Richard “Pete” VanHorn, 83 of Butler, Missouri passed away peacefully on Friday, October 27 2023 at his home in Butler, Missouri. Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Mullinax Funeral Home (660-679-0009) in Butler. Visitation will be prior to services from 10-11 AM at the funeral home. Burial in Fairview Cemetery, Butler. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Fairview Cemetery. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Richard “Pete” Leon VanHorn was born on October 12, 1940 at
home in Nyhart, Missouri, son of Lawrence Leslie Van Horn and Mildred Francis
(Dunlap) Van Horn.
Pete began his school years at Tripp School before
attending Butler High School where he graduated in 1958. While in grade school Pete worked for
Lloyd Bottoms picking and selling watermelons on Saturdays, and in high school
Pete was a member of FFA. After graduating he worked in construction with Dean
Connor in Kansas City for one year, and later with Leroy Jones and Wesley Pike
building homes in Butler. Pete taught woodworking for several years at Peru
Star 4-H Club. He started working with the Associated Natural Gas Company in
the mid 1960’s, Atmos Energy, as well as other natural gas companies until
retirement.
On January 5, 1961 Pete married the love of his life, Wilma
Jean Thompson, and to this union four children were born. Pete enjoyed hunting
and fishing with his sons and grandsons. Another hobby was woodworking, and
Pete could be found out in his woodworking shop even up until a couple months
ago. He would make picture frames in his shop and enjoyed giving them away to
his friends and family. Pete also enjoyed making homemade wine from cherries
and grapes, and giving those as gifts as well.
Some of you may have wondered over the years where the name
Pete came from. When Pete was a child they
lived near the grocery store and he could always be found carrying around or
wearing a cap-gun pistol. The owner of the
grocery store one day started calling him “Pistol Pete” or “Two Gun Pete,” and
from then on he was known by Pete and not Richard.
Pete was preceded in death
by his father Lawrence Leslie VanHorn, mother Mildred Francis VanHorn,
half-brother Paul Sheldon VanHorn, and grandson Nathaniel Scott Deems.
Survivors include his wife Wilma Jean VanHorn of Butler,
sons Dallas Wayne VanHorn (Karol) of Butler, Michael Shannon VanHorn (Tina) of Mexico, Missouri;, daughters Kelly Renee Deems (Daniel) of Blue Springs, Missouri, Angela Dee VanHorn of Butler, grandsons Corey Dallas
VanHorn (Andrea) of Butler, Dalton Wayne VanHorn of Olathe, Kansas, Cody Eugene VanHorn of Mexico, Missouri, Grant Richard VanHorn of Mexico, Missouri, and brother Jack Leroy VanHorn (Patricia) of Butler.
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