Jack Allan Vermie

Jack Allan Vermie was born in Des Moines, Iowa as the firstborn to Mary (Burnett) Vermie and Wilmer Vermie. Jack was the older brother to Kirk, Russ and Suzie.

He spent most of his childhood years in Mitchellville Iowa and the majority of his life living within a stone’s throw of his childhood home.

After attending college at Northwestern Missouri State University, Jack started a family and his eldest born was, Lonnie, followed by Byron. These aren’t the only two children that would see a father figure in Jack, his stepson Heath, foster daughter Clem and generations of Boy Scouts, nieces and nephews would learn to cook over a camp fire from Jack, or how to catch a fish or hike a trail. His grandchildren, Haley, Hansen, Harrison and Nick along with his great grandchildren and foster grandchildren were all loved by Jack and he cherished card games, cribbage and watching sports.

Jack was a lifelong bird fancier, who spent a lot of time training his pigeons for races. He loved the Iowa State Fair and the Iowa State Cyclones. He sought out antique sales, bin stores and dumpster diving for treasures and old sportswear. Weekend explorations to find Native American arrowheads and to watch the bison herd were a regular pastime.

Jack and the love of his life, Holly, were avid gardeners and his flower gardens, and vegetable garden was a source of pride. Jack and Holly were readers. Their home is filled with books. He liked to both give and receive books as gifts.

Jack enjoyed restoring furniture and found gems covered in paint that he stripped and restored.

Jack had lifelong friends, some who were cousins, some from his school days and neighborhood friends and others from Scouts, the pigeon club, volunteering organizations and many from his years working at Firestone.

Jack is survived by his wife, Holly, his daughter Lonnie Myklebust and her husband John, his son Byron and Denise, his stepson Heath Swartzbaugh and Ashley, his brother Russ Vermie (Vicki), his sister Suzie Fagen (Robert), his grandchildren Haley West (Jordan), Hansen Vermie (Brooklynn), Harrison Vermie (Carson), Nick Myklebust, and his great-Grandchildren Gavin and Jameson West and Blakeley and Hadley Vermie, his foster daughter and family Clem, David, Dashiell and Neo and his aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and many cousins and lots of cherished friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made in Jack’s name to Mitchellville’s Public Library or the Mitchellville Community Center.

A celebration of life open house will be held on Tuesday, July 8 from 3-7:00PM at the Mitchellville, Iowa Community Center.

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