Vernon John Dostal, age 78, of Grinnell, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2014, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grinnell with Father Ron Hodges presiding. Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. His family will be present to greet friends from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. A scripture service will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials may be designated to the St. Mary's Catholic Church, the American Lung Association, or to the American Heart Association, mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with his family at www.smithfh.com. Vernon was born the son of John and Barbara (Lala) Dostal on February 11, 1936, in Oxford, Iowa. He was raised near Oxford and graduated from Oxford High School with the class of 1954. Following his education, he worked on the Robert Meade family farm and then at Nagle Lumberyard in Iowa City. He also drove truck for a private trucking company in Iowa City. He was united in marriage to Jane Meade on June 6, 1955, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Cosgrove, Iowa. To this union were born five children - Cathy, Pam, Dusty, Dennie & Robin. The family moved to Grinnell in 1968 and Vernon was employed at Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance as a claims adjuster. After 29 years of dedication he retired from Grinnell Mutual in 1997. Vernon and Jane have been faithful members of St. Mary's Catholic Church for 45 years and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 40 years. Vernon will be lovingly remembered for being a family man, a man of faith, and a man of few words. He dearly loved his family and always looked forward to the holidays when the family would get together. He dearly loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and looked forward to attending their activities. Vernon enjoyed taking his grandchildren on the annual trip to Adventureland each summer, as they turned five. He was an avid woodworker and carpenter who spent countless hours in his woodworking shop. His enjoyments included coaching little league baseball and playing on the Grinnell Mutual slow pitch softball team when he was younger, hunting squirrels and pheasants and playing cards, especially Euchre. He held a special love for his black German Shepherd, Nikki. Vernon is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jane Dostal of Grinnell; children, Cathy (Kenney) Keenan of Kellogg, Pam (Stan) McIlrath of Grinnell, Dusty Dostal of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, Dennie (Chris) Dostal of Loveland, Colorado, and Robin (Bill) Paterson of Odenten, Maryland; 16 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren;  and 3 sisters, Marguerite Harney and Phyllis Terrell, both of Iowa City, and De Buchanan of Toms River, New Jersey. Vernon was preceded in death by his parents. Reception: St. Mary's Religious Education Center 1013 Broad Street, Grinnell , IA 50112