Lyle Vowels
Lyle Vowels, 75, of South Fulton passed away peacefully Feb. 17, 2024, at Munson Medical Center of Traverse City, Mich.
Lyle was born on Aug. 16, 1948, to the late James D. and Lottie (Treece) Vowels in Fairbury, Ill. He spent his younger years growing up in Sumner, Ill., and graduated from Sumner High School in 1967.
He served in Vietnam for nearly two years doing MOS communication for the 3rd Squadron 17th Air Cavalry. He moved to Northern Michigan in 1970 with Hal-liburton, which is where he started his career in the oilfield. He married Susan Hubble in 1974 and gained a stepdaughter, Clarissa (Bordeau) Kniss. Three years later in 1976, they welcomed Jo Ann. Lyle also opened LD Hotshot the same year, which he owned and operated for 15 years. Lyle remarried Rita (Rogalski) Vowels of Traverse City in 1999. He owned and operated 1st Choice Trucking and retired in 2012. They lived in Northern Michigan until 2014 and then moved to South Fulton. He remained by her side until her passing in 2021. He was a hard worker, loved his family, Nascar, working on restoring his 1962 Ford Galaxie convertible, racing mini mods, tinkering in the garage and watching westerns. He enjoyed his retirement years but never minded working. He was a proud member of Fulton First United Methodist Church of Kentucky and Jones-Walker VFW Post 4862 in Union City.
Lyle will be deeply missed by his daughters, JoAnn DeGraaf and Clarissa (Scott) Kniss; grandkids, Tyler Vowels, Kaitlyn (Josh) Wakefield, Cameron (Autumn) McCumby, Britney (Brian) Maidens and Dallas (Amanda) Kniss; and nine great-grandkids; along with Sue Vowels; and his siblings, Iris West, James (Brenda) Vowels and Nona (David) Noble; and several beloved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Rita Vowels; brother, Kenneth Vowels; sister-in-law, Betty Vowels; brothers-in-law, Earl Inyart and Herschel West; and nieces, Kimberly Vowels, Connie Coon and Karon Grover.
A funeral service to celebrate his life will take place Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until the time of service.
May his memory bring comfort to all who knew and loved him.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cre-mation Services in Kalkaska, Mich.
Donations may be made to the Kalkaska VFW Post 8684 or the Jones-Walker VFW Post 4862.
Published in The Messenger 2.21.23