Obituary: In Memory of Lloyd Wayne Van Wormer

Lloyd Wayne Van Wormer, 73, died Monday, Oct. 18, 2010, in Kingman. He was a native of Arizona and was born to Lloyd and Lolita Van Wormer on May 8, 1937, in Cottonwood.

Lloyd is survived by his wife, Patsy Van Wormer; sons Trent (Tracy) Van Wormer of Meadview, Ariz., and Craig Van Wormer of Tucson, Ariz.; daughter Colleen (Ron) Betzing of Chandler, Ariz.; sister Carol (Bill) Reed of Glendale, Ariz.; stepsons Angel Perea and Joe John Perea of Las Vegas; and David (Laura) Perea of Laveen, Ariz.; stepdaughter Diana (James) Moua of Buckeye, Ariz.; 19 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his father-in-law, Henry Silva of Kingman; brother-in-law Gene (Dorothy) Silva of Las Vegas; sisters-in-law Yvonne (Joe) Waits-Robinson of Casa Grande, Sandy (Elno) Roundy and Teresa (Dave) Perry of Kingman, and Judy Silva of Chandler; one aunt, Anne Moore of Phoenix; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Lloyd grew up in Chino Valley on his family's farm. He often spoke about growing his strawberries as a young boy and selling them to the neighbors for 10 cents a basket, so he could go to the store and buy a grapette soda. 

He graduated from Prescott High School in 1954; was involved in FFA, student council member, played football, basketball and track and was a member of the Slide-Rule Club. He was an avid outdoorsman, who like to hunt, fish and camp where his family would get together. Truth be known, it was "Boys Weekend Away." Lloyd attended the University of Arizona - "Go Wildcats!" - and received his degree in electrical engineering in June 1960; he later attended Pima College in Tucson and received his Real Estate sale license in 1979.

Lloyd was a true veteran who loved his country and the American Flag. He served in the U.S Army Reserves from 1957 to 1962, when he received his honorable discharge. He received special training at Camp Roberts, Calif., to be a Radiological Monitor Instructor. 

In 1956, he went to work for Mountain Bell in Phoenix. He worked in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson and Flagstaff, Ariz., and was known throughout the state. He was on the original committee that started the Arizona Bluestake Program, attended the Bell System Technical Management and Instructor Training School in Denver, Tucson and Phoenix, and Lisle, Illinois; he held an Engineering "O" Rating. He retired at 48 from U.S. West in 1986 after nearly 30 years of service, as the Distribution Manager of Flagstaff and Tucson. He later decided to do contracting, and worked for Mountain Ltd. from 1986 to 1992 as the Senior Project Engineer in Tucson, contracted to U.S. West, Tucson; Contel of Virginia-Harrisonburg; GTE-Mount Vernon, Washington; Citizens Utilities/Frontier Communications in Kingman. He then retired from contracting in 2005.

Lloyd was very active and dedicated to the communities he lived in. He enjoyed coaching his two sons, Trent and Craig, was an player agent, elected President of the Little League in Tucson, elected senior vice president of the Kachina Club of Telephone Pioneers of America, appointed Mountain Bell representative and elected as a member of the board of directors, and the chairman of the Project Committee of Sunrise Rotary Club. Lloyd lead a Webelo Boy Scout Pack, was appointed Mountain Bell representative and member of New Industry Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, was an Elks member for 27 years and a lifetime member of the American Legion and member of VFW.

Lloyd was full of life, was a great storyteller and great storymaker. Everyone who knew him loved him for his sense of humor, love of country and his firm beliefs. "Go Wildcats!" 

A memorial service in his honor will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, at Sutton Memorial Funeral Home, 1701 Sycamore Ave., Kingman, with a celebration of his life to follow at the American Legion, Third Street and Oak in downtown Kingman.

In lieu of flowers, Lloyd would like you to donate to the Wounded Warriors Project to help our veterans.

Information provided by survivors.


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