Richard H. Vreeland

Service for Richard Vreeland, age 72, of Sac City is 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 2, at the United Methodist Church in Sac City, Reverend Dean McPherson officiating, Lorna Youll organist, Rick Hecht Soloist, and Phyllis and Dale Long flower committee. Pallbearers include: Terry Duffy, Robert Olsen, Doug Blass, Bill Beach, Earl Zimmerman, and Charles Voss. Military Graveside Rites by the V.F.W. Post No. 590 and the American Legion Cantigny Post No. 195, Sac City, with burial at Oakland Cemetery in Sac City.

Visitation is from 4:00 – 8:00 on Wednesday with the family present from 6:00 – 8:00 at the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home, Sac City.

Richard H. Vreeland, age 72, of Sac City, Iowa, passed away on September 29, 2003, at Loring Hospital, Sac City.

Richard H. Vreeland was born on October 29, 1930, in Schaller, Iowa, the son of Clifford and Emma Vreeland. He graduated from Sac Community Schools in 1949 and continued his education at the Engineering School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and FAA Academy at Kansas City, MO. On December 11, 1951, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps serving during the Korean Conflict, achieving the rank of Sergeant and awarded the Navy Commendation with “V”. While in the military, he was in charge of the photogrammetry and mapping section. He was honorably discharged on December 3, 1953. His engineering and surveying experience began in 1953 upon his return from the service.

Joelle C. Buell and Richard were married on January 24, 1959, in Storm Lake, Iowa. They had one son Gary.

Richard was a registered land surveyor and was involved with a variety of engineering and surveying projects with the firms of Otto Engineering Co., Otto & Culver, P.C., and Associated Engineers, Inc., until 1985. He then joined the firm of Chuck’s Surveying & Mapping, which in 1989 became a division of Kuehl & Payer, Ltd., retiring in the early 1990’s.

He enjoyed woodcarving, fishing, hunting, traveling, gun collecting, and coin collecting. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Sac City. He was also a member of the Society of Land Surveyors of Iowa, American Congress on Surveying & Mapping, National Rifle Association (life member), the American Legion, National Wildlife Federation, the Smithsonian Associates, Iowa Woodcarvers Association, and the Affiliated Woodcarvers, Ltd.

Richard is survived by his son Gary Vreeland of Lytton, IA; four grandchildren: Carl Strohm of Duluth, MN, and Jay, Nikkie, and Zachory Vreeland of Lytton; two brothers-in-law: Dennis Buell and his wife Ruth of Schaller, IA, and Lyle Buell and his wife Jane of Holstein, IA, and extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Joelle on January 26, 1999; brother Russell; and sister-in-law Marilyn Voss.