John Van Vleet

A Tribute to John: Will be held on Friday, August 28, 2015, at 4:00 p.m. at the Orient United Methodist Church with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery at a later date. Pastor Cathy Nutting will officiate the service. The Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements.   

Open Visitation: Friends may call at the Orient United Methodist Church on Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Orient United Methodist Church. 

Memorials: In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the John Van Vleet memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date. 

John Van Vleet was born on May 19, 1948, the son of Horace and Velma (Ramsbottom) Van Vleet in Creston, Iowa. He passed away on Sunday, August 23, 2015, at the Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 67.

He was raised east of Orient and graduated from Orient-Macksburg in 1966. He had farmed all his life and enjoyed his cattle for nearly 40 years. John enjoyed working on projects in his shop and had been collecting small pedal tractors. But his cows came first.

On July 7, 1985, he was united in marriage to Linda Spangler who he met on a "blind date" and they had just celebrated 30 years together. She worked right along side of him for all that time. No children, but plenty of them were entertained by their Santa and Mrs. Santa gatherings over the years.

He was a member of the Orient Methodist Church. He was Orients first future farmer of Iowa. He was very involved in his community and was chairman of Pumpkin Days for 11 years. Had been an Adair County Supervisor for 6 years and ran the Van Vleet and Son Hog Buying Station for many years with his mother.

He was preceded in death by his parents and mother and father-in-law, Arthur and Arlene Spangler.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Van Vleet of Orient; sisters-in-law, Terri Meyer and husband Larry of Eagle Grove, Iowa and Susan Holst and husband Ron of Webster City, Iowa; cousins, Cathy Garrett of Indianola, Iowa, Nile Ramsbottom of Innsbrock, Missouri, Terry Chadwick of Creston and Trudy Ramsbottom of Onalaska, Wisconsin; uncle, Raymond Chadwick of Creston; nieces and nephews, Christy Holst, Teresa and Paul DeCoursey and their children Brennen and Karlee; he will be missed by all other aunts & uncles, cousins and many, many friends and neighbors.

Linda is so appreciative of the outpouring support and love that has been given to her at this time by her family, community, friends, neighbors and church members and wishes to thank everyone.