Vesey, Henry R. 'Hank'

Henry R. “Hank” Vesey, 92, formerly of Delhi, died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012, at Oak Crest Manor in Dyersville. Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Delhi United Methodist Church, by the Rev. Lorraine Hartman. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at Clifton-Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Earlville and one hour before services at the church on Saturday. Burial and military honors will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Delhi.

Hank was born Oct. 9, 1920, in Delhi, the son of Charles and Juanita (Bartlett) Vesey. Hank graduated from Delhi High School in 1939. On April 12, 1941, Hank was united in marriage to Etta Jean (Stovall) at Kansas City, Mo. Hank served in the United States Army during World War II with the 5th Army in Africa and Europe. Upon discharge in 1945, the couple moved to Delhi, Iowa.

Hank was an active plaster, bricklayer and stone mason for 43 years and a 50-year member of Bricklayers Union, and also was building and grounds superintendent at Maquoketa Valley Schools in Delhi, retiring in 1984.

Hank loved his family dearly, enjoyed visiting with friends, fishing, nature, had a passion for crossword puzzles, gardening, and baking.

He loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and taught them kindness, honesty, and the power of a sense of humor.

Hank is survived by his seven children, Charles (Joyce) Vesey of Muscatine, Judy (Richard) Boeckenstedt of Dyersville, Barbara (Merlyn) Green of Free port, Ill., Susan (Jeff) Hiller of Franklin, Tenn., Nancy (Jack) Seymour of Colorado Springs, Colo., Robert Vesey of Madison, Wis., and Janice (Howard) Litvack of Franklin, Tenn.; 19 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; sisters, Helen Vesey First, Millie Vesey Shaw and Shirley Vesey Day; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Hank was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Juanita; his wife, Etta Jean in 2008; brothers and sisters, Hazel Vesey Crouch, Vivian Vesey O'Brien, Carmen Vesey Brodfield, Harriet Vesey Hoey, Edward “Denny” Vesey and Beverly Jean Vesey Anderson; and one grandson, Richard Boeckenstedt Jr.

Instead of flowers Henry's request was to have memorials be given to Evergreen Cemetery, c/o Delhi Methodist Church for the construction of a new brick entrance to the cemetery.

Please sign the online guest book for Hank at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published Dec. 7, 2012 in The Gazette