Annie Vermilyea, 85, Dexter

Published 10:51 am Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Annie ‘Ann’ Vermilyea, 85, of Dexter, Minn., died Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, at Our House Memory Care in Austin after a heroic battle with Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Ann Vermilyea

The daughter of George and Reka (Hofdman) Vogelsang, Annie was born on May 20, 1927, on the family farm. She was the fifth of 12 children. She attended the Monitor Rural School through eighth grade, and then two years of high school in Elkton, Minn. Ann often told of milking 20 cows alone on Monday nights so the family could attend the free movie in Dexter.

On Nov. 22, 1945, she married Everett Vermilyea at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Elkton. To this union five children were born. Ann worked as a waitress at Nickerson Farms and the Windmill Restaurant. A member of Dexter United Methodist Church, Ann taught Sunday school and belonged to the Evening Circle. She was an avid bowler and won many trophies. She liked playing cards (500) in the Monitor Neighbors Card Club, going to the casino and gardening flowers and vegetables. Her greatest love was doing daycare, which she did for 20 years. These children came to be like family to Ann.

Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Everett Vermilyea of Dexter; her children Kenneth (Elaine) Vermilyea of Blooming Prairie, Minn., Ronald (Kaloha) Vermilyea of Bull Shoals, Ark., Daniel (Joyce) Vermilyea of Austin, Cathy (Dave) Braaten of Dexter; daughter-in-law Colleen Vermilyea of West Concord, Minn.; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mary Halvorson of Phoenix, Ariz., Helen (Ralph) Colberg of St. Cloud, Minn., Clara Vasey of Austin, Margaret Schraefel of Austin; two brothers George Vogelsang of Mammoth Springs, Ark., and John Vogelsang of Austin. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Reka Vogelsang; a son, Dean Vermilyea on May 2, 2010; a granddaughter Kim Vermilyea; five brothers Lupke, Bernard, Rudy, Henry, and Fred.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, at Dexter United Methodist Church with the Rev. Karen Ashton officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Dexter United Methodist Church, and one hour prior to the service on Thursday. Interment will be in the Dexter Cemetery. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.