HAZLETON -- Loyd William Froning, 79, of Hazleton, died Tuesday, July 8, at UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital, Waterloo.

He was born May 15, 1935, in Oelwein, son of Willard H. and Florence D. Beckner Froning. He married Patricia Nadine Bridges on May 8, 1955, at First Baptist Church, Oelwein.

Loyd graduated from Hazleton High School in 1953. He worked at Donaldson Co., Oelwein, for 41 years as a welder, pressman and on the assembly line, retiring in 1996. He also was a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department and served on the Hazleton Police Department. He was a member of the Iowa National Guard for 11 years; was a member of First Baptist Church where he served as Sunday school superintendent; was past president of the Iowa State Reserve Officer’s Association; was currently Worshipful Master of Hebron Masonic Lodge 374 AF&AM, having served as past president of their luncheon club. He also was a former driver for the Northeast Iowa Transit and school bus driver for the Oelwein Community School District. 

Survived by: his wife; a son, James of Little Rock, Ark.; a daughter, Joylyn Steinfadt of Atkins; two grandchildren; a stepgrandson; two foster grandchildren; and two sisters, Helen Turner of Fayette and Jane (Niles) Boehmler of Hawkeye.

Preceded in death by: his parents; three brothers, David in infancy, and Gary Lee and John; and a sister, Dorothy Benter.

Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church, Oelwein, with burial and military honors at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein, with a 7:30 p.m. public Masonic service by Hebron Masonic Lodge 374 AF&AM. Visitation also an hour before services Friday at the church.

Memorials: may be directed to the church, Hebron Masonic Lodge 374 AF&AM of Oelwein or Hazleton Veterans Park.

Condolences can be expressed at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com.