Lyman K Rule
May 25, 1929 - January 25, 2021

In Loving Memory of Lyman Kenner Rule

Lyman Kenner Rule, the son of George "Kenner" and Ellen "Louise" (Bohnsack) Rule was born May 25th, 1929 at Woods Hospital in State Center, Marshall County, Iowa. He peacefully passed away and was reunited in Heaven with his wife, Lois, on January 25th, 2021.

Lyman grew-up on the farm in central Iowa with his older sisters, Mary Helen and Virginia, older brother, Loren, and younger brother and sister, Richard and Rachel. Lyman and his brothers worked side by side with their father on the farm. The Rule boys were hard-working help to their family. Lyman, Loren and Richard could frequently be found with their heads together working on a car or tractor, had many mischievous antics on the farm and at school and an occasional visit to the pool hall in Marshalltown. Lyman graduated from LaMoille High School in 1947.

Lyman worked at the Marshall County Home following his high school graduation. While working at the county home, he met the love of his life, Lois Ann Maxwell. For their first date, Lyman asked Lois to go for a drive with him in the car he had been working on. When asked recently how that first date went, Lyman smiled and chuckled then said that he did not remember exactly how it went, but it must have been ok because she said yes to a second date. In 1950, while Lyman and Lois were still dating, he enlisted in the Navy. Lyman served in the Navy from 1950-1954 and participated in a tour of duty in Korea. He was a proud veteran. One of the highlights of his life was participating with a group of veterans from Korea and Vietnam in a Freedom Flight to Washington DC to visit our nation's many war memorials.

Lyman and Lois were united in marriage on June 11, 1951 while Lyman was home on leave following completion of his basic training in the Navy. With a short amount of time before Lyman would be shipping out, the loving young couple eloped to be united forever by Reverend Hanscomb at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. This would be the beginning of their 67 year marriage that was full of adventures, challenges and heartaches, family, friends and most of all a steady and enduring love for one another that grew stronger through the years.

Following his discharge from the Navy in September of 1954, Lyman returned to Iowa and began farming. He also returned to meet his six-week old son, James Kenner, for the first time. Farming was Lyman's dream job but his plans to do this for the rest of his life changed in July of 1963 when he and another man fell off the roof of a farm building they were repairing. Lyman spent 6 weeks in the hospital recovering from a broken back. He did continue farming for a few more years but lingering issues from his fall led him away from the farm in subsequent years. Lyman and Lois moved their family to Zearing in 1968 where he worked as the manager at a Custom Farm Fertilizer Plant in Zearing and then worked at the Zearing Farmer's Co-op. Lyman finished his career as the Fertilizer and Chemical Fieldman for the Colo Farmers Co-op. He retired from the farm service field in 1991. In his retirement, Lyman delivered RV's for Winnebago for a brief period-of-time and then took on being a bus driver for the Colo-NESCO School District. His love of driving and all things mechanical were a natural fit for driving the bus. He especially enjoyed driving his students with special needs to their schools in Nevada and Ames. Lyman retired for good at the age of 84 in 2015.

Lyman never knew a stranger and he would frequently strike up a conversation with others in just about any setting. Some of his favorite conversations were with his morning coffee group that he attended faithfully. Lyman loved all things mechanical and managed to keep all cars, furnaces, lawn mowers, snow blowers and countless other items running for both himself and his family. Lyman was the chief electrician and plumber in the Rule family household and could fix just about anything that would break, spring a leak or quit working. After retirement, he enjoyed tinkering with his 1946 John Deere A tractor and participated in an antique tractor club. Lyman was also an active member in the Zearing and McCallsburg communities. He was a member of the Bethel United Methodist Church and served on the Pastor Parish Committee at church. Lyman was active in both the Zearing and McCallsburg American Legion, served on the Zearing Planning and Zoning Committee, the Zearing City Council and the NESCO School Board. Lyman and Lois loved square dancing and were active members of the Nevada Whirlers and other square dance clubs for many years.

Most of all, Lyman was a loving husband, father of seven, grandfather of 23 and great grandfather of 31. Lyman particularly loved attending any and all activities and sports that his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were involved in. Lyman's family loved him for his strong work ethic, his respectful treatment of others, his can do attitude , his sense of humor and most importantly his loving and respectful marriage and partnership with his wife Lois. Lyman and Lois' family consider their marriage and love to be the greatest gift they have left for us to carry into the future.

Lyman's life will be celebrated on Monday, February 1st at the Bethel United Methodist Church in Zearing, Iowa. A public visitation will be held from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM, masks are required and social distancing practices will be in place. Visitation will be followed at 2:00 PM by a private memorial and graveside service for Lyman's immediate family. Lyman will be interred at the Warren Township Cemetery in McCallsburg, Iowa. Cards of sympathy may be directed to Janella Reams
509 Main Street, Adel, IA, 50003.

Lyman leaves behind a legacy of love and family. He is survived by his sister, Rachel Ann (Rule) Rhodes, sister-in-law Mary Elizabeth "MaryBeth" Rule, his seven children, James (Karen) Rule of Huxley, Iowa, Julie (Robert) Caster of Polk City, Iowa, Janella (Mike) Reams of Adel, Iowa, Jennifer Pilkington of West Des Moines, Iowa, Jeffrey (Nick Dong) Rule of Oakland, California, Jodie (Darren) Jens of Bothell, Washington, Jeanette (Edward) Shannon of Des Moines, Iowa, 21 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews who he loved as his own. Lyman was preceded in death by his wife Lois Ann (Maxwell) Rule, his mother Ellen Louise (Bohnsack) Rule, his father George Kenner Rule, sisters and brothers Mary Helen (Rule) Risdal, Virginia (Rule) Meimann, John Loren Rule, and Richard Rule, and grandchildren Michael James Rule and Joy Elizabeth Reams.

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