Sawhill, John Wilbur
John Wilbur Sawhill
West Des Moines
John Wilbur Sawhill, 90, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD diseases. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at McLaren's Chapel with burial at Resthaven Cemetery, West Des Moines.
Wilbur was the youngest of five children born at the family farm in Madison County, Iowa, to parents John Clarke and Flora Belle (Ledlie) Sawhill, on August 27, 1919. His ancestors were influential in the establishment of the city of Winterset, Iowa. Wilbur's family moved to the Highland Park area of Des Moines so that he could attend Smouse School while his father worked the family farm during the week. Wilbur also worked on the farm during the summer months and other times as needed. He enjoyed being involved in 4H, showing cattle at the Iowa State Fair as a teenager. Wilbur was captain of the boy's golf team at the old North High School, despite his hearing loss. He graduated in 1938. After completing a two year program at Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines, he went on to work for Wood Brothers of Des Moines, which later became a farm division of the Ford Motor Company. He retired from Ford when the Des Moines branch was moved to Detroit, Michigan. Wilbur later worked for the U.S. Post Office in their Des Moines Bulk Mail Center. He was the first deaf person to be hired there shortly after they opened in 1976 and retired in 1986.
Wilbur was a very active, well-respected and loved member of the deaf community locally and nationally. He was a treasurer and member for many years of Calvary Deaf Lutheran Church, Iowa Association for the Deaf, National Federation Society of the Deaf; along with being a member of the hall of fame in the United States Deaf Golf Association and Midwest Deaf Golf Association which he served and enthusiastically supported.
Wilbur was well known as an excellent basketball player for Capitol City Commercial College and the Des Moines Silent Club, winning several championship tourneys nationally. While playing basketball for North High School, he once went up against Bob Feller, who went on later to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Wilbur enjoyed other sports as well, such as bowling; but the game of golf was his life long passion. He reluctantly gave up playing golf only one month before his passing. He was a loyal and avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, as well as many college and high school sport teams and events in the state of Iowa. He could recall detailed accounts of scores, players and statistics from years gone by at will. Wilbur especially loved to watch his daughters and grandchildren follow his passion for athletics, and attended their many games and tournaments over the years. He never started his day without reading the Des Moines Register, particularly his beloved sports page. He would complete the Sudoku puzzle section everyday. Wilbur was truly gifted with a love and skill for numbers.
John Wilbur was a wonderful and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, cheerful and faithful friend. He will be deeply missed by his three daughters, Donna (Denny) Rosenberger of Winterset, Debbie (Anthony) Mendoza of West Des Moines and Doreen (Dick) Moore of Beltsville, Maryland; grandchildren, Troy Gordon, Joshua, John and Jacob Mendoza, Mindy, Sean, Shanna, and Megan Moore; one great grandson, Maddox Mendoza; two sisters, Eleanor Sawhill of Des Moines and Mabel Sawhill of Silver Springs, Maryland; nephews and nieces as well. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruth; brother, Harold Sawhill and sister, Iola Fuller.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at McLaren's Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made out to the Midwest Deaf Golf Association.
(Published online on 7/29/2010 courtesy of Dignity Memorial.)
John Wilbur Sawhill
West Des Moines
John Wilbur Sawhill, 90, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD diseases. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at McLaren's Chapel with burial at Resthaven Cemetery, West Des Moines.
Wilbur was the youngest of five children born at the family farm in Madison County, Iowa, to parents John Clarke and Flora Belle (Ledlie) Sawhill, on August 27, 1919. His ancestors were influential in the establishment of the city of Winterset, Iowa. Wilbur's family moved to the Highland Park area of Des Moines so that he could attend Smouse School while his father worked the family farm during the week. Wilbur also worked on the farm during the summer months and other times as needed. He enjoyed being involved in 4H, showing cattle at the Iowa State Fair as a teenager. Wilbur was captain of the boy's golf team at the old North High School, despite his hearing loss. He graduated in 1938. After completing a two year program at Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines, he went on to work for Wood Brothers of Des Moines, which later became a farm division of the Ford Motor Company. He retired from Ford when the Des Moines branch was moved to Detroit, Michigan. Wilbur later worked for the U.S. Post Office in their Des Moines Bulk Mail Center. He was the first deaf person to be hired there shortly after they opened in 1976 and retired in 1986.
