Larry “Dick”, Dean Shounkwiler was born August 26, 1941 to George
and Dorothy (Richards) Shounkwiler in the small town of Lacona, Iowa. He
passed from this life on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at the Iowa Methodist
Hospital located in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 76 years.Larry was united in marriage to Karen Collins on August 25, 1963 and to this union four children were born: Karyln, Richard, John and Dixie. Larry served his country as a member of the United States Air Force. He was honorably discharged from the service in October of 1967. Larry worked for several companies, such as Maytag in Newton, Iowa, the AT & T telephone company, E & D Vault Company, and Herschel’s which he retired from.
Larry “Dick”, love spending his time with family and friends. He was amazed by airplanes and would be content to watch them fly above him in the vast blue sky. Fishing, was Larry’s go-to hobby as he delighted in the outdoors and was described as having a vast collection of fishing poles. He also took pleasure in wood working projects as he would help his kids with refinishing old furniture. Larry would make little do-dads and what-nots, out of wood as he would tinker in his workshop.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, George and Dorothy Shounkwiler; His wife, Karen Shounkwiler; his son, John Shounkwiler; and his brothers, Keith and Galen Shounkwiler.
He is survived by his children Karlyn Shounkwiler Messamaker, Richard Shounkwiler of Blakesburg, Iowa, and Dixie Shounkwiler of Indianola, Iowa; his grandchildren, Ronald Messamaker, Russell Messamaker, Julie (Cole) Messamaker, Eric Vanderpool and Charlie Howard; eleven great grandchildren; his siblings, Sandy Roberts of Chariton, Iowa, Ruth Welch of Chariton, Iowa, and Glenn (Beverly) Shounkwiler of Chariton, Iowa; and many nieces, nephews, family, and close friends.
