Russell Braun, age 88, of Dows passed away Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa in Mason City.

Funeral services for Russsell Braun were held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 30, 2014 at the United Presbyterian Church in Dows. Pastor Shawn Hill officiated. Military honors were provided by the Dows American Legion Post.

Visitation for Russell Braun was from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at the United Presbyterian Church in Dows and continued one hour prior to services on Thursday. Dugger Funeral Home, 100 North Lee Street in Dows was in charge of arrangements.

Ulrich Russell Braun the son of Ulrich Helmet and Josephine Marie Sendenfelder Braun was born January 27, 1925 in Dows. He grew up in Dows where he attended school. Russell graduated from Dows High School in 1943. After high school, Russell entered the United States Navy. He served during World War II. When the war was over Russ returned to Dows.

Russell was married to Marcelene “Marcy” Jean Jacobsen on January 27, 1950. The couple was blessed with four children, Lynn, Jody, Dawn, and Chad. Russell worked nearly his entire life as a mechanic. He worked in Dows and Clarion in both with Automobile dealerships and on his own in various service stations. He very much enjoyed tinkering with engines and items of all types. He loved building birdhouses, and making fishing lures. Russell was an avid sportsman. He hunted and fished, and generally loved just being outdoors. Spending time with his best friend “Amos” was a treasure. Russell belonged to the Dows American Legion Watson Beach Post #523.

Russell is survived by his children, Lynn (Kathy), Jody (Wayne), Dawn (Steve), Chad (Shirley) all of Dows, ten grandchildren, Shane (LeAnn), Clint (Danielle), Kyle (Jodi), Zachary (Tracy), America, Edde`, Brandon (Whitney), Tara (Jorge), Nicole, Shelbi, eleven great grandchildren, Cade, Toby, Josie, Ava, Jakobe, Kainan, Keve, Kelle, Kash, Ezra, Jax, special friend, “Amos”, and numerous other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents and an infant son.

Russell James Ragsdale, 63, Northwood, died Friday, January 31, 2014, at his home in Northwood.

A funeral service for Russell will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 428 West Walnut Street, Manly, with Pastor Linda Johnson Prestholt officiating. Burial will be in the Manly Cemetery with military grave side honors conducted by the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110 of Manly. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Monday, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the church service on Tuesday.

Russell James Ragsdale was born on June 24, 1950, in Hampton, the son of Donald Clifford and Minnie (Folkerds) Ragsdale. Russell attended the Dumont Community School. He enlisted into the United States Marine Corps on March 14, 1969 in Des Moines, and served his country honorably and faithfully with the lst Marine Division in Vietnam, and was honorably discharged on September 12, 1970 at San Diego, CA. After his honorable discharge he enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged on April 1, 1975, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

After his military service, Russell moved back to Dumont, and drove truck for 10 years for Decker’s out of Ft. Dodge, before starting his own R&P Trucking and owned and operated his own tractor trailer for 10 years. Russell also worked for Ruan Trucking out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and also worked at the Manly Wind Mill Terminal for 2 and one-half years as a security guard.

Russell enjoyed fishing and hunting and loved his dog Sasha.

He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Manly and a former member of Our Buddies VFW Memorial Post #6779 of Northwood.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Pauline Ragsdale of Northwood; his daughter, Robin Ragsdale and significant other, Chris Sinnwell of Mason City; his mother, Minnie Kuhlers of Rockwell; two step-sons, Brian (Kris) Jacobs of Lake Mills, and Mark Jacobs of Northwood; his grandchildren, Nicholas (Sonja) Battleson of Gaffney, S.C., and Courtney Kulish and Chandler Santee of Mason City; his great-grandchildren, Kolby and Caden Battleson of Gaffney, S.C.; his uncle John (Esther) Folkerds of Janesville; as well as other extended family members and friends.

Russell was preceded in death by his father; Donald Ragsdale and two aunts, Marie Bryan and Etta Kuhlers.

Conner Colonial Chapel: (641) 324-1543

CHYANN BANTA
May 15, 1998 -  January 25, 2014

Chyann Rynae Banta, age 15, of Forest City passed away Saturday January 25, 2014 near Crystal Lake as a result of injuries received in an auto accident.

(641) 444-3248 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (641) 444-3248 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting

TIFFANY BANTA
June 20, 1994 - January 25, 2014

Tiffany Jean Banta, age 19, of Forest City passed away Saturday January 25, 2014 near Crystal Lake as a result of injuries received in an auto accident.

(641) 444-3248 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (641) 444-3248 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting

LUVERNE BECKER
August 6, 1925 - January 27, 2014

Luverne Christian George Becker was born on the Horstman family farm in rural Sheffield, Iowa on Aug. 6, 1925, to Henry and Dina (Horstman) Becker. 

He entered into rest on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at the North Iowa Hospice House in Mason City, Iowa, at age 88.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, at Zion St. John Lutheran Church, in Sheffield, Iowa with the Rev. G. Kim Wills presiding.

Friends will be received at the church beginning at 9 a.m.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Retz Funeral Home, Sheffield, Iowa.

Luverne was raised and lived on the family farm with his mother, father, brother Raleigh, Grandmother Anna Horstman, and Uncle Chris.

Life on the farm was full of adventure with his brother where they liked to tinker with building and dismantling gadgets.

His grandmother’s German ancestry provided a good influence that he carried throughout his life.

Luverne attended the rural country school until eighth grade when he transferred to Sheffield High School, where he met his future wife, Beatrice Arlene Sims of Sheffield, Iowa.

After a short time in the Navy, Luverne returned to Sheffield to marry the love of his life, Beatrice on June 27, 1948, at the Methodist Church in Sheffield.

They raised four children: Barbara, Katherine, Todd, and Thomas, and have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Luverne was a member of the St. Johnʼs Lutheran Church in rural Sheffield where he was confirmed.

Later his father, Henry Becker, helped with the construction of what is now the Zion St John Lutheran Church in Sheffield.

Luverne followed in his father’s footsteps and became a skilled construction craftsman. He helped build the educational wing of this church, where he crafted many of the detailed pieces of the wing, making this addition a beautiful spiritual addition.

He also helped construct the Sunshine Apartments in Sheffield, where he was on the board of directors until his death.

His love for woodworking was very evident in the home he built for his family. His attention to detail, not only in the home he built, but also in the furniture he crafted, was impeccable and was admired by all who visited their home.

He practiced his skill even in retirement where he crafted detailed, exquisite clocks. His grandmother clocks were his most cherished.

Luverne learned this craft from his father, and has passed this skill to his sons, Todd and Tom, and even to his grandsons.

Luverne enjoyed traveling with his wife to Hawaii and Florida to visit his daughter Kathy and her family, where he enjoyed the tropical climate and the beautiful beaches.

He ventured into snorkeling, collecting shells, and enjoyed the boating trips.

Luverne is survived by his children, Barbara (Roger) Krull of Eldora, Katherine (Jack) Shea of Ft. Myers, Fla., Todd and Thomas Becker both of Sheffield; grandchildren: Eric, Mike (Dianna), Ryan Krull, Logan and Megan Shea, Kevin (Jill) Becker, Kristle (Jakob) Gayer, and Samantha Becker, and six great- grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Don Sims of Mason City and a niece, Suzanne, of Sheffield.

Luverne is preceded in death by his wife, Beatrice, his parents, Henry and Dina, brother, Raleigh, his grandmother, Anna Horstman, his Uncle Chris Horstman, a daughter-in-law, two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.

Retz Funeral Home, Sheffield, IA