(Former Member Of Bryan City Council)
Veteran
Vernon Lee French, died on March 3, 2024, at Robson Reserve in Sun Lakes, AZ. He was born May 21, 1926, in Spink County and raised in Beadle County South Dakota to Pearl and Earl French. Vernon lived and attended school in Beadle County South Dakota.
He married Marilyn June Palmer on June 13, 1948, in Danube, Minnesota after his return from WWII. They raised three children. Vern and Marilyn moved from Danube, Minnesota to Bryan, Ohio in 1959 for Vern to take a position with the Ohio Art Company where they made their home for 59 years.
In 1991 Vern retired from the Ohio Art Company as the Director of Transportation and Warehousing. Since 2001 they lived in Sunbird Golf Resort in Chandler, AZ, initially as snowbirds (winters) and full time starting in 2017.
In the early years Vernon farmed until graduating from Humbolt Institute in St. Paul, MN before moving to Bryan, Ohio.
Vernon served on Bryan City Council for 25 years and volunteered in the community through several organizations, Lions Club, Masonic Temple, Butler Street Faith United Methodist Church, and New Hope Church. Vern and Marilyn played in several bridge clubs in Bryan and Chandler, golf and loved “coffee with the guys”.
Vernon loved his family; especially hosting family holidays and gatherings. He also loved the A to Z senior group and Sunday school class with New Hope Church.
Vernon also loved attending the Community Church of Sunbird in Chandler, AZ where Vernon served on the leadership committee for four years.
He is remembered as being such a great guy, an excellent listener, a gardener, and a talented woodworker and will be fondly remembered.
Vernon was preceded in death by Marilyn in 2020 after almost 72 years of marriage, his father Earl; his mother Pearl; and his sisters Jean Hurst of Redfield, SD, Lois Poe of Bonilla, SD, brothers Wayne French, and Norman French of Redfield, SD.
He is survived by his sister Eleanor Christianson of Kalispell, Montana; son Curtis (Susan) French of Syracuse, Indiana and Chandler, AZ; son Craig (Pat) French of Norwalk, Ohio; a daughter Cherri (Steve) Meyer of Bryan, Ohio and Chandler, AZ; 13 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.
The family is planning a visitation on Friday afternoon, July 26, 2024, and Celebration of Life, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. both in Bryan, Ohio, at a location yet to be determined. Interment with military rites will be held following the Celebration of Life at Shiffler Cemetery, Bryan, Ohio.
Memorials may be made to the Vernon L. French Memorial Scholarship c/o Bryan Area Foundation, P O Box 651, Bryan, Ohio 43506.
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