Vernon Dale Tegethoff

Vernon Dale Tegethoff, 90, passed peacefully Saturday, December 9, 2023 at Washington County hospital.

Visitation will be Thursday, December 14, from 10 a.m. until service time at St. Augustine Catholic Church Washington, KS. 

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, December 14, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Washington, KS. Father David Metz will officiate and Gay Lynn Manning is the organist.  A luncheon will immediately follow the service at the church.  

Pallbearers are: Trevor Howey, Brandon Howey, Paul Broome, Tom Herrmann, Ron Herrmann and Corey Dusin.

Honorary pallbearers are: Robert Dusin, Mike Hood, Craig Fencl, Mike Graham, Darren Stewart, Thadd Tremblay, and Tyler Tremblay. 

Burial will be 1 p.m. in the Washington City Cemetery.

Born January 16, 1933, Vernon was the son of Bernard and Naomi (Windhorst) Tegethoff. Vernon married the love of his life, Janice Marie Tremblay, on September 10, 1961, in Washington, celebrating 62 years of marriage together. Vernon was an avid farmer and rancher and taking his experience with him to a successful career in crop adjusting. To Vernon, working fields and cattle was not just another job, it was his way of life. His immeasurable work ethic was proved by continuing work out in the fields into his 80s. A Korean war veteran of the Navy, Vernon was stationed at US Navrecsta on the USS Lewis from 1953-1957. He traveled across the equator visiting nearly 40 ports during his service.

In his later years, he started every morning drinking coffee and shooting the breeze with anyone who walked through Short Stop. Once the rest of the world was awake, you’d find him in the fields yelling “Ka-Boss” out the truck window with a trail of hungry cows following closely behind. Vernon also enjoyed spending quality time with his family. You would regularly find him enjoying a competitive game of pitch and sneaking his grandkids scratch tickets. He would even pay us out our own winnings. He was also quick to jump at any hunting trip opportunity with his grandsons, even though they usually only brought back squirrels and everlasting memories. He was also his children and grandchildren’s trustworthy source of life skills and irreplaceable wisdom, always lending an ear to any problem or dilemma you may have. Vernon was always ready to lend a helping hand to a neighbor in need and didn’t know a stranger. He was the greatest father, grandpa and husband and will be missed by so many. We imagine Grandpa Vernon is up in heaven enjoying a cold Budweiser surrounded by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Janice, of the home; a son, Scott Tegethoff of New York City, NY.; a daughter, Marcie Howey of Ponca City, OK; a granddaughter, Allyson (Paul) Broome of Ponca City, OK; two grandsons, Trevor Howey and Brandon Howey both of Ponca City, OK; three great grandchildren, Baylee, Finley and Beckham Broome of Ponca City, OK; and a sister, Ileen (Lane) Lummus of Arroyo Grande, CA.