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.
