a few years, it expanded again with the opening of a second store, J. Varenhorst Fabrics. In 1983, J. Varenhorst Fabrics became the dominant focus of Vern and Jane's business partnership. He continued to operate J. Varenhorst Fabrics after Jane's death in 1995 until its closure in December, 2015. After a 78-year-career in retail that started when he was a high school stock boy at the B&B Store, he decided to retire.
Outside of business, Vern was devoted to his family. He loved planning an annual family vacation and as a result, his children have fond memories of trips that took them across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Often there was an extended family component that included visiting far-flung aunts and uncles, or cousins along the way. As his children married and started their own families, he and Jane had new reasons to travel. They never missed grandparent's days, First Communions, baptisms, musical performances, sporting events, graduations, or weddings. He was an honored guest at many of his great-grandchildren's special events. He recently celebrated his 95th Birthday with two parties: one in July with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and another October 28 with his children and their spouses.
He is survived by his daughters, Margaret (Stan) Krol of Sellersburg, IN and Rachel (David) Schmid of Cincinnati, OH; his sons Michael (Irene) of Wichita, KS; Stephen (Teresa) of Wayne, PA; and Mark (Teresa) of Port Orchard, WA; 19 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and dearest friend, Margaret Ireland.
He is also survived by his late wife's family: sister-in-law, Sheila Thompson and brother-in-law, Joseph Neff, both of St. Joseph, MO and Colin (Valerie) Butler and Farrell (Molly) Butler in England along with many nieces and nephews.
Vern was preceded in death by his wife, Jane; daughter-in-law, Deborah Pitstick Varenhorst; his parents, Frank and Lydia; and siblings, Benedict (Marjorie), Frank, and Alma. He was also predeceased by Jane's sisters and brothers-in-law, Winifred and John Addyman, Patricia and John Hodgson, Eileen Neff.
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