Wilbur was a very active, well-respected and loved member of the deaf community locally and nationally. He was a treasurer and member for many years of Calvary Deaf Lutheran Church, Iowa Association for the Deaf, National Federation Society of the Deaf; along with being a member of the hall of fame in the United States Deaf Golf Association and Midwest Deaf Golf Association which he served and enthusiastically supported.
Wilbur was well known as an excellent basketball player for Capitol City Commercial College and the Des Moines Silent Club, winning several championship tourneys nationally. While playing basketball for North High School, he once went up against Bob Feller, who went on later to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Wilbur enjoyed other sports as well, such as bowling; but the game of golf was his life long passion. He reluctantly gave up playing golf only one month before his passing. He was a loyal and avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, as well as many college and high school sport teams and events in the state of Iowa. He could recall detailed accounts of scores, players and statistics from years gone by at will. Wilbur especially loved to watch his daughters and grandchildren follow his passion for athletics, and attended their many games and tournaments over the years. He never started his day without reading the Des Moines Register, particularly his beloved sports page. He would complete the Sudoku puzzle section everyday. Wilbur was truly gifted with a love and skill for numbers.
John Wilbur was a wonderful and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, cheerful and faithful friend. He will be deeply missed by his three daughters, Donna (Denny) Rosenberger of Winterset, Debbie (Anthony) Mendoza of West Des Moines and Doreen (Dick) Moore of Beltsville, Maryland; grandchildren, Troy Gordon, Joshua, John and Jacob Mendoza, Mindy, Sean, Shanna, and Megan Moore; one great grandson, Maddox Mendoza; two sisters, Eleanor Sawhill of Des Moines and Mabel Sawhill of Silver Springs, Maryland; nephews and nieces as well. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruth; brother, Harold Sawhill and sister, Iola Fuller.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at McLaren's Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made out to the Midwest Deaf Golf Association.
(Published online on 7/29/2010 courtesy of Dignity Memorial.)
Sawhill, John Wilbur
John Wilbur Sawhill
West Des Moines
John Wilbur Sawhill, 90, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD diseases. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at McLaren's Chapel with burial at Resthaven Cemetery, West Des Moines.
Wilbur was the youngest of five children born at the family farm in Madison County, Iowa, to parents John Clarke and Flora Belle (Ledlie) Sawhill, on August 27, 1919. His ancestors were influential in the establishment of the city of Winterset, Iowa. Wilbur's family moved to the Highland Park area of Des Moines so that he could attend Smouse School while his father worked the family farm during the week. Wilbur also worked on the farm during the summer months and other times as needed. He enjoyed being involved in 4H, showing cattle at the Iowa State Fair as a teenager. Wilbur was captain of the boy's golf team at the old North High School, despite his hearing loss. He graduated in 1938. After completing a two year program at Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines, he went on to work for Wood Brothers of Des Moines, which later became a farm division of the Ford Motor Company. He retired from Ford when the Des Moines branch was moved to Detroit, Michigan. Wilbur later worked for the U.S. Post Office in their Des Moines Bulk Mail Center. He was the first deaf person to be hired there shortly after they opened in 1976 and retired in 1986.
Wilbur was a very active, well-respected and loved member of the deaf community locally and nationally. He was a treasurer and member for many years of Calvary Deaf Lutheran Church, Iowa Association for the Deaf, National Federation Society of the Deaf; along with being a member of the hall of fame in the United States Deaf Golf Association and Midwest Deaf Golf Association which he served and enthusiastically supported.
Wilbur was well known as an excellent basketball player for Capitol City Commercial College and the Des Moines Silent Club, winning several championship tourneys nationally. While playing basketball for North High School, he once went up against Bob Feller, who went on later to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Wilbur enjoyed other sports as well, such as bowling; but the game of golf was his life long passion. He reluctantly gave up playing golf only one month before his passing. He was a loyal and avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, as well as many college and high school sport teams and events in the state of Iowa. He could recall detailed accounts of scores, players and statistics from years gone by at will. Wilbur especially loved to watch his daughters and grandchildren follow his passion for athletics, and attended their many games and tournaments over the years. He never started his day without reading the Des Moines Register, particularly his beloved sports page. He would complete the Sudoku puzzle section everyday. Wilbur was truly gifted with a love and skill for numbers.
