Kutin, Victor V.

Victor V. Kutin, 83, of Traer, passed away Jan. 9, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, at Ripley United Church of Christ in Traer, by Pastor Robert Fread. Burial will be at Buckingham Cemetery, with military honors. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Overton Funeral Home in Traer. Masonic/OES services will be in conjunction with the memorial services.

Survivors include three children, Phyllis Kutin of California, Charles (Betty) Kutin of Marion and Joyce Kutin of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, Lanore (Breakenridge) Bechor of California, Melissa

(Jeremy) Deegan of Traer and David Himschoot of Waterloo; seven great-grandchildren, Shylee, Jordan, Kayla, Destany, Jillian, Ethan and Ellery; two sisters, Alice (Kutin) Lass of Traer and Betty (Kutin) (Donald) Meggers of Hudson; and ex-wife and friend, Dennis and Darlene

(Kucera) Walton.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Lester; sister, Ida; mother, Esther; and father, Charles.

Victor born Sept. 7, 1927, in Traer, Iowa, second son of Charles and Esther (Svoboda) Kutin. He graduated from Traer High School in 1945, then served his country for two years in the Merchant Marines as a cook. He married Darlene Kucera in 1949 in Traer and had three children. Victor was employed as a carpenter by Stan Dedic and worked part time for the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. In 1964, he employed by John G. Miller Construction in Waterloo as a concrete finisher/foreman for 17 years, belonging to Local 818 Cement Finishers Labor Union. He retired in 1980.

Victor was active in the following fraternal organizations over the

years: Hesperia Lodge No. 340, Traer; Bona Dea Chapter No. 375 of Eastern Star, Traer; Scottish Rite Temple, Cedar Rapids; York Rite, Waterloo; and El Kahir Shrine Temple, Cedar Rapids. Several specialty groups included The Firehouse Gang, Dl/Ml Club and High Twelve, all of Waterloo, and Tama County Shrine Club, Tama.

Victor was very active in community organizations, serving as past library board member for 20 years, past church deacon, past sexton of Buckingham Cemetery in Traer, and current member of Traer American Legion. He chaperoned the North Tama County cheerleaders, appraised old coins in the local area for banks and family estates and was street construction consultant for the City of Traer.

Favorite sayings were “See you later alligator, after while crocodile”; “Better than some, worse than others”; “You dirty old lady”; “allergic to women”; “Glad you met me”; and “And the wind blew.”

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund is being established.