John Hill

September 26, 2012

John Hellick Hill, 85, of Britt, passed away on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, at the Westview Care Center in Britt. 

Funeral services were held on Friday, September 21, at 10:30 a.m., at the Evangelical Free Church in Britt, with Pastor Stan Johnson officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Britt. Visitation was held on Thursday, September 20, from 5-7:00 p.m., at the Ewing Funeral Chapel in Britt and continued one hour prior to the services at the church.  

John was welcomed into the family of Helmer and Mary (Faust) Hill of Kanawha, Iowa on September 4, 1927. John grew up on the family farm, helping his parents and brother care for livestock and the planting and harvesting of crops. John enjoyed baseball immensely. At 15 years old he was the winning pitcher for Corwith when they won the 1943 State High School Baseball Championship. His brother, Harold hit the winning run that day as John crossed home plate to give Corwith the victory. John graduated at 16 years old from the Corwith High School in 1944 and continued to help on the family farm for the next two years, despite being offered scholarships to play baseball at three different colleges. In 1947, John and Harold were both invited to attend spring training in Vero Beach, Florida, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. John played with the Dodgers farm team, the Pulaski Counts in Virginia for two years. In the spring of 1949, John returned home to play baseball for the Bancroft Lions in the Semipro Iowa State League. He continued to pitch for eight years for Bancroft, Mason City and Albert Lea teams. 

On September 3, 1949, John married the love of his life, Evelyn Newton. John and Evelyn enjoyed farming southwest of Britt for over 50 years and took great joy in raising their four children. John was an excellent manager and was a hardworking farmer, taking care of many head of cattle, sheep and hogs along with tending to his crops. John sheared sheep in the area for many years. His carpentry skills included building barns and remodeling their home.  

John was an active member of the Britt Evangelical Free Church, serving as a board member, church chairman, Sunday School Teacher, youth leader, Awana helper and usher. He was also involved in the community as a school board member for nine years, of which five years were as chairman. He volunteered as a mentor for the Britt High School baseball team. John received numerous awards, including Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year, Cattleman of the Year, Champion Pork Producer and Master Swine Producer. He organized and served as Master of Ceremonies for fundraisers for the Britt School District. 

John was a fiscally conservative man but had a very kind and generous heart, which he shared with many over the years. Friends and family appreciated John’s engaging cheerfulness and humor throughout his life.  He loved the Lord very much. He said shortly before his death that choosing Jesus was the best decision he ever made, with marrying Evelyn the second best choice of his life. Those two decisions changed John’s life. He was always grateful for the many blessings God had given him over his lifetime. 

John will be greatly missed by his wife of 63 years, Evelyn and his children, Lorraine (Jim) Amelsberg of Forest City, Connie (Brad) Field of New Richland, Minnesota, Sharon (Charlie) Sweers of Lake Mills and Jeremy (Denise) Hill of Bondurant; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jessica (Chris) Hansen, Amelie and Isaiah; Dave (Val) Amelsberg, Ethan, Ava, and Lydia; Cheston (Erin) Field, Isaac, Cadence, and Adalee; Clark (Audra) Field; Carson Field; Ben (Julie) Sweers, Tyler and Jadyn; Melissa (Brandon) Prichard; Johnathan, Jackson, and Hannah Hill. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Harold; son-in-law, Tom Anderson; and grandchild, Adam Anderson.  

The Ewing Funeral Home of Britt, was in charge of the arrangements.

Janice Philp

September 26, 2012

Janice (Johnson) Philp, 76, of Keokuk, formerly of Kanawha, died at 7:40 a.m., on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, at the River Hills Village. 

Funeral Services were held at 10:00 a.m., on Monday, September 24, at the United Methodist Church in Kanawha, with Pastor Tim Rieckhoff-Faris officiating. Burial was in the Amsterdam Cemetery in Kanawha. Visitations was from 4-7:00 p.m., on Friday, at the DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Centers located in Keokuk and from 2-4:00 p.m., on Sunday, at the Ewing Funeral Home in Kanawha. Memorials may be made to the Lee County Hospice or the Kanawha United Methodist Church.

Janice was born on February 12, 1936 in Britt, Iowa, a daughter of Gilbert and Viola Smith Hall. She married Alvin "Babe" Johnson on May 15, 1953 in Wesley and they farmed in Kanawha. He preceded her in death on December 24, 1984. She married Harold Philp on January 1, 1988 in Kanawha and she moved to Keokuk where they farmed together. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and Sandusky Church Ladies’ Aid. 

Janice is survived by her husband, Harold Philp of Keokuk; six children, Alvin Douglas Johnson and his wife, Linda of Kanawha, Suzanne Hiscocks and her husband, Doyce of Aledo, Illinois, Randall Johnson of Pella, Gilbert Johnson of Williams, Michael Johnson and his wife, Bonnie of Kanawha and James Philp and his wife, Mary Joy of Keokuk; eight grandchildren, Jamie Cash, Jeff and Jay Hiscocks, James Montgomery, Allen Johnson, Michael and Mark Johnson and Curtis Philp; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Gene and Jerry Hall; a sister, Jeanette Dryer and her husband, Vic; and several nieces and nephews. 

In addition to her parents and her first husband "Babe"; she was preceded in death by a son, Gary Johnson; and a daughter-in-law, Cindy Johnson. 

The Ewing Funeral Home of Kanawha, was in charge of the arrangements.

Duane "Bud" Michelson

October 3, 2012

Duane "Bud" Michelson, 92, of Independence, formerly of Britt, passed away on Monday, September 24, 2012, at the East Towne Care Center in Independence.