John Wilbur was a wonderful and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, cheerful and faithful friend. He will be deeply missed by his three daughters, Donna (Denny) Rosenberger of Winterset, Debbie (Anthony) Mendoza of West Des Moines and Doreen (Dick) Moore of Beltsville, Maryland; grandchildren, Troy Gordon, Joshua, John and Jacob Mendoza, Mindy, Sean, Shanna, and Megan Moore; one great grandson, Maddox Mendoza; two sisters, Eleanor Sawhill of Des Moines and Mabel Sawhill of Silver Springs, Maryland; nephews and nieces as well. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruth; brother, Harold Sawhill and sister, Iola Fuller.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at McLaren's Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made out to the Midwest Deaf Golf Association.
(Published online on 7/29/2010 courtesy of Dignity Memorial.)
John Wilbur Sawhill
West Des Moines
John Wilbur Sawhill, 90, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD diseases. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at McLaren's Chapel with burial at Resthaven Cemetery, West Des Moines.
Wilbur was the youngest of five children born at the family farm in Madison County, Iowa, to parents John Clarke and Flora Belle (Ledlie) Sawhill, on August 27, 1919. His ancestors were influential in the establishment of the city of Winterset, Iowa. Wilbur's family moved to the Highland Park area of Des Moines so that he could attend Smouse School while his father worked the family farm during the week. Wilbur also worked on the farm during the summer months and other times as needed. He enjoyed being involved in 4H, showing cattle at the Iowa State Fair as a teenager. Wilbur was captain of the boy's golf team at the old North High School, despite his hearing loss. He graduated in 1938. After completing a two year program at Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines, he went on to work for Wood Brothers of Des Moines, which later became a farm division of the Ford Motor Company. He retired from Ford when the Des Moines branch was moved to Detroit, Michigan. Wilbur later worked for the U.S. Post Office in their Des Moines Bulk Mail Center. He was the first deaf person to be hired there shortly after they opened in 1976 and retired in 1986.
Wilbur was a very active, well-respected and loved member of the deaf community locally and nationally. He was a treasurer and member for many years of Calvary Deaf Lutheran Church, Iowa Association for the Deaf, National Federation Society of the Deaf; along with being a member of the hall of fame in the United States Deaf Golf Association and Midwest Deaf Golf Association which he served and enthusiastically supported.
Wilbur was well known as an excellent basketball player for Capitol City Commercial College and the Des Moines Silent Club, winning several championship tourneys nationally. While playing basketball for North High School, he once went up against Bob Feller, who went on later to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Wilbur enjoyed other sports as well, such as bowling; but the game of golf was his life long passion. He reluctantly gave up playing golf only one month before his passing. He was a loyal and avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, as well as many college and high school sport teams and events in the state of Iowa. He could recall detailed accounts of scores, players and statistics from years gone by at will. Wilbur especially loved to watch his daughters and grandchildren follow his passion for athletics, and attended their many games and tournaments over the years. He never started his day without reading the Des Moines Register, particularly his beloved sports page. He would complete the Sudoku puzzle section everyday. Wilbur was truly gifted with a love and skill for numbers.
John Wilbur was a wonderful and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, cheerful and faithful friend. He will be deeply missed by his three daughters, Donna (Denny) Rosenberger of Winterset, Debbie (Anthony) Mendoza of West Des Moines and Doreen (Dick) Moore of Beltsville, Maryland; grandchildren, Troy Gordon, Joshua, John and Jacob Mendoza, Mindy, Sean, Shanna, and Megan Moore; one great grandson, Maddox Mendoza; two sisters, Eleanor Sawhill of Des Moines and Mabel Sawhill of Silver Springs, Maryland; nephews and nieces as well. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruth; brother, Harold Sawhill and sister, Iola Fuller.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at McLaren's Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made out to the Midwest Deaf Golf Association.
(Published online on 7/29/2010 courtesy of Dignity Memorial.)
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