Monday, November 13, 2017

Obituary -- Lanny DeMott 1938-2017

Celebration of Life will be held November 15, 2017, 2 PM at United Methodist Church in Bedford. Family will be receiving friends and family before the service from 12 noon to 2 PM at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Taylor County Fair Board for the 4-H Cattle Program. Private family interment of ashes will occur at a later time on the family farm south of town. Services have been entrusted to the Cummings Family Funeral Home.

Lanny A. DeMott, 79, of Bedford IA passed away November 9, 2017 at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, IA.

Lanny Albert DeMott was born in rural Hopkins, Missouri, to Albert and Lucille (Lett) DeMott on February 1, 1938. He was welcomed by a sister Suzanne, and later gained a brother Steve. Lanny was raised in the Wray Memorial United Methodist Church in Hopkins and proudly often told that he had perfect attendance in Sunday School. Lanny was passionate about showing cattle in 4-H even if his older sister always won, but he could always trump her in showmanship. This love of cattle showing continued with his children and grandchildren today.

Lanny graduated from Bedford High School with the class of 1956, and was a graduate of Iowa State University class of 1960 with a degree in Animal Husbandry. Lanny was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, where he made many life long friends. At ISU, Lanny served as a member of the Agricultural Council, and was on the livestock judging and meat teams. He worked hard and was honored to be on the traveling judging team. He continued to do livestock judging even after college. Lanny was also a member of the ROTC during college and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in United States Army stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, following graduation. After earning rank as a First Lieutenant and discharge from the Army, he worked a short stint for a livestock commission company in Omaha, Nebraska. Lanny then took a position for the Aberdeen Angus Journal in Webster City, Iowa, covering eight western states and Canada. Lanny’s next career move was General Manager of the Haystack Angus Ranch in Longmont, Colorado.

On July 16, 1966, Lanny married Janet Beemer at the United Methodist Church in Bedford and to this union six children were born. Lanny and Jan returned to the farm south of Bedford in June of 1968, where he farmed and raised angus cattle. In the early 80’s the family moved east of Bedford and purchased Taylor County Agri Center, selling feed and seed. In 1980, Lanny started selling real estate under Property Exchange, Inc. in 3 states. In 2007, Lanny purchased land in South Dakota and so enjoyed time spent on the farms there. He had a fondness for visiting with people and made lasting friendships wherever he went. Lanny looked forward to family gatherings and was very proud of all his children and grandchildren. When all thirty plus family members and the large array of dogs gathered at home, there was rarely a dull moment! During all this commotion, Lanny could be found in his room where it was a bit quieter, cheering on his ISU Cyclones.

He not only enjoyed his cattle, but also Labrador dogs. In the last several years he purchased eleven new lab pups for himself, kids and the grandkids. Known to be a food critic Lanny offered honest feedback on dishes, especially his family’s cooking. If you wanted to know the best place to eat, ANYWHERE, you could ask Lanny and he would know.

Lanny kept up with technology, and was quite fond of his iPad to be informed of the latest news, research the latest medical treatments, and buy cattle online. You could often find him watching Fox News. He loved to talk politics and respectfully share views with his friends and family, sometimes turning into entertaining debates with his siblings and older grandchildren, usually ending in chuckles from Lanny. All in all, Lanny lived life with optimism, whether in business, politics, ISU Cyclones, his health and children...he could always see a way for things to work.

Proceeding him in death are his parents, Albert and Lucille DeMott, and brother-in-law Robert Webb.

Lanny is survived by his wife of 51 years Janet, his children Tracey (Rob) Olsen of Newell IA; Scott (Jackie) DeMott of Little Rock AR; Juliane (Matt) Daughton of Kellerton IA; John (Angela) DeMott of Bedford IA; Holly DeMott (Scott Flohr) of Scottsdale AZ; Thomas (Jennifer) DeMott of Bedford IA; sister Suzanne Webb of Ashburn VA and brother Steve (Karen) DeMott of Hot Springs AR; fourteen grandchildren: Connor and Jack Ave, Grace and Gage Olsen, Lindsey (John) Griesse and son Bennett, Cameron DeMott, Lannie Paige, Cal, and Marcus Daughton, Ryan DeMott, Carter, Kegan, Colt, and Lucy DeMott, nephew Jeffrey Tunks and nieces Michele King, Jill Wright, Jennifer DeMott, as well as many other family and friends.

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