John C. Gavagan

John C. Gavagan, 84, of rural State Center, died early Sunday morning, February 10th, at the Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 15th, at the St. Josephs Catholic Church in State Center with Fr. Rick Dagit officiating. He will be laid to rest in St. Josephs Cemetery at State Center with military honors by the Rhodes American Legion. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home West Marshall Chapel in State Center with a 7:00 p.m. vigil service. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Mitchell Family Funeral Home West Marshall Chapel 641-483-2900. Born John Charles Gavagan on November 16th, 1923, in Marshalltown, he was the only child of Bryon and Francis (Wilson) Gavagan. He graduated from the Marshalltown High Schools Class of 1943. John served our country honorably in the United States Army Air Corps during WWII. On February 4th, 1950, in Marshalltown, he was united in marriage to (Mary) Joan Alvey. They resided in Marshalltown until moving to the State Center community in 1972. Mr. Gavagan retired from Fisher Controls after 33 years of service. He was a member of the St. Josephs Catholic Church, the Rhodes American Legion, Fisher 25 year Club, Central Iowa Amateur Radio Operators and Cub/Boy Scouts of America. Many will remember Johns storytelling and sense of humor. He respected Native American traditions and culture, going to Pow-Wows and rendezvous, the outdoors, carving totem poles, woodworking, using ham radios and cbs farming and gardening and winemaking. He enjoyed a new recipe to try and would answer his phone White Wolf Lodge- after his nickname, White Wolf. Surviving are his eight children: Aggie Gavagan of Brookshire, Texas, Peter (Sandee) Gavagan of Steamboat Rock, Iowa, Margee (Dale) Weston of Marshalltown, Mary Catherine Vaughn of Laurel, Pat (Darren) Rivas of Lawrenceville, GA, Mike Gavagan of Marshalltown, Mary Jo (Kevin) Morton of Melbourne and Sgt. Joe (Kim) Gavagan stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky; 25 grandchildren: Lisa and Phillip Gavagan, Angie (Chad) Snyder, B.J. and Michelle Frost, Tresse (Travis) Blubaugh, Andy Weston, T.J. and Alex Vaughn, Bryon and Pvt. Nicholas Carroll, Travis and Amanda Rivas, Jamie (Dani) Gavagan, John Gavagan, Shelly Million and Kari Gavagan, Samantha (Shawn) Fox, Christine, John, Becky and Jake Morton, E-4 Spec. Joseph Gavagan and Ethan and Levi Gavagan, and 18 great-grandchildren. In death he has rejoined his parents, wife Joan, son-in-law Tom Vaughn, grandson Brandon Gavagan and aunt Alice Maygar.