Clear, 46° F
(Aug. 14, 2006)
Family and friends were saddened by the sudden death at Powell Valley Healthcare Monday, Aug. 14 of Jack Cyril VanLake of Frannie. He was 79.
He was born in Garland July 14, 1927, the only son of Alma and Cyril VanLake. He went to school in Powell and graduated from Powell High School in 1945 where he played football and was active in Future Farmers of America.
In 1948, he met and later married the love of his life, Shirley Shannon, a teacher in the Powell schools. They were married in Martin, S.D., on June 9, 1949.
He farmed in the Garland area and later moved to Frannie where he became a contract pumper for various companies. He served on the Big Horn County School District No. 1 board for 16 years. He was also a member of the Farmers Loan Board and the Eagles.
Survivors include his wife Shirley and their five children, Connie (Jim) Gill of Worland, Gary (Bev) VanLake of Denver, Bill (Lori) VanLake of Frannie, Jacque (Terry) Bly of Kaycee and Terry (Jenny) VanLake of Frannie. His 16 grandchildren were precious to him — April, Kim, Lyndsey and Katie VanLake; Chris Gill and Carey Roberts; Amanda Degel, Jenny and Josh Bly; Nicole Schmidt, Kandace, Colter, Samantha and Kelsey VanLake; and Wendi and Brittany VanLake. He had 10 great-grandchildren, and his favorite aunt was Hazel Goodau. He is also survived by a brother-in-law, Dewey Shannon in Nebraska, and a sister-in-law, Donna Berry in Texas.
Viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at Thompson Funeral Home in Powell.
Memorial service will be Saturday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Deaver Methodist Church, with interment following at Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell.
For those who wish, the family would appreciate memorials to the Humane Society because of Jack’s great love for animals or to the North Big Horn County Dialysis Rides at the Senior Citizens Center in Lovell.
