Funeral services for Loren D. Vreeland, 95, of Graettinger, will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, July 9, 2020, at the Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville with Chaplin Marsha McKeever officiating. Interment will be at Evegreen Cemetery, Emmetsburg with military honors by VFW Post 3388 and American Legion Post 91, both of Estherville. Loren died on July 4, 2020 at his home in rural Graettinger, from a short illness with liver cancer.
Loren Dwight Vreeland, the son of Levi and Alice (Holden) Vreeland was born on September 6, 1924 in Spencer, Iowa.
Loren received his education from Spencer schools. Following school, he and his brother, Merrill, enlisted in the Navy, where he served from 1942 to 1946 and earned the rank of Gunner's Mate Third Class. His service took him to serve in areas around the Pacific Islands near Australia aboard the USS Nashville. His ship was attacked twice by kamikaze planes, in one attack Loren's brother Merrill was killed. His ship was also a transport for General MacArthur to the Leyte Gulf. Loren was honorably discharged in 1946. He then went to the Commercial Traders Institute for Electricity and Electronic in Chicago. He did electronic work in several areas in Iowa, before moving to Graettinger. After seeing an ad in the newspaper for farm labor, he began working for George Winter who lived east of Graettinger. There he would meet Dorothy Winter, whom he married on October 4, 1952. Loren also had a gas truck delivery route for a few years.
In 1957, he and Dorothy moved to the present farm west of Graettinger, where they milked cows and farmed the rest of their lives. Loren enjoyed working the land, caring for livestock, watching, raising a good crop and the wide open spaces of country living. Loren had a special gift of music as he could play by ear piano and guitar. His family enjoyed watching and listening to him play favorite special songs. Loren's dad also had the talent, in which he had a band and played in the Spencer and Lakes Area.
Loren and Dorothy enjoyed traveling and would take various day trips to Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa. They enjoyed just riding around and going to movies. Loren enjoyed reading news about farming, dairying, and following the markets. Another joy in his life were the blue healer and border collie dogs he had over the years. He taught them tricks and trained them to herd cattle. He enjoyed watching auto races at Jackson, Fairmont, and the Clay County Fair.
He is a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Graettinger and a life member of VFW Post 3388 in Estherville. Loren was a dedicated and loving husband and father. He always looked out for his family to make sure they had the very best life. He worked hard on the farm and tried to find ways to make improvements.
Left to cherish Loren's memory is his daughter Laura (Randy) Winter of Winnebago, Minnesota; sister-in-law Dolores Winter of Arlington, Virginia; brother-in-law Paul (Virginia) Winter of Crystal, Minnesota; and nieces and nephews.
He has been preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother Merrill Vreeland, and sister Ella Mae (Glen) Falline.
Online condolences may be left to the family at HenryOlsonFuneral.com
