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Virgil R. Pyle, 90, of Cherokee passed away Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, at his residence surrounded by family.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 10:30 a.m. First Church of Christ in Cherokee. Pastor David Hall will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee. Visitation will be held Monday, Oct. 14, from 4-7 p.m. with family present from 5-7 p.m. at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Virgil’s honor to Cherokee Regional Hospice or Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.
Virgil Ross Pyle was born March 28, 1934, in Slayton, Minn., to Ray and Jennie (Ross) Pyle. He was the ninth of nine children born in the Pyle family. Virgil and his siblings grew up in Canby, Minn., on a farm. He left Canby High School in 1951 and moved to Cherokee to be near his sister and grandparents. Virgil worked on several different farms as a farm hand.
On June 6, 1954, he married Patty Peterson of Cherokee, his brother-in-law’s sister. Virgil and Patty met in 1950 at a picnic in Canby, Minn., celebrating the engagement of their siblings. They bought a farm near Washta, and proceeded to raise corn, beans, hay, cattle, hogs, sheep and kids. Virgil and Patty raised three sons and two daughters, four on the farm and one in Storm Lake.
Virgil changed occupations after 20 years of farming and for 22 years sold seed corn for Mellow Dent of Alta. During that time, they moved to an acreage between Storm Lake and Alta and started V.P. Antiques. Virgil and Patty enjoyed the shop until she developed cancer and passed away in January 2001.
Virgil got reacquainted with lifelong friend Joyce Phipps of Cherokee, and they wed in November 2001. Virgil sold the acreage and the shop and moved to Cherokee shortly after. Virgil and Joyce enjoyed traveling together, visiting nearly every state plus Australia, New Zealand and Canada. They also spent their time volunteering at church and other organizations around town such as Meals on Wheels and the Lions Club. He also drove many shut-ins to their appointments in and around Cherokee and Storm Lake.
Virgil was a very generous man, who helped a lot of people, either lending a hand or giving them a loan. He always gave to people in need. Virgil was loved by many and will be dearly missed.
He was preceded in death by his wife Patty Pyle; second wife Joyce (Phipps) Pyle; parents, Ray and Jennie Pyle; his six brothers and two sisters; and two daughters-in-law, Rene Pyle and Hazel Pyle.
Virgil is survived by his three sons and two daughters: Mike (Marlene) Pyle of Cherokee; Terry Pyle of Elizabeth, Colo.; Dennis (Mindy) Pyle of Storm Lake; Vicki (Kirby) Gilson of Urbandale; and Shelly (Charlie) Green of Wichita, Kan.; grandchildren: Janna (Matt) Utesch, Gabe Pyle, Ty (Christi) Pyle, Luke (Gretchen) Pyle, Tera Howe, Joel (Indy) Gilson, Calvin Pyle, Courtney (Calob) Climer, Chad Gilson, Nicole (Kyle) Barnes, Landon Green, Colin Green, Whitney Green and Haley Green; 13 great-grandchildren; also many nieces and nephews.
