Obituary of John Wayne Varvel

John “Buck” Wayne Varvel, was born September 26, 1933, at the family’s farm home, near Marsland, in the panhandle of Nebraska, to John Jacob and Eleanor (Murphy) Varvel, the youngest of six children. The family farmed and ranched until the United States entered World War II; the family then moved to the newly created Army Ordnance Depot at Igloo, South Dakota, in 1942. John attended grammar and high school at Igloo’s Provo High School and graduated in 1952. After attending one year at Black Hills State Teachers College (now Black Hills State University) he entered military service in 1953. He married Kathleen Hoskins, of Casper, WY, in 1958; to this union were born 2 children, John Jay and Mary Ellen. They divorced in 1965. John was inducted into the U.S. Army in July 1953, and took basic training at Fort Riley, KS. He attended Military Intelligence School in Fort Devens, MA, in 1953-54. After completion, he was assigned to duty in Germany. He was honorably discharged and returned to South Dakota in 1956. In January of 1960, John graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in Business Administration and began his career with employment at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (accounting) in Des Moines, IA, where he spent 4-1/2 years, achieved professional status by passing the CPA exam in 1962. He held licenses to practice in IA, IL, NE and SD. He accepted employment as Chief Financial Officer with Gurney Seed & Nursery Co., Yankton, SD, in July 1964. While working at Gurney’s he met Lois Zimmerman and they were married on November 26, 1966. When Gurney’s was sold, John declined to stay with the company and move to Boston, MA, and, instead, owned, operated and/or worked with local CPA firms. John returned to employment with Gurney’s from 1986 to 1994. While working as a CPA, including the Jerald B. Davis practice, Varvel-Peterson, Co., Varvel-Nelson & Co., Ltd, and Kabeiseman-Batcheller & Co., John was active in local affairs, serving 9 years on the Yankton City Commission, and was Mayor for two years, 1984-86. He was appointed by James G. Watt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, to the Missouri National Recreational River Advisory Group, a 50-year member of the Yankton Rotary Club, held all offices of that club, serving as its president in 1979-80, and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He shared his love of business and accounting by mentoring young accountants, one of his greatest joys, and teaching courses in accounting, auditing and income taxation at the two local colleges, Yankton College and Mt. Marty College, as adjunct professor. Yankton College was the recipient of his talents and services during times of need and John was acknowledged with its prized Pro Causa Award in July 2016. John was a member of the VFW, Yankton Rotary, B.P.O.E. Elks, Hillcrest Country Club, Yankton Cribbage Club, Christ Episcopal Church, St. John’s Masonic Lodge #1 A.F.A.M., The Center and various card clubs over the years. John made a career change in March of 1997 when he began employment with Yankton Cable TV Co. and continued that employment with its successor owners, concluding his career as Senior Government Relations Manager with Mediacom Communications Corp., and retiring on April 20, 2012. John is survived by his wife, Lois, of Yankton, his children, John Jay Varvel and Mary Ellen (Roger) Grueschow, of Rapid City, SD, grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great grandchildren, one sister, Patricia (Pete) Thompson, Scottsdale, AZ, numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Patrick James Varvel (killed in 1950 in the Korean Conflict), sisters Winifred Barker, Virginia Whitehead, Eleanor Fay, and 3 brothers-in-law. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Yankton College Legacy Fund, P.O. Box 133, Yankton, SD 57078, the Yankton County Historical Society-Mead Building Project, 610 Summit St, Yankton, SD 57078, or a charity of one’s choice.