Ronald F. LaMar

I, Ronald F. LaMar, 87, of Bettendorf entered the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House on September 28, 2023 and was assigned the same room my wife, Mary, had in 2011.  On September 30^th my spirit rose to join my loved ones in Heaven.

I was born on April 6, 1936, the son of Charles E. and Effie (Miller) LaMar.  My mother passed away of breast cancer when I was 17 months old.  I was sent to St. Vincent’s Orphanage at the age of 2 years, being the youngest ever taken in.  Girls and boys were housed on opposite sides of the building.  The children were divided into three different age groups, and due to this I very seldom was able to play with or see my siblings.  At the age of 9, I left the orphanage to live at my Uncle Jack and Aunt Mary’s farm in Albia, Iowa because he had broken his ankle and needed help.  My years on their farm were some of the best times in my life.

After 8^th grade graduation, I moved to a one room apartment that my dad had in the basement of St. Ambrose College campus.  The following four years, while attending St. Ambrose Academy, I worked at the college running the dishwasher, hand trimming the hedges lining the sidewalks, painting, wallpapering, and running the switchboard.  After finishing high school in 1954, I wasn’t able to live or work at the college, so I enlisted in the U.S. Army.

My life blossomed after falling in love with a gorgeous, sassy, redhead named Mary Garey.  She took my hand in marriage on April 2, 1960.  We shared 51 years of love, laughter, and disagreements before her passing in 2011.

I retired from J.I. Case in Bettendorf after 30 years when the plant closed.  Being a tool and die maker there, I strived to be a perfectionist with everything.

My greatest joy in life was my family and friends that I made along the way.  I was a proud father, grandpa, and great-grandpa.  Spending time with my family was my most precious gift in life.  I enjoyed sharing my cooking skills and trying to teach my family how to make my strawberry rhubarb pie and famous tacos.  Best of luck to you all!  I loved to lend a hand to others, gardening, cooking, fishing, being a Bix runner for 15 years, and an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan!

Those left to honor my memory are my daughter, Sandy LaMar; daughter-in-law, Sharon LaMar; step-son, David Goossen; my five grandchildren, Adam (Whitney) LaMar, Lauren (Mike) Crane, Chris Gamble, Mike Gamble, and Hunter Pieper; six great-grandchildren; my siblings, Charles (Nancy) LaMar and Charlotte Coffelt; many nieces and nephews; and my special friends and neighbors, Ron and Marilyn Perry.

I was preceded in death by my wife, Mary; children, Debe LaMar and Ronald L. LaMar; two children in infancy, John Charles and Mary Margaret LaMar; and my sister, Vanetta Vandello.

My family would like to thank Dr. Ammer Al-Dairi and Dr. Stephen Sorensen, as well as the nurses and staff at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House for their exceptional care and compassion.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. Noon on Friday, October 6^th at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf.  Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service.  Burial will be at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery, where military honors will be conducted.  Those attending are invited to wear black and gold in support of the Iowa Hawkeyes.  Memorials may be directed to the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House. 

Ron's funeral service will be live-streamed.  The link to view the service will appear below here by 11:45 a.m. on Friday.