Earl Leo Varney was born April 10, 1925 to Halbert “Bert” Varney and Edith Rathbun Varney at Jewell, KS. He attended grade school at Bryant School #152. He attended Jewell High School and graduated in 1943. He was engaged in farming with his father and eventually took over the family farm.
He was united in marriage to Dorothy Fobes on February 22, 1947. To this union, four children were born, Alan, Jim, Susan, and Annette. He raised his family on the “home” place, which is one mile west and a quarter mile south of Jewell. He was always proud of the fact that all four children were K-State graduates. He often said he owned part of K-State.
After the death of his wife in 1984, he married Shirley Jacobs on December 26, 1988.
He did a variety of things to supplement his farming. He did assessing of households for several years, worked at the Mankato Sale Barn, swathed and baled hay for people and was always willing to help people whenever possible. He loved trying to fix something that was broken or didn’t run even though he grumbled about it. It was a challenge to him.
He had many hobbies such as collecting antique wrenches, tools of all kinds, milk separators, old tractors, and radios. He loved to restore the old tractors and radios along with collecting them. He attended Star Church in his younger years. He was a member and Trustee of Jewell Trinity United Methodist Church, Elk Club, Chamber of Commerce, I.O.OF. Lodge, the Jewell Co. Historical Society, Mid-west Tool Association, Missouri Valley Wrench Club, the Jewell Cemetery Board, and Buffalo Township Board. He enjoyed going to the annual meetings of wrench clubs to visit with all the friends he had met through the years. Earl and Shirley spent a lot of their retired years traveling to Branson once a year and took many other trips with their time shares including Canada, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. His passion was dancing to the sounds of the Big Band music and playing cards.
He was proceeded in death by his first wife, Dorothy, his parents, his brother, Aubrey, and his sister, Mary (Don) Mergen.
He is survived by: Wife, Shirley Jacobs-Varney. Son Alan (Linda) Varney of Wheaton, IL, and their children Joel Varney, Laura Beth (Jeremiah) Schisler, Son Jim (Ellen) Varney of Seward NE, and their children Leah (Dale) Johnston, Brian (Brie) Varney, Daughter Susan (Cliff) Silsby of Auburn KS, and their children Jenny Silsby, Mike (Karla) Silsby, Angie (Tim) Brown, Liz (Drew) Stratman, Daughter Annette (Ray) Laracuente of Harrisburg, PA, and their children Carmen (Pradeep) Chavez, Raquel Chavez, Step-Son Danny Jacobs of Towanda, KS, and his children Jeff Jacobs, Kelsey (Jeremy) Coen, Kristen (Josh) Riley, Justin (Dominque) Jacobs, Step-Daughter Kathy (Mark) Wilson of Jewell, KS, and their children Cooper Wilson, Dalton Wilson, Josie Wilson, Step-Son Bret (Karen) Jacobs of Hutchinson, KS, and their children Lauren Jacobs, Dylan Jacobs, twenty-three great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Memorials to: Trinity United Methodist Church of Jewell or Jewell City Cemetery in care of Kleppinger Funeral Home.
