Ward Viter

Ward A. Viter, 79, died Saturday, May 1, 2001 in his rural Mount Vernon home after a courageous battle with cancer. Services 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at the Lisbon United Methodist Church, by Reverend Thomas Mattson. Friends may call Monday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m., at Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices, Mount Vernon Chapel. Burial with military rites at Mount Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Surviving Ward are his wife Mary at home; a daughter Marsha (John) Heims; a son Gary (LeAnn); and a daughter Cindy Viter (Paula Calmer); five grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren all of the Mount Vernon area; 8 brothers: Richard and Clarence in Missouri, Gust Jr, Larry, and Doug of Nebraska, and Robert, Paul and Clifford of California; 2 sisters: Kay Ensworth of Ohio, and Betty McIntosh of Nebraska; a sister-in-law Dorothy Viter of Oregon; 2 brothers-in-law: Arnold (Hilda) Brawner of Mt. Vernon, and Dean (Glenny) Brawner of Colfax; a sister-in-law Melba Winegar of Vinton; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Ward in death were 2 brothers: Vince and Harold; and 4 sisters: Nina, Arlene, Patty, and Helen. Ward was born April 27, 1925 in Holly, Colorado, the third oldest of 17 children born to Gust and Alice Floro Viter. He grew up in Gothenburg, Nebraska and graduated from Gothenburg High School. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII on the USS Wassatch in the Pacific, and was a member of the American Legion Cyclops Post #109 of Lisbon. Ward married Mary Brawner on December 10, 1945 in Chicago. The couple lived 58 years in their rural Mount Vernon Home. He and his brother-in-law, Arnold Brawner operated a painting business in the Mount Vernon area. He worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad for eleven years, and retired in 1987 as an ironworker for Ironworkers Local 89 of Cedar Rapids, with 50 years as a member. Ward was a member of the Lisbon United Methodist Church. He loved his family dearly, and spending time outside in his yard. He especially enjoyed cutting wood in the timber. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend. A memorial fund in Ward's honor has been established. On line memorials to www.morganfuneralchoices.com