Lawrence Clough

Lawrence Dean Clough, son of Wilbur L Clough and Edna Mae (Brown) Clough was born January 2, 1934 in Benton County, Iowa and passed from this life Friday, January 13, 2023 at Community Living Center at the VA Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa at 89 years of age.

Lawrence grew up in the Waterloo area and graduated early from Waterloo West High School where he was a strong wrestler.  Following his early graduation, he was drafted to the U.S. Army where he was stationed in Germany and served from 1953 until 1955 receiving an honorable discharge.  He was united in marriage to Marlys Louise Yuska on June 3, 1956 in Waterloo, Iowa, where three daughters blessed this union.

Lawrence was a hard working and loving family man. He worked for Titus Manufacturing in Waterloo for 28 years, until the plant closed.  Then worked at John Deere and Ryder Logistics. He also fixed lawnmowers and drove semi hauling tomatoes during those seasons. With the help of his daughters, he tore down an old building, and built a cabin in Littleton, Iowa where many summers were spent.

Lawrence and Marlys lived in Washburn Iowa for 40 years until retirement age and they moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas to golf and relax, but he worked at the driving range picking up balls and was a custodian of the Bella Vista Community Church.  They remained there for 18 years before moving to Osceola, Iowa to be closer to their children.

He enjoyed golf and attended a PGA outing.  There were many golf tournaments with his daughter Sue.  Lawrence also enjoyed deer hunting, and fishing, with an annual fishing trip with the family in the early years.   He was an avid gardener raising bountiful produce which they canned and enjoyed throughout the year, he also enjoyed yard work.   Lawrence and Marlys enjoyed having a foreign exchange student in 1973, Maria Sardilli, and later making a 3 week trip to Brazil to attend her wedding and visit her family, they have continued to keep in touch and visit frequently.  They played cards, enjoyed dancing, bus trips and traveling to Branson and Silver Dollar City where they celebrated a family outing for their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  

Lawrence was a very active member of the churches they attended in the many communities they lived in, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Washburn, Iowa, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and served as an elder and he also was a board member of the First Christian Church in Osceola.   He was also a member of the American Legion.

Those relatives who preceded Lawrence in death were his parents, Wilbur and Edna Clough, sister, Delores, and brothers, Wayne, and Harold and James (in infancy).

Lawrence leaves to cherish his memory; loving wife of 66 years, Marlys Clough of Osceola, IA, daughter, Sue (Kenny) Wilder of Osceola, IA, daughter, Kristi (Rocky) Smalley of Raymond, IA, daughter, Wendy (Dave) Hickok of Lena, IL; 5 grandchildren - Jake (Emily) Smalley of Cedar Falls, Linsey (John) Senn of Washburn, Heather (David) Van Dee of Waterloo, Meagan (Joe) Brickler of Deer Park, IL and Tyler (John) Hickok of Chicago;  7 great grandchildren - Ben and Allie Smalley, Isaiah (Abbey) Smalley, Reighlyn and Nataleigh Ford, Nathan and Damian Brickler, as well as other relatives and many friends.

Cremation was entrusted to Kale Funeral Home in Osceola and burial of his cremations will be in the Garden of Memories in Waterloo, Iowa  at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the family.