Services were Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton for Vernon James Bancroft, 70, of Paton.
The Rev David Arulnathan, pastor of the church, and Glenn Rhoden of Paton offered words of comfort.
Honorary bearers were Jim Fields, Don Fields, Wayne Ubben, Daryl Ewing, Ron Steinkamp, employees of Gowrie Livestock Auction and all the 4-H horse youth he worked with over the years.
Casket bearers were Jim Fevold, Wade Elgin, Dave Seil, Rick Ubben, Jerald Deal, Doug Brown, Neil Anderson and Jeff Gilley. Interment was at the Dawson Township Cemetery west of Paton with military honors by an Iowa Army honor guard, VFV Post 9599 and Floyd Brown American Legion Post 11. Derek Seil played “Taps”.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Greene Co 4-H Foundation, Salem United Methodist Church in Paton or at the discretion of the family. The family is assisted by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson.
Vernon Bancroft, age 70, of Paton passed away December 22, 2016 in Paton.
Vernon was born on September 6, 1946, to Clifford and Evelyn Bancroft in Fort Dodge. He attended Paton Consolidated Schools thru 10th grade and graduated from East Greene High School in 1964. As a kid he was active in 4-H and FFA and also helped bale hay and shell corn. He attended Universal Trade School in Omaha, NE.
Vernon is an Army Vietnam War veteran. After the war, he came home and started farming/ranching at Paton. On July 18, 1969, Vernon married Corinne Mullins.
Vernon was a leader of the Greene County 4-H horse project for more than 40 years. He was also on the Iowa 4-H Equine Advisory Committee for 20 years. He was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2010. For 40-plus years Vernon was a board member of the Greene County Lamb Producers, worked at the Gowrie Livestock Sale Barn, sheared sheep and shoed horses. He also served on the board of the Iowa Associated Saddle Club.
Vernon and his family have a long-time association with Deal’s Orchard starting with part-time work in his youth to most recently driving his team of Percheron horses giving rides each year at the annual Fall Festival.
Vernon was a lifetime member of the VFW 9599 of Jefferson, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Quarter Horse Association and Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America.
Surviving is his wife Corinne Bancroft, of Paton; sister Luella Miller of Boone; mother-in-law Eva Mullins of Jefferson; niece Lori (Dirk) Westrum of Stratford; nephew Jim (Jennifer) Miller of Cedar Rapids; great-nieces and nephew Kelsey and Quinten Westrum, Taylor and Sydney Miller; children by choice Deb (Bob) Elgin of Indianola, Jamie (Matt Brink) Welch of Omaha, NE, and Barry (Brenda) Anderson of Paton; Sugar, the housecat, who is missing his dad; and friend Lynette Welch of Omaha; many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law Lewis Mullins, and brother-in-law Robert Miller.
