Vernon Ernest Claus Holsten

Vernon Ernest Claus Holsten was born on February 3, 1924, the son of Claus A. and Lena Young Holsten, at their home northeast of Stover, MO. He was baptized February 19, 1924 by Pastor Daniel Dietz. He was confirmed on September 5, 1937 by Pastor E. O. Baach at Pyrmont Trinity Lutheran Church. Vernon was married on April 19, 1959 to Virgie Mae Lemler at Christ Lutheran Church by Pastor Vernon Rodie.

Vernon died on March 18, 2010 of natural causes at Bothwell Regional Health Center. Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Virgie; two sons, Wayne and his wife Shelley of Lone Jack, and Stuart and his wife Tina of Stover; and eight grand children, Joshua, Elizabeth, Anna, Mitchell, Shannon, Daniel, Rachel, and Abigail.

Preceding him in death were his parents; two brothers, Richard who died in WWII and Orva as a five-week old infant; and one infant granddaughter, Eirana Holsten

In his own words, Vernon wrote about his life, "My early years I was a member of Pyrmont Trinity Church, then transferred to Christ Lutheran in Stover where I held several positions on the church council and taught some Sunday school. Later we joined Grace Lutheran Church at Versailles. My faith has always been an important part of my life, also providing for my family was always a great joy for me.
My first eight years of school was in a one room country school, then high school in Stover. After high school, I enrolled in a technical school for machine shop training. I then worked in a defense plant in St. Louis as a machinist. Later I came back home to help Mom and Dad on the farm.
My interest in machines took me to heavy equipment. I owned and operated heavy equipment for fifty years, as a land improvement contractor, road building and maintenance, and where ever heavy equipment was needed. I was a member of the Land Improvement Contractors of America, served as secretary and vice president of the Missouri group, secretary and president on the regional level. I served twelve years on the Morgan County R-1 school board.
After retiring from construction, I've been on the farm raising livestock, also as a hobby doing woodworking. I always enjoyed making things, including the machine shop work."

To his family, Vernon was a devoted and loving husband and father. To his friends and neighbors, he was a true friend and neighbor. One of his favorite verses was "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phi 1:21)
Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, March 23, at the Grace Lutheran Church in Versailles with Pastor Erik Rottmann officiating. Interment will be in the Kipp Addition of the Versailles Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5:30 P.M.-7:30 P.M. Monday, March 22, at the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home in Stover, with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M.