Obituary of Walter Herbert Horn

Walter Herbert "Herb" Horn, 97, the son of Walter Lacey Horn and Fern (Stephenson) Horn, was born April 17, 1919, in Newton. He graduated from the Newton Senior High, Class of 1937. Herb served his country during World War II, with the 121st Liaison Squadron, US Army Air Force, as a Tech. Sergeant in Northern Africa and Italy. He was a member of the Newton American Legion Post 111, and lifetime member of VFW Post 1655. On March 26, 1948, Herb was united in marriage with Carolyn "Sue" Hoft in Newton. They spent 68 years together, and raised four children, Demares, Rebecca, Bruce and Deborah. When Herb was 11 years old, in 1930, he was a mascot bugle player in the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps in Newton. Before the war, Herb was the proud owner of a Piper Cub, which he enjoyed piloting around the Midwest, landing in fields if there were no nearby airports. For a period of time after the war, he was a civilian flight instructor. Motorcycles were also a passion of Herb's, riding his last motorcycle until he was nearly 90 years old. He loved spending time with family, and enjoyed reading, playing cards and doing crossword puzzles in his later years. For the majority of his working life, he ran his own businesses. After his retirement, he and his wife enjoyed traveling with trips to all fifty states, Scotland and Italy. Herb, passed from this life on Wednesday evening, September 28, 2016, surrounded by his loved ones. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister Lois (Cal) Walker; two brothers: Joseph (Gen) Horn and David (Virginia) Horn. Those left to honor his memory are his wife Sue of Des Moines; his children: Demares (Jack) Lorenzen of The Villages, Florida, Rebecca (Greg) Gladfelder of Des Moines, Bruce Horn of Stateline, Nevada and Deborah (Mark) Petersen of Harlan; his nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, five step grandchildren, five step great-grandchildren and one step great-great grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews. A time of remembrance and celebration of life services will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 3, 2016, at the Pence – Reese Funeral Home in Newton, with a visitation 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 2, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Newton Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be left to the American Legion Post 111 or VFW Post 1655 in Newton or Mercy Hospice in Des Moines.