Funeral services were held on Monday, October 1, at 10:30 a.m., at the United Methodist Church in Britt, with Pastor Robert Dodge and Pastor Bob Solon officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Britt. Visitation was held on Sunday, September 30, from 5-7:00 p.m., at the Ewing Funeral Chapel in Britt and continued one hour prior to the services at the church.

Duane Vernon Michelson, the son of Lester and May (Johnson) Michelson, was born on September 22, 1920, on the family farm near Kanawha. He attended rural school in Amsterdam Township and graduated from the Crystal Lake High School. Duane helped on the farm for a few years after graduating, before joining the Navy in 1942. Duane served his country for almost four years before his honorable discharge in 1946. On July 13, 1949, he was united in marriage to Blanche Eisenman in Forest City, Iowa. The couple made their home in Cresco where they farmed. They moved back to the Britt and Crystal Lake area and continued farming. Duane began working for Winnebago Industries in 1968 and continued this work for 13 years. The couple moved into Britt in 1969.

Duane attended church at the United Methodist Church in Britt and most recently attended at Hope Wesleyan in Independence with his family. He enjoyed fishing, baseball (especially the Cubs and Twins), gardening and listening to country music. Duane loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. A special time he spent with one of his grandsons was a trip on the honor flight to Washington D.C.

Duane is survived by his sons, Darrell Michelson of Gainesville, Georgia and David Michelson of Britt; daughter, Darla (Joe) Schulz of Independence; 4 grandchildren, Dustin, Sarah, Zachary and Makaela; sister, Beverly Smith of Iowa Falls; sister-in-law, Wanda Michelson of Manchester; brother-in-law, Chet (Sandy) Eisenman of Britt; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Blanche; sisters, Vivian Michelson and Pauline Greiman; brothers, Raymond and Allen Michelson; sisters-in-law, Ardith Michelson and Lola Eisenman; and brothers-in-law, Vernon Smith, Howard Greiman and Don Eisenman.  

The Ewing Funeral Home of Britt, was in charge of the arrangements.

Clarice Schleuger

October 3, 2012

Clarice G. Schleuger, 87, of Woden, died on Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, September 29, at the Cataldo Funeral Home in Britt, with Pastor Robert Wolfert of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Woden, officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.

Clarice Geraldine Schleuger, the daughter of Orville and Gemima (Hill) Nelson, was born on March 24, 1925 at Thor. She attended school near Hardy until 1936, when she moved with her family to a farm northwest of Britt. Clarice graduated from the Britt High School in 1942 as class valedictorian and went on to earn her teaching certificate from Mankato State University. On June 9, 1946, she was married to Donald Schleuger in Eagle Grove. They lived on a farm near Woden, where they raised their two children. Clarice taught in the rural schools of Hancock County, Crystal Lake Community Schools and Lakota Community Schools as a fourth grade teacher until her retirement in 1976. Following her retirement, she helped her husband on the farm. She enjoyed reading and raising pets, especially dogs. She was a member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Woden.

Clarice is survived by her son, Dean Schleuger of LuVerne; two granddaughters, Rachel and Brittany Schleuger; a brother, Orville, Jr. (Bethine) Nelson of Iowa City; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald in 1982; daughter, Diana in 2000; and a sister, Genevieve Joan Nilges in 2011.

The Cataldo Funeral Home of Woden, was in charge of the arrangements.

Duane Malek

October 3, 2012

Duane Malek, 62, passed away on Friday, September 28, 2012, at the home that he so lovingly built for himself and his wife Bev, surrounded by family and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, October 2, at 10:30 a.m., at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan, with Rev. Paul Lipstock and Rev. Dennis Miller being concelebrants. Burial was in the St. John’s Cemetery in Duncan. Visitation was held on Monday, October 1, from 5-7:00 p.m., at the Ewing Funeral Chapel in Britt. A Knights of Columbus rosary was said at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continued one hour prior to the services at the church.

Duane was born in Mason City on April 22, 1950, to Ernest and Clara Malek (Drabek). He grew up in the Duncan area and attended school at Hayfield and then later Garner-Hayfield, where he graduated in 1968. He married Bev Hesley on August 1, 1970 in Duncan. They lived on a farm by Britt when first married and then moved to Wesley where he worked for the K&H Coop. Three kids later, they decided to move to Duncan and made that their home for the past 35 years. Duane started working construction when they moved to Duncan, walking in the same footsteps of his father and grandfather. Duane started his own construction business in 1987, Duane Malek Construction, and worked as a general contractor for 25 years. He was a true craftsman and took much pride in his work, which can be seen throughout the community.

He was a hardworking, strong, honest and humble man who was adored and respected by many. He loved to laugh, spend time with family and friends and to share stories, of which there were many. He was always giving of his time and talents to help others. He enjoyed fishing, building, landscaping, gardening, had an enormous sense of curiosity and loved finding solutions to problems. He was very active in his church, St. Wenceslaus in Duncan, where he was a member for 62 years and he was a charter member of the Britt Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his father, Ernest Malek; his wife, Bev; three children and spouses, Jason Malek and his wife, Amy, Jeremy Malek and Jen Swearingen and her husband, Mike; five grandchildren, Taylor, Logan, Kaitlyn, Madison and Parker; three sisters, Darlene, Bev and Diane; three brothers, Gary, Ed and Marvin; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Clara Malek; his nephew, Brent; and three brother-in-laws, John Roberts, Bill Edington and Steve Hesley.

The Ewing Funeral Home of Britt, was in charge of the arrangements.