Robert Dave Force
March 17, 1946 — August 14, 2007
Robert "Dave" Force was born on March 17, 1946 to Dale and Jean (Fritts) Force in Portland, Oregon. He was confirmed at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church. He attended elementary school in Portland and graduated at Rainier High School in Rainier, Oregon, with the Class of 1964. He continued his education at Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, Washington.
Dave left college to enlist in the United States Air Force in 1965. He received his specialty training and worked as a weather forecaster, beginning with Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois and ending with Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. He also served in a financial capacity at the Army Chapel in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. During the summer of 1967, Dave met LaVonne Walker on McChord Air Force Base in Washington State. It was at the base that Dave was united in marriage to LaVonne two years later on June 5, 1969. One son, Steven, was born to this union. He was also stationed at Thulle Air Force Base in Greenland for one year of duty.
Dave spent twenty-six years in the Air Force, obtaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant, and receiving his honorable discharge on November 1, 1991. After becoming a civilian, he went back to college and obtained his degree in computerized bookkeeping at Charter College in Anchorage, Alaska. After completing his degree, Dave worked as a full charge bookkeeper for two construction companies until his retirement in July 2006. Between the summer of 1997 and September of 2006, when Dave and LaVonne moved to Harlan, he was very active at Dimond Grace Fellowship in Anchorage. He had a servant�s heart and was an Elder, bookkeeper, teacher, and leader, touching many lives as he lived for our Lord.
Dave and LaVonne enjoyed spending time with family and often vacationed together with her sisters and their husbands. Dave was very proud of the accomplishments of his son Steven and wife Melanie. He was the best grandpa to Malcolm, Cameron, and Isabella, playing with them and spoiling them as much as he could.
Dave became sick in June of 2007 and was admitted to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that he died on August 14, 2007, having attained the age of sixty-one years, four months, and twenty-eight days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Sumner Earlywine, and his step-mother Patience Force.
He is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, LaVonne of Harlan, Iowa; his son Steven Force and wife Melanie of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; three grandchildren: Malcolm, Cameron, and Isabella; his brothers: Don Earlywine and wife Annie of Prineville, Oregon, Dan Force and wife Diane of Vancouver, Washington, and Tim Force of Rainier, Oregon; nieces, nephews, other family members, and many friends.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, with Rev. Chris Ball and Rev. Gundar Lamberts officiating the 1:30 PM service at First Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Mike Dorland, Jeremy Walker, David Martin, Jim Powell, Mike Brandt, and Joe Powell. Military Rites were held by the Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 and Shelby County VFW Post No. 941 at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan.
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Dave left college to enlist in the United States Air Force in 1965. He received his specialty training and worked as a weather forecaster, beginning with Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois and ending with Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. He also served in a financial capacity at the Army Chapel in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. During the summer of 1967, Dave met LaVonne Walker on McChord Air Force Base in Washington State. It was at the base that Dave was united in marriage to LaVonne two years later on June 5, 1969. One son, Steven, was born to this union. He was also stationed at Thulle Air Force Base in Greenland for one year of duty.
Dave spent twenty-six years in the Air Force, obtaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant, and receiving his honorable discharge on November 1, 1991. After becoming a civilian, he went back to college and obtained his degree in computerized bookkeeping at Charter College in Anchorage, Alaska. After completing his degree, Dave worked as a full charge bookkeeper for two construction companies until his retirement in July 2006. Between the summer of 1997 and September of 2006, when Dave and LaVonne moved to Harlan, he was very active at Dimond Grace Fellowship in Anchorage. He had a servant�s heart and was an Elder, bookkeeper, teacher, and leader, touching many lives as he lived for our Lord.
Dave and LaVonne enjoyed spending time with family and often vacationed together with her sisters and their husbands. Dave was very proud of the accomplishments of his son Steven and wife Melanie. He was the best grandpa to Malcolm, Cameron, and Isabella, playing with them and spoiling them as much as he could.
Dave became sick in June of 2007 and was admitted to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that he died on August 14, 2007, having attained the age of sixty-one years, four months, and twenty-eight days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Sumner Earlywine, and his step-mother Patience Force.
He is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, LaVonne of Harlan, Iowa; his son Steven Force and wife Melanie of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; three grandchildren: Malcolm, Cameron, and Isabella; his brothers: Don Earlywine and wife Annie of Prineville, Oregon, Dan Force and wife Diane of Vancouver, Washington, and Tim Force of Rainier, Oregon; nieces, nephews, other family members, and many friends.
A funeral service was held on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, with Rev. Chris Ball and Rev. Gundar Lamberts officiating the 1:30 PM service at First Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Mike Dorland, Jeremy Walker, David Martin, Jim Powell, Mike Brandt, and Joe Powell. Military Rites were held by the Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 and Shelby County VFW Post No. 941 at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan.
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