Carl E. Vinall

Carl E. Vinall, 101, of Kellogg, died Monday, April 27, 2020, at the home of his daughter in Grinnell.

Born Oct. 19, 1918, on the family farm near Kellogg, Carl was the youngest son of Samuel and Verda Trout Vinall. When Carl was a young boy, the family moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to farm and attend rural schools throughout the “Dirty Thirties.” In 1938, the family returned to the states and Carl graduated from Kellogg High School in 1939.

In 1942, Carl was inducted into the Army and served with the 33rd Infantry Division during World War II in Hawaii, New Guinea, the Philippines and Japan before his discharge in 1945, when he returned home to farm.

On Nov. 29, 1952, Carl was united in marriage to Wilma Chamberlain in Newton, a marriage of 67 years. In addition to crop and livestock farming in the Rock Creek area, Carl also did custom work and later trucking for local businesses, all while caring for a family of three children, Vicki, Linda and Michael.

Carl and Wilma loved to travel and beginning in 1976, enjoyed winters in the South and Southwest. Throughout their travels, they maintained friendships with many other “snowbirds” and Army veterans. Carl also enjoyed reading, playing cards, watching westerns and Jeopardy, and keeping up with news events. He was a member of Kellogg United Methodist Church.

Carl is survived by his wife, Wilma Vinall of Grinnell; daughters, Vicki Vinall of Grinnell and Linda Vinall of Des Moines; two granddaughters, Chrystal Vinall Williams and Vanessa Williams; great-granddaughter, Machelle; and special nephew, Sam Vinall and his wife Joyce of Oklahoma; nephew, Sam; and special friends, Cindy and Dennis Bates; in addition to extended family and many old friends. Carl was preceded in death by his parents; older brother, Don; and son, Michael Carl in 1976.

Memorials in Carl’s name may be made to Unity Point Grinnell Regional Medical Center Hospice or to Mayflower Community Human Needs Fund.

A celebration of life will be in October with burial of cremains in Silent City Cemetery, Kellogg.