Appleget, Clarence

Clarence Appleget, 82, of Sigourney, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, at the Keokuk County Health Center in Sigourney, surrounded by his family.

Clarence was born March 29, 1931, to Myrl and Ethel (Hollingsworth) Appleget at their home in Lancaster Township, Sigourney, Iowa. A 1949 graduate of Sigourney High School, Clarence served in the Army and was stationed in Yokohama before returning to Sigourney to marry Rosemary Weber at St. Mary's Catholic Church in 1957.

Always an antique car hobbyist, Clarence was known for having at least one antique car in local parades from the time he was in high school driving a modified ‘jumper' Model T, until just last year when he drove his long-wished-for hot rod in the Delta Days parade.

Clarence spent most of his later working life as a farmer, but he was known by many as the man behind the wheel of one vehicle or another. First as a teen who willingly gave any school friend a ride (earning him the chauffeur's nickname “Jarvis”), then as driver of a Sigourney school bus. Later he worked at Century Motors, Iowa Southern Utilities, the Iowa DOT, Iowa Parcel Service, Sun Oil DX tankwagon, Pioneer HiBred, and in recent years he was the driver of the local SEIDA bus. He was a member of American Legion Post 19 and Lacey Kerr VFW Post 2308.

Clarence is survived by his wife, Rosemary of Sigourney; daughter, Susan (Gerald) Hurst of Winterset; sons, Michael (Cheryl) of Oskaloosa, Mark (Eileen) of Danville, Calif., and Daniel (Beckie) of Sigourney; daughter, Ann Hickcox of Lenexa, Kan.; as well as 12 grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren and one stepgreat-grandchild. Clarence is also survived by his siblings, Dean (Jean) Appleget and Verna Edmundson of Sigourney, Rex (Barbara) Appleget of Shueyville and Ruth (John) Dietrich of Bettendorf. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws also mourn his loss.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents; son, Terrance Patrick in 1983; and his brother-in-law, Gene Edmundson.

Memorial Mass will be 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Sigourney, with the Rev. Charles Fladung officiating. Military rites by American Legion Post 19 and Lacey Kerr VFW Post 2308 will follow the service. Visitation will be from 4 until 7 p.m. Thursday at Powell Funeral Home in Sigourney, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m.

A memorial fund has been established for Keokuk County Hospice Foundation or St. Mary's Church in Sigourney.

Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Sigourney is caring for Clarence and his family.

Condolences may be sent online at www.powellfuneralhomes.com under obituaries.

Published Nov. 7, 2013 in The Gazette