John William Lyman, 78, of Verndale died March 28, 2006, at the St. Cloud Hospital.
He was born April 16, 1927, in Valley City, N.D., to Samuel Bradley Lyman and Myrtle Agnes (Togstad) Lyman. He and his family moved to Verndale. He worked with his family on their farm until Aug. 27, 1952, when he joined the U.S. Army. He was stationed as a military policeman in Germany. After being honorably discharged from the Army on Aug. 11, 1954, he came back to the United States. In 1957 he married Betty Ortel, who, with her daughter, had accompanied him from Germany. They lived in Minneapolis. They later divorced. Being a farm boy at heart, he moved back to the open country he loved. He worked on old farm tractors and machinery. He loved having family visit, and his grandchildren spent summers and winters with him. He was known as outgoing and had no trouble making friends. His favorite pastime was talking and telling stories about tractors, his time in the Army and farm stories from his childhood.
His funeral was April 2 at Oylen Alliance Tabernacle with Pastor Neal Malcore officiating. Active casketbearers were Tony Royal, Tim Royal, Chris Royal, Cecil Johnson, Russ Cameron and Byron Beedle Jr. Berg. Nyland American Legion Post 456 of Sebeka provided military honors. Honorary casketbearers were all his friends.
Survivors include his daughter, Anna Theresa (ODwyer Ferguson Royal) Royal of St. Paul; four sisters, Doris Pepasky of Wadena, Dorothy (Harold) Schwartz of Edina, Mary (Allen) McDermott of Colorado and Shirley (Tom) OBrien of Shoreview; two brothers, Kenny (Susan) Lyman of South Dakota and Paul (Darlene) Tennesse; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
