Lawrence Peter "Pete" Basten, 94 of Waverly, Iowa, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at Manor Care in Waterloo, Iowa.
Pete was born on May 7, 1925, in Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Peter Joseph and Lorena (Klinger) Basten.
At an early age, Pete's mother died, and his dad being a railroader, couldn't take care of the two children, Gloria and Pete, so they came to Waverly to live at the Lutheran Children's Home. Pete attended the Waverly school system and in the 9th grade started working as a mechanic for Henry Roever in Roever's Garage.
During his sophomore year in high school, Pete was drafted into the U.S. Army on September 23, 1943, during W.W. II. He served in the European Theater of War, was wounded, captured as a Prisoner of War by the German Army, later recaptured by the by the U.S. Armed Forces, and discharged on October 9, 1945.
He returned to Waverly where he continued working for Roever's Garage where he spent the next 22 years. Pete then worked for several years as a mechanic for Whitney-Juhl Tractor Co., in Waverly, and then for the next 24 years worked for the City of Waverly in the Electrical Utilities Department, retiring in 1987.
He is a member of the Waverly Amvets Post #79 and a member of American Ex. P.O.W.
Pete is survived by his dear friends, Melissa and Steve Wilkens of Denver, Iowa.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Lorena and his sister, Gloria Landon.
Pete's wishes were to be cremated with no formal services and burial of his cremains to be held in the V.A. Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to Pete's name to PO Box 243, Waverly, Iowa.
Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is assisting the family.
Pete was born on May 7, 1925, in Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Peter Joseph and Lorena (Klinger) Basten.
At an early age, Pete's mother died, and his dad being a railroader, couldn't take care of the two children, Gloria and Pete, so they came to Waverly to live at the Lutheran Children's Home. Pete attended the Waverly school system and in the 9th grade started working as a mechanic for Henry Roever in Roever's Garage.
During his sophomore year in high school, Pete was drafted into the U.S. Army on September 23, 1943, during W.W. II. He served in the European Theater of War, was wounded, captured as a Prisoner of War by the German Army, later recaptured by the by the U.S. Armed Forces, and discharged on October 9, 1945.
He returned to Waverly where he continued working for Roever's Garage where he spent the next 22 years. Pete then worked for several years as a mechanic for Whitney-Juhl Tractor Co., in Waverly, and then for the next 24 years worked for the City of Waverly in the Electrical Utilities Department, retiring in 1987.
He is a member of the Waverly Amvets Post #79 and a member of American Ex. P.O.W.
Pete is survived by his dear friends, Melissa and Steve Wilkens of Denver, Iowa.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Lorena and his sister, Gloria Landon.
Pete's wishes were to be cremated with no formal services and burial of his cremains to be held in the V.A. Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to Pete's name to PO Box 243, Waverly, Iowa.
Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is assisting the family.
Lawrence Peter "Pete" Basten, 94 of Waverly, Iowa, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at Manor Care in Waterloo, Iowa.
Pete was born on May 7, 1925, in Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Peter Joseph and Lorena (Klinger) Basten.
At an early age, Pete's mother died, and his dad being a railroader, couldn't take care of the two children, Gloria and Pete, so they came to Waverly to live at the Lutheran Children's Home. Pete attended the Waverly school system and in the 9th grade started working as a mechanic for Henry Roever in Roever's Garage.
During his sophomore year in high school, Pete was drafted into the U.S. Army on September 23, 1943, during W.W. II. He served in the European Theater of War, was wounded, captured as a Prisoner of War by the German Army, later recaptured by the by the U.S. Armed Forces, and discharged on October 9, 1945.
He returned to Waverly where he continued working for Roever's Garage where he spent the next 22 years. Pete then worked for several years as a mechanic for Whitney-Juhl Tractor Co., in Waverly, and then for the next 24 years worked for the City of Waverly in the Electrical Utilities Department, retiring in 1987.
He is a member of the Waverly Amvets Post #79 and a member of American Ex. P.O.W.
Pete is survived by his dear friends, Melissa and Steve Wilkens of Denver, Iowa.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Lorena and his sister, Gloria Landon.
Pete's wishes were to be cremated with no formal services and burial of his cremains to be held in the V.A. Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to Pete's name to PO Box 243, Waverly, Iowa.
Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is assisting the family.
Pete was born on May 7, 1925, in Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Peter Joseph and Lorena (Klinger) Basten.
At an early age, Pete's mother died, and his dad being a railroader, couldn't take care of the two children, Gloria and Pete, so they came to Waverly to live at the Lutheran Children's Home. Pete attended the Waverly school system and in the 9th grade started working as a mechanic for Henry Roever in Roever's Garage.
During his sophomore year in high school, Pete was drafted into the U.S. Army on September 23, 1943, during W.W. II. He served in the European Theater of War, was wounded, captured as a Prisoner of War by the German Army, later recaptured by the by the U.S. Armed Forces, and discharged on October 9, 1945.
He returned to Waverly where he continued working for Roever's Garage where he spent the next 22 years. Pete then worked for several years as a mechanic for Whitney-Juhl Tractor Co., in Waverly, and then for the next 24 years worked for the City of Waverly in the Electrical Utilities Department, retiring in 1987.
He is a member of the Waverly Amvets Post #79 and a member of American Ex. P.O.W.
Pete is survived by his dear friends, Melissa and Steve Wilkens of Denver, Iowa.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Lorena and his sister, Gloria Landon.
Pete's wishes were to be cremated with no formal services and burial of his cremains to be held in the V.A. Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to Pete's name to PO Box 243, Waverly, Iowa.
Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is assisting the family.
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