William Earl Vantassel

William Earl VanTassel was born on May 18, 1923, on a farm near Vilas, Colorado, to John Alonzo VanTassel and Emma Avelda (Thompson) VanTassel and passed away on December 11, 2010, in West Plains, Missouri at 87 years of age.


Earl grew up in a Christian family and accepted Christ as his savior at a young age. He graduated from Walsh High School in 1941.

Earl entered the United States Marine Corps March 24, 1944; was sent to Pearl Harbor on September 10, 1944; and to Guam in late October 1944. His company in the Third Marine Division arrived in Iwo Jima, January, 1945, where his company assisted in the capturing of the island for the United States.

He returned to the states in May of 1946, and raised broomcorn in southeast Colorado. On April 17, 1947, he married Ruby Lucille Burhenn. He was called back for service in 1951 for the Korean War in the Marine Corps in 1950 and was stationed in Camp Pendleton where his first daughter Rita Louise was born April 5, 1951.

Earl qualified as a Sharp Shooter Rifleman, was issued the American Theater of Operations Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Theater of Operations Ribbon with a star, the Occupation of China Ribbon with a star, the World War II Victory Medal and two Honorable Discharges: World War II and Korean War.

In 1952 he moved his family to Bethune, Colorado. Three more children were born to the family: Ernest Lee, October 10, 1955; Karen Fern, September 13, 1959; and Lora June, March 18 1966. While raising his family he owned and operated a farm near Bethune, Colorado, raising registered Ayrshires and growing irrigated alfalfa, corn, and sorghum. He and Ruby were charter members of The First Baptist Church of Burlington, Colorado where he taught Sunday School and served in other leadership roles.

Earl married Rosa Powers June 2, 1991, in Thornton, Colorado. He and Rosa first lived in Burlington. They later moved to Ordway where he was employed by the Colorado Department of Corrections and then moved to Idalia, Colorado. He and Rosa moved to Mountain Grove, Missouri, in May of 1999, where they owned and operated a dairy. Attending church was important to Earl, and wherever he lived, church attendance was a part of his life.

Besides his parents, Earl was preceded in death by three brothers, four sisters, and one great-grandson.

He is survived by his wife of the home, Rosa; one son: Ernest VanTassel and his wife, Kim, of Cabool, Missouri; three daughters: Rita Hendon and her husband, Ronnie, of Hawley, Texas; Karen Loganbill and her husband, Larry, of Moundridge, Kansas; and Lora Paz and her husband, James, of Yoder, Wyoming; three step-sons; three step-daughters; one sister: Alta England of Duea, Texas; seventeen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; and a host of other family, friends, church family, and neighbors who will greatly miss him.


Funeral Services: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 1:00 PM in the Southside Baptist Church, Mtn. Grove.

Visitation: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel.

Burial: Friday, December 17, 2010 at 2:00 PM in the Stonington Cemetery, Stonington Colorado

Memorial Contributions: Missouri Baptist Children's Home c/o the funeral home.