×

Veryl L. Champine

Veryl L. Champine

GRANADA — Services for Veryl L. Champine, 74, of rural Granada, Minn., will be 11 a.m. Monday, April 30, 2018, at United Methodist Church in Fairmont. Following the service at the church, full military honors will be presented by the Lee C. Prentice American Legion Post 36 and the Martin County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1222 of Fairmont. Burial will be in Lake Belt Cemetery near Ceylon.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Sunday, April 29, 2018, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, and will continue one hour prior to the time of service at the church. Veryl passed away Tuesday evening, April 24, 2018, peacefully at his home.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Veryl Lloyd Champine was born Jan. 1, 1944, in Fairmont, Minn., the son of George “Colonel” and Grace (Myers) Champine of Ceylon, Minn. He was baptized and confirmed at the Ceylon Methodist Church.

Veryl was united in marriage to Cheryl Ann Dietz of Fairmont at Fairmont United Methodist Church on April 19, 1969.

Veryl was a member of the Fairmont United Methodist Church, where he served as an usher, trustee, Sunday School teacher and financial secretary. He was a member of the National Honor Society and Mensa, a Life Member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW Honor Guard Commander, a former Cub and Boy Scout Scoutmaster, former President of the Truman Jaycees, former member of the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, and coached Little League baseball for several years.

He shot on the National Guard state competitive rifle team for several years and was the only member of the Fairmont Guard unit to ever shoot a perfect score on the rifle range. Veryl also shot trap at the Truman Gun Club for over 40 years and loved the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, where he made numerous trips with his three sons.

Veryl grew up on the family homestead (est. 1862) west of Ceylon and graduated from Ceylon High School in 1961. He attended Mankato State College before joining the Navy, serving from March 1962 to June 1966. He made two cruises to the Western Pacific as a member of fighter squadron VF154 aboard the USS Coral Sea. The second cruise was at the beginning of the Vietnam War and included an at-sea time of 115 days without entering port. He also served in the National Guard from January 1974 until retiring in January 1991.

Veryl worked as an engineer and plant manager for Central Telephone and its subsidiaries for 35 years, retiring at age 58 in 2002. Starting in 1969, Veryl and Cheryl traveled abroad extensively, making numerous trips to Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Central America. They traveled to 52 countries in all, plus 47 of the 50 states.

Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Jon (Bobbi) of San Diego, Calif., Jay (Melissa) of Burnsville, Minn., and Jacques (Maggie) of Minneapolis, Minn.; three granddaughters, Georgia, Sienna and Harper; and one grandson, Chase. He is also survived by one brother, Robert (Lois) Champine of Ceylon, Minn.; two sisters, Jeanne Lamp of Grand Meadow, Minn., and Marilyn Will of Northfield, Minn.; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Sara Champine of Puryear, Tenn., Sam (Jim) Frisch of Fairmont, Donna (Dick) Hoffman of Fairmont, Doreen (Peter) Holte of Golden Valley, Cindy Mathison of Belvedere, Ill., LeAnn (Ralph) Riegel of University Place, Wash., Bonnie (Dennis) Gilliam of Fairmont, Tracy (Brian) Peymann of St. Peter, Michael (Cheryl) Dietz of Fairmont and Brian (Michelle) Dietz of Marengo, Iowa; as well as many nieces and nephews, extended family and friends.

Veryl was preceded in death by his parents, George and Grace Champine; his wife and love of his life, Cheryl Champine; and three brothers, Donald Champine, Ray Champine and Jerry Champine.

The family requests memorials be given in Veryl’s name to Fairmont United Methodist Church or the donor’s choice.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]