courtesy of Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home:

Roscoe V. Small, 86, of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away on Friday, November 22, 2013, at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars.

Funeral services will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. at the United Methodist Church of Le Mars. Rev. John Battern will officiate. Military honors will be conducted by Wasmer Post #241 of the American Legion. Burial will follow at Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, 2013, at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. The family will be present 4-7 p.m. to greet friends. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral on Tuesday.

Roscoe Verlin Small was born on February 27, 1927, in Akron, Iowa, one of 15 children born to Avery and Grace (Stinton) Small. He attended high school in Akron and assisted his parents at their auto service station. Along with driving a truck and auto work, Roscoe also worked at the local movie theater.

On October 16, 1945, he enlisted in the United States Army. Roscoe served overseas in China, where he was a general overseer of the engineering motor pool. After contracting malaria, he was discharged on December 15, 1946.

Following his service, Roscoe returned home to Akron and back to the family business. On one of his truck deliveries to the Co-Op in Le Mars he met Evelyn Donlin, who worked there as a bookkeeper. Roscoe and Evelyn were united in marriage on August 10, 1948, in Le Mars. They made their first home in Le Mars.

Roscoe took a position with Luken Furniture, where he received the nickname "Junior." Along with the furniture business, he also assisted with the Luken Ambulance Service. Roscoe continued work in the furniture business when it changed hands and became Custom Interiors. When the furniture store closed, he went to work at Evan's Clothing. During those years he also worked part-time at Shuff's Apco. When Walmart came to Le Mars, Roscoe jumped right in and went to work. He continued working until his health forced him to retire.

Roscoe was a member of the United Methodist Church of Le Mars, where he ushered and served in many capacities. He enjoyed golfing and playing cards. As a member of a large, close-knit family growing up, Roscoe lived by example and rarely missed his own children's activities or sporting events. This carried through with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as family was the center of his life.

Grateful to have shared his life are his daughters, Gail Grosenheider and her husband Bill of Casper, WY, Janet Van Leeuwen and her husband Jim, Kim Westergard and her husband Mike, and Vicki Livermore and her husband Mike, all of Le Mars; a son, Kevin Small and his wife Tammy of Le Mars; grandchildren, Lori, Chris, Dawn, Jennifer, Julie, Dave, Nick, Alex, Jake, Adam, Ross, Aaron, Adam, Tyler, and Tanner; great-grandchildren, Amanda, Stephanie, Michael, Christopher, Meghan, Caitlin, Jonathan, Emily, Braden, Jada, Lennan, Mason, Evan, Bella, Lily, Gabe, Tyler, Leah, Turner, Carly, Nadiya, and Major; great-great-grandchildren, Alicia, Hunter, and David; a sister, Ramona Govig of Chicago, IL; brothers and their wives, James and Edith Small, and Gayland and Selma Small, both of Akron, and Clinton and Kay Small of Dunlap, IA; sisters-in-law, Jo Small of Akron, Marilyn Small of Sioux City, IA, Jeanette Small of Big Springs, TX, Claudia Small of Des Moines, IA, and Lorraine Becker of Des Moines; a brother-in-law and his wife, Dale and Pat Donlin of Le Mars; a sister-in-law, Sharon Donlin of Harlan, IA; and a special family friend, Marie Singer of Le Mars.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Evelyn on March 1, 2011; infant sister, Karen; infant brother, William; sisters and their spouses, Vernice and Basil Blum, and Wilma and Lyle Baldwin; brothers and their spouses, Kenneth and Evelyn Small, Ivyl and Phyllis Small, Eldon Small, Clayton Small, Fay Small, and Vernard Small; a sister-in-law, Burma Small; and a brother-in-law Robert Govig.