Dewan Robinson

Vernon Dewan Robinson, one of three sons of Fred Leon and Dessa Mae (Ferguson) Robinson was born July 17, 1923 at Oakland, IA and died July 1, 2011 at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home in Oakland at the age of 87 years.

Dewan graduated from Oakland High School with the class of 1943 and enlisted in the Air Force the same year. He flew 32 missions over Germany during WWII. On the 19th mission, over Liege Belgium, his crew was forced to bail out when another plane cut off their wing. The parachute was sent home and Marjorie's wedding gown was made from it. He and Marjorie Denton were married on August 25, 1946 in the Christian Church at Oakland. Two sons were born to this union, Jeffrey Lynn and Greg Dewan.

Dewan loved farming and feeding cattle. They farmed the McArthur Ranch for 22 years. In 1969, they built a new home on Highway 6 and continued to farm. Dewan continued to farm until failing health caused him to move to the Oakland Manor Nursing Home.
Dewan was a member of the Oakland Congregational Church – UCC, a fifty year member of ARK Lodge #335 A.F. & A.M. and the Eastern Star, a member of the Tangier Shrine in Omaha, the V.F.W. in Oakland, and had served on the Pottawattamie County Planning and Zoning Commission for 20 years. In 1948, Dewan won the Pottawattamie County corn yield contest and in 1990 won the National Soil and Water Conservation Award for Iowa.


Dewan is survived by his wife Marjorie; his sons, Jeff Robinson and wife Deborah and Greg Robinson; and his grandchildren: Mary Elizabeth, Laura Christine, and Simone Dessa. He is also survived by many other relatives and friends.

A memorial services will be held on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Oakland Congregatonal Church in Oakland. There will be a private family interment at Oaklawn Cemetery before the services at the church. There is no scheduled visitation time. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is in charge of arrangements.