12/15/2016
Lonnie Gene Kephart, 62, of Knoxville, Iowa, passed away Thursday, December 15, 2016, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 20, 2017, at the Iowa Veterans Home Chapel in Marshalltown.
Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the Iowa Veterans Home Chapel. Anderson Funeral Home, 405 W. Main St., Marshalltown, has been entrusted with arrangements.
Lonnie G. Kephart, the son of Lawrence P. and Dorothy J. Schakel Kephart was born on July 20, 1954. He was raised in the Pella area and attended Pella Community Schools through his early years.
In 1959 his mother died and for several years he lived with his Grandmother Ethel Schakel of Pella. When he was 13 years old he moved to the home of Dean and Phyllis Moats of Knoxville and was a foster child of theirs through the rest of his school years.
He graduated from Knoxville High School in 1972 and then went on to serve his country in the Armed Forces, Air Force Branch. After his time in the Air Force, he sought adventure by sailing to many parts of the world. Although he enjoyed the company of friends he also enjoyed the solitude.
He lived in many different states but spent many years in Florida where he could tend to his sailboat and take part in buying and selling at flea markets and had an eye for antiques and old unique items. He loved to learn and took pride in writing and telling about his adventures, especially at sea.
He is preceded in death by his mother in 1959; his sister Jerri Lynn in 2002; his father in 2003; his brother Lane in 2006; brother Lloyd in 2015.
Those left to honor his memory are brother, Larry Kephart; sister-in-law, Phyllis Kephart and nieces and nephews, Amber, Noah, Aaron, and Rachel; dear family friend, Jeanetta VanderHart; foster father, Dean Moats; foster mother, Phyllis Moats; and foster siblings.