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Marian L. Heaford, 1912-2008
January 16, 2008
Marian L.
Heaford, 96, formerly of Ventura
Heights, died on Monday, January
7, 2008, at the Rockwell
Community Nursing Home, where
she had been a resident since
November.
Funeral services with the Rev.
Ronald Bolinger presiding, were
held on Thursday, January 10, at
the St. Peter Lutheran Church in
Rockwell. Interment was in the
Rockwell Cemetery. Those wishing
to extend memorials may direct
them to St. Peter Lutheran
Church in Marian’s name. The
Fullerton Funeral Home and
Cremation Services in Rockwell
was in charge of the
arrangements.
Marian Lucille Heaford, the
daughter of Leo E, and Marie C.
(Anderson) Meyer, was born on
January 2, 1912 in Elkader. She
was baptized in 1918. Years
later in 1946, Marian was
confirmed at the St. Peter
Lutheran Church in Rockwell.
Marian attended and graduated
from the Rockwell Community High
School and chose to further her
education in the nursing program
at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital,
completing her certification in
1933. Marian continued her
studies in Chicago, earning a
degree as a nurse anesthetist.
Upon her return to north Iowa,
she pioneered the anesthetist
department at Mercy Medical
Center-North Iowa in Mason City,
where she continued her
dedicated service to the
community in her beloved
department for over 40 years.
Marian retired from Mercy in
1974.
On January 14, 1944 in Mason
City, Marian was united in
marriage to Charles John
Heaford. The couple became the
proud parents of two daughters
and two sons.
Some of Marian’s favorite
leisure activities and hobbies
included crocheting, knitting,
solving word puzzles, playing
cards, especially 500 and
English Rummy, fishing or
watching her loved ones fish,
bird-watching, her companionship
with Mike’s pet dogs, Lily and
Tabby, preparing for the
holidays and flower gardening.
She thoroughly loved cooking
large home-cooked meals and
entertaining her family and
friends at the cottage in
Ventura Heights. Her family
recalls her “best-ever”
fresh-baked chocolate
chip/oatmeal cookies!
She was a devoted member of the
St. Peter Lutheran Church in
Rockwell.
Marian was a kind and giving
woman who always offered
complete comfort and hospitality
when opening her door to
visitors. Described as a “food
pusher,” Marian seemed to always
have food prepared and ready to
serve to her guests!
Marian will be fondly remembered
and dearly missed by her family
and friends.
She is survived by her four
children, Carol Myers of
Rockwell, twins, Ruth (Gregg)
Skluzacek of Council Bluffs and
Bob (Angie) Heaford of Mason
City and Mike (Sue) Heaford of
Northwood; her sister, Bernice
Kirk of Rockwell; her
sister-in-law, Johanna Heaford
of Rockwell; and her close
family friends, Don and Cindy
Koepsel of Ventura Heights. She
will also be cherished by her
five grandchildren, Roger
(Carla) Myers, Terri (Mehdi)
Mazaheri, Bill (Helena) Myers,
Mark (Beth) Skluzacek and Joe
Skluzacek; nine
great-grandchildren; and
numerous other relatives and
friends.
Preceding Marian in death was
her husband, Charles Heaford in
January of 1979; her parents,
Leo and Marie Meyer; her
grandson, James Myers; and her
two brothers, Glenn and Kenneth
Meyer.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Gerald "Jerry" R. Hanna,
1944-2008
January 16, 2008
 Gerald
"Jerry" R. Hanna, 63, of Tulsa,
Oklahoma, formerly Forest City,
died on Thursday, January 10,
2008, at the St. John's Medical
Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
A celebration of
Jerry's life will be held at
11:00 a.m., on Wednesday,
January 16, at the Immanuel
Lutheran Church in Forest City,
with Reverend Wayne Hagen
officiating. Visitation was held
from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m., on
Tuesday, at the Ward-Van Slyke
Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake.
Visitation will also be held one
hour before the services at the
church on Wednesday. The
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel,
Clear Lake, was in charge of the
arrangements.
Jerry was born on
August 22, 1944 in Forest City,
to Harold and Vivian (Dahlby)
Hanna. He attended school in
Buffalo Center and served in the
United States Navy.
He owned and
operated Hanna Construction in
Forest City until moving to
Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1997. In
Tulsa, he was employed as a
Housing Inspector for the Creek
Indian Nation.
He enjoyed
celebrations with family and
friends, time near the lake,
country music, horses, home
projects, bird watching, and
fishing. His family wrote,
Jerry's incredible work ethic,
playful disposition, and
generosity were an inspiration
to his family. He lived his life
with sincerity and bravery.
Jerry was married
to Judith Berkland the mother of
Jennifer, Jeffery, Jason and
Joni. She passed away in 1977.
He was married to Margo Osborn
(Heywood) on March 3, 1978 in
Ventura. He became step-father
to C.J., Julie, and Jill.
Jerry is survived
by his wife, Margo (Heywood)
Hanna; children, Joni Miller and
husband, Richard of Forest City,
Jeff Hanna and friend, Brenda
Katz of Clear Lake, Jill Kramer
and husband, Mike of Garner,
Julie Bradshaw and husband,
Jason of Clear Lake and C.J.
Osborn and wife, Pam of Newton;
13 grandchildren; one sister,
Janeane Flugum of Orange, Texas;
three brothers, Steve Hanna and
wife, Betty of Crystal Lake,
Vance Hanna of Harrison,
Arkansas and Keith Hanna and
wife, Kendra of Northfield,
Minnesota.
He was preceded
in death by his son and
daughter, Jason and Jennifer;
first wife, Judith; parents,
Harold and Vivian; step-father,
Art Cepeda; and grand-daughter,
Savannah Bradshaw.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Mary H. Behr, 1913-2008
January 16, 2008
Mary H. Behr, 95,
of Rockwell, died on Saturday,
January 12, 2008, at the Muse
Norris Hospice in-patient unit,
Mason City.
A funeral Mass was held on
Tuesday, January 15, at the
Sacred Heart Catholic Church,
Rockwell, with Rev. James W.
Dubert officiating. Burial was
in the Sacred Heart Catholic
Cemetery, Rockwell. The
Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial
Chapel, Mason City, was in
charge of the arrangements.
Mary H. Donnelly, was born on
January 10, 1913 at Dougherty, a
daughter of Edward and Margaret
(Murphy) Donnelly. She was a
1931 graduate of the St.
Patrick’s High School,
Dougherty.
She was united in marriage to
LeRoy “Scoop” Behr on March 4,
1935 at the St. Patrick’s
Catholic Church, Dougherty. To
this union seven children were
born. Mary and LeRoy farmed and
raised their family in the Mason
City, Swaledale and Rockwell
areas.
Mary was a faithful and devoted
wife and mother with an
unconditional love for her
family and faith. She was
especially proud of her Irish
heritage, Irish Catholic faith
and her Irish roots in the
Dougherty area. Mary enjoyed
visiting with her many friends.
She will be remembered for her
quick wit, sense of humor, and
unfailing sense of devotion to
her family.
She was the oldest member of the
Sacred Heart Catholic Church and
the Sacred Heart Guild at
church.
Mary is survived by her
children, Dorothy DeVary of
Rockwell, Rilla (Pete) Arnold of
Mason City, Lee (Deb) Behr of
Rockwell, Ron (Bev) Behr of
Rockwell, Paul C. Behr and
friend, Suzanne McCarty of
Denver, Colorado and Dennis
(Jane) Behr of Rockwell;
daughter-in-law, Sue Behr of
Mason City; 34 grandchildren; 68
great-grandchildren; three
great-great-grandchildren; and a
sister, Therese (Chuck) Gagnon
of Mason City.
Her parents; husband, LeRoy
“Scoop” Behr; son, Charles E.
“Chuck” Behr; granddaughter,
Lindsay Behr; son in-law, Jim
DeVary; and brothers and
sisters, Rita Ploung, Leo
Donnelly, Raymond Donnelly, Joe
Donnelly, Vince Donnelly, Jane
Frances Donnelly, Dorothy
(Sister Mary Margaret,
P.B.V.M.); and Eleanor Donnelly
preceded her in death.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Ruth E. Hillis, 1909-2008
January 16, 2008
Ruth E. Hillis,
98, formerly of Rockwell and
Sheffield, died on Saturday
morning, January 12, 2008, at
the Good Shepherd Health Center.
Funeral services were held on
Tuesday, January 15, at the
Grace United Methodist Church,
Mason City with Rev. Steve
Hansen and Rev. Keith Scott
presiding. Interment was in the
Rockwell Cemetery. The Fullerton
Funeral Home and Cremation
Services, Mason City, was in
charge of the arrangements.
Ruth Elizabeth Lumas, was born
in Beatrice, Nebraska on March
10, 1909, the daughter of Martin
Lumas and Anna Laura (Smith)
Wickwire. She was the only
daughter of six children and
relocated with her family to a
farm near Cartersville in 1915,
where she also attended rural
schools. In 1929, Ruth moved to
Mason City.
On May 9, 1933 in Allison, Ruth
was united in marriage to Roy
John Hillis. The couple lived in
the Rockwell and Sheffield areas
throughout their adult lives.
Following Roy’s death in January
of 1984, Ruth moved to Mason
City.
For numerous years, Ruth was
employed as a waitress and was
always known to be a
hard-worker. She was a devoted
wife, mother, grandmother and
homemaker, who remained in close
contact with her entire family
and their interests. Ruth
treasured each new adventure
that she could share with her
loved ones!
Some of Ruth’s leisure
activities and interests
included playing cards, reading,
piecing jigsaw puzzles, cooking
and baking. She was a member of
the Grace United Methodist
Church in Mason City, the Senior
Citizen’s and R.S.V.P.
Ruth will be fondly cherished by
her three children, Dorothy
Kollman of Mason City, Anna
(Steve) Anderson-Jicka of Nora
Springs and John (Lorraine)
Hillis of Grand Island,
Nebraska; her daughter-in-law,
Alice Hillis of Duncombe; and
her two brothers, Lee “Babe”
(Carrie) Wickwire and Gordon
(June) Wickwire, all of
Rockwell. She is also survived
by her 13 grandchildren; seven
step-