McCandless, John Richard

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John Richard McCandless, MSgt, USMC, Ret, 86, Oceanside died on March 11, 2010 at Las Villas Del Norte Health Center in Escondido, CA.  The son of the late Rollin Louis McCandless and Catherine Amelia Rethlake McCandless, John McCandless was born April 18, 1923 in Adrien, MN.

On 5 June, 1942 he joined the Marine Corps and retired as a Master Sergeant after 26 years of service. He saw action in World War II at Guadacanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Okinawa and in China; in the Korean War with the 1st Engineer Battalion, Baker Company at Seoul, Inchon, and the Chosin Reservoir; and in Vietnam. He received two Purple Hearts, numerous commendations and unit citation awards.

After retiring from the Marines, he worked as a carpenter until his final retirement. He was continuously very active in his church and the Knights of Columbus as a Fourth Degree Knight.

On 10 January, 1950, Mr. McCandless married Esther Anne Scholl of Falls City, NE. They lived in Oceanside, CA. To this union four children were born who all survive him: Kenneth Jon McCandless of Highlands Ranch, CO, Leslie Joanne Gibson of Oceanside, CA, Mary Jane Carrozza of Vista, CA, and Nanette Jean McCandless of Oceanside, CA. He is also survived by four sisters: Marietta Suek of Bloomington, MN, Joan Johnson of Litchfield, MN, Esther Skeate of Emily, MN and Marilyn Krenik of St. Paul Park, MN; two brothers: Jerome of Hutchinson, Minnesota and Patrick of Apache Junction, Arizona, four grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his wife, three sisters and one baby brother.

An immediate family graveside memorial was held on March 22, 2010 at Eternal Hills Memorial Park where his cremated remains were laid to rest with his wife of 29 years.  Family attending the memorial for this outstanding man from far away were from Colorado, Oregon, and New Hampshire.

McClure, Vern L.

Vern L. McClure, 79, of Algona, Iowa died on Tuesday, May 1, 2007, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston, Iowa.  Vern's family will receive friends on Friday, May 4, 2007, at Wilson-Lentz Funeral Home in Algona from 5 to 8 p.m.  Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2007 at the First United Methodist Church in Algona.  Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery in Algona, with military rites conducted by the Algona VFW Post 2451 and the Haag-Turner American Legion Post 90 of Algona.

Vern was born July 26, 1927 in Creston, Iowa to Gladys (Downey) and Arthur McClure.  He was raised in the rolling hills of southern Iowa where he farmed with his family near Thayer and raised purebred shorthorn cattle until he was drafted into the Korean War.  From 1951 to 1953, Vern served in the Army and was stationed in Korea in the 1st Battalion of the 160th Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division and served as their Message Center Chief.

A beneficiary of the G.I. Bill, he graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. degree in Commerce and graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1959.  While at the U of I Vern met the love of his life, Gloria Schaper.  They were married on April 19, 1958 in Des Moines.

Vern practiced law in Algona and Swea City in the Buchanan Law Firm from 1959 until his retirement in 1988 and served as the City Attorney for Algona from 1976 to 1982.  In 1960 he became Secretary of the Kossuth County Fair.  For 17 years he guided the fairgrounds renovation and helped make its race track an area attraction.

Friends will recall Vern's bountiful gardens, proud allegiance to the Iowa Hawkeyes, voracious reading, especially of Civil War, World War I and World War II books and his happy and kind Scottish nature.

Left to cherish his wonderful life are his wife of 49 years, Glroia; three children, Cheryl (Ron) Beaver of Clarinda, Iowa, Kevin McClure of Centennial, Colorado, and Natalie (Jeff) Burnham of Windsor Heights, Iowa; four grandchildren who brought him immense joy, Sarah and Laura Beaver, and Evan and Savannah Burnham; and his sister, Erla Eastabrooks of Hampton, Iowa; three nieces, Lynne Porter, Diane Fink and Julie Holmberg.

The family suggests any bequests be made to the Algona Public Library, the Kossuth County Fair, or the University of Iowa Law School Foundation.

McConnell, Hugh E.

Hugh E. McConnell was a Korean War Veteran.  He passed away October 12, 1990. He earned a Bronze Star, and he was injured in the line of duty.

McLaughlin, Major Fred Calvin

Feb. 29, 1920 - Oct. 24, 2006

Frederick Calvin McLaughlin, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the first Personnel Manager of Mecklenburg County government, as well as a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died on October 24, 2006 at his residence in Charlotte. He was 86. Mr. McLaughlin was born February 29, 1920 in Decatur, Illinois, the son of Bennett Baxter McLaughlin and Beatrice Anne Spratley.

Mr. McLaughlin is survived by his wife, Rosemary, with whom he celebrated his 64th anniversary just a week prior to his passing. He also leaves behind sons, Michael Allan of Vero Beach, FL, Steven Marc of Jupiter, FL, David Calvin of Bozeman, MT, and Robert Thomas of Charlotte, as well as 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His son James Frederick passed away in 1975. Aside from a love of his large family visiting and filling his home, Mr. McLaughlin was especially fond of his time in the Marine Corps. He entered the Corps on his 18th birthday in 1938, and shortly after enlistment went to Shanghai, China as part of a peacekeeping force in the pre-World War II days. He was only back from China a matter of weeks when World War II broke out. During the war he served as driver for then Lt. Colonel Chesty Puller, probably the most famous Marine of all time.

While stateside, following his return from China, he courted and married his high school sweetheart, Rosemary Rogers. They were married on Oct. 17, 1942 in a war-time ceremony in Arlington, Va. Within days, McLaughlin became the First Sergeant aboard the U.S.S. West Point and remained there for the remainder of the war. McLaughlin was commissioned second lieutenant after World War II, and later served as a front line Company Commander in Korea. During his 21-year military career he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. He retired a major in 1959.

He and his family moved to Charlotte in 1959. Following his position as Personnel Manager of Mecklenburg, he decided to enter college on the G.I. Bill and at age fifty-six graduated from UNC-C. After graduation he taught in the Mecklenburg school system. He will be sorely missed by his family.

Funeral services were held Friday, October 27, 2006, at 11:00 AM in the Hankins and Whittington Dilworth Chapel. Interment followed in Sharon Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to service.

Published in the Charlotte Observer on 10/26/2006.

McLennan, Charles W. Sr.

Charles W. McLennan, Sr. died 9/17/1998.  He was with Co. H, 2nd Batallion, 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. He was from Belle Plaine, Iowa.

McManus, John Leo

My father, John Leo McManus, passed away in 2000. He was a Korean War vet.