Virgil Willis Bateman, 92, of Winthrop went to be with the Lord on April 22, 2019.
Virgil was born on the Andrews family farm, in Newton twp, Buchanan Co., Iowa, May 7, 1926 to Henry and Leora (Andrews) Bateman. When he was about a week old his parents moved to Winthrop, where he spent the rest of his life. He was the oldest of 6 children.
Virgil started working as a trackman for the railroad in Winthrop when he was 16 years old. His supervisor liked him and encouraged him to keep the job with the Illinois Central Railroad by working on Saturdays while going to school. If he had a day off from school he would work for them. He worked for 55 cents and hour. When he started working for the railroad in 1943, John Hunter was his sectional foreman and and later became his father-in-law. After graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Army and after his discharge in 1946 he again resumed working for the railroad. He retired in 1986 as the Track Supervisor. Weekend and nights he would help his father and brothers in the family business, Bateman Electric, Plumbing and Heating.
In 1944 Virgil graduated from Winthrop High School, he was Senior class president and lettered 4 years in Basketball and Baseball.
Virgil served in the 26th Yankee Division, attached to the 3rd Army, Patton army. He arrived in Belgium at the tail end of the Battle of the Bulge, where he operated a 30 caliber water-cooled machine gun. He was awarded the Bronze Star and numerous other ribbons and medals.
While in high school he started dating a beautiful young lady by the name of Winifred Hunter and when he returned home, he married the love of his life on January 4, 1946 at the Congregational parsonage in Winthrop.
Virgil was born on the Andrews family farm, in Newton twp, Buchanan Co., Iowa, May 7, 1926 to Henry and Leora (Andrews) Bateman. When he was about a week old his parents moved to Winthrop, where he spent the rest of his life. He was the oldest of 6 children.
Virgil started working as a trackman for the railroad in Winthrop when he was 16 years old. His supervisor liked him and encouraged him to keep the job with the Illinois Central Railroad by working on Saturdays while going to school. If he had a day off from school he would work for them. He worked for 55 cents and hour. When he started working for the railroad in 1943, John Hunter was his sectional foreman and and later became his father-in-law. After graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Army and after his discharge in 1946 he again resumed working for the railroad. He retired in 1986 as the Track Supervisor. Weekend and nights he would help his father and brothers in the family business, Bateman Electric, Plumbing and Heating.
In 1944 Virgil graduated from Winthrop High School, he was Senior class president and lettered 4 years in Basketball and Baseball.
Virgil served in the 26th Yankee Division, attached to the 3rd Army, Patton army. He arrived in Belgium at the tail end of the Battle of the Bulge, where he operated a 30 caliber water-cooled machine gun. He was awarded the Bronze Star and numerous other ribbons and medals.
While in high school he started dating a beautiful young lady by the name of Winifred Hunter and when he returned home, he married the love of his life on January 4, 1946 at the Congregational parsonage in Winthrop.
Virgil Willis Bateman, 92, of Winthrop went to be with the Lord on April 22, 2019.
Virgil was born on the Andrews family farm, in Newton twp, Buchanan Co., Iowa, May 7, 1926 to Henry and Leora (Andrews) Bateman. When he was about a week old his parents moved to Winthrop, where he spent the rest of his life. He was the oldest of 6 children.
Virgil started working as a trackman for the railroad in Winthrop when he was 16 years old. His supervisor liked him and encouraged him to keep the job with the Illinois Central Railroad by working on Saturdays while going to school. If he had a day off from school he would work for them. He worked for 55 cents and hour. When he started working for the railroad in 1943, John Hunter was his sectional foreman and and later became his father-in-law. After graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Army and after his discharge in 1946 he again resumed working for the railroad. He retired in 1986 as the Track Supervisor. Weekend and nights he would help his father and brothers in the family business, Bateman Electric, Plumbing and Heating.
In 1944 Virgil graduated from Winthrop High School, he was Senior class president and lettered 4 years in Basketball and Baseball.
Virgil served in the 26th Yankee Division, attached to the 3rd Army, Patton army. He arrived in Belgium at the tail end of the Battle of the Bulge, where he operated a 30 caliber water-cooled machine gun. He was awarded the Bronze Star and numerous other ribbons and medals.
While in high school he started dating a beautiful young lady by the name of Winifred Hunter and when he returned home, he married the love of his life on January 4, 1946 at the Congregational parsonage in Winthrop.
Virgil was born on the Andrews family farm, in Newton twp, Buchanan Co., Iowa, May 7, 1926 to Henry and Leora (Andrews) Bateman. When he was about a week old his parents moved to Winthrop, where he spent the rest of his life. He was the oldest of 6 children.
Virgil started working as a trackman for the railroad in Winthrop when he was 16 years old. His supervisor liked him and encouraged him to keep the job with the Illinois Central Railroad by working on Saturdays while going to school. If he had a day off from school he would work for them. He worked for 55 cents and hour. When he started working for the railroad in 1943, John Hunter was his sectional foreman and and later became his father-in-law. After graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Army and after his discharge in 1946 he again resumed working for the railroad. He retired in 1986 as the Track Supervisor. Weekend and nights he would help his father and brothers in the family business, Bateman Electric, Plumbing and Heating.
In 1944 Virgil graduated from Winthrop High School, he was Senior class president and lettered 4 years in Basketball and Baseball.
Virgil served in the 26th Yankee Division, attached to the 3rd Army, Patton army. He arrived in Belgium at the tail end of the Battle of the Bulge, where he operated a 30 caliber water-cooled machine gun. He was awarded the Bronze Star and numerous other ribbons and medals.
While in high school he started dating a beautiful young lady by the name of Winifred Hunter and when he returned home, he married the love of his life on January 4, 1946 at the Congregational parsonage in Winthrop.
