Thomas F. Vonnahme

Thomas Francis Vonnahme was born September 12, 1948, at Carroll, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Caroline Vonnahme. He died at Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa, Tuesday, February 7, 2017, at the age of sixty-eight.
After completing the 8th grade, Tom farmed with his father. He was drafted into the Army in 1968, serving his country in Vietnam working as a helicopter repairman until he was wounded in 1969. Tom was awarded the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Aircraft Crewman Badge and Marksman Badge. After returning home from the service, Tom completed high school and subsequently attended Iowa Western Community College. On June 17, 1988, Tom was united in marriage to Maureen Wenzel Ranniger at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. A year later, Maria was born joining her older siblings: Ryan, Beth, Michael and Katie.
Tom was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church and the church choir in Vail. He also was a member of the Arcadia American Legion and Manning VFW. He was a 4-H leader in Crawford County for twenty years and a CYO leader from 1993-2008 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manilla. Tom enjoyed bowling and was active in leagues at Manilla Bowl and Lucky Lanes in Denison.
He enjoyed riding horses while at Fitzsimons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado as part of his physical therapy while recovering from head wounds suffered in Vietnam. After returning home, he bought a farm to raise grain and livestock. His other interests and hobbies included: attending rodeos, traveling, fishing, hunting, and camping at Yellowsmoke and Prairie Rose State Park near Irwin, going to Denison and Dunlap sale barns, playing billiards, working on machinery and tractors, doing carpentry work and taking part in harvesting. He enjoyed watching John Wayne, war films and MASH. He was a very social person and especially enjoyed being with family and relatives.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law, Leon; and two nephews, John and Steve. Survivors include: his wife, Maureen; his children: Maria and husband, Matt; Ryan; Beth and her husband, Greg; Michael and his wife, Katherine; and Katie and her husband, Joe; three grandchildren; his siblings: Dave and his wife, Jan; Don and his wife, Teresa; Nancy and her husband, Darrell; Laurie and her husband, Mel, and Mike; mother-in-law, Lois; many nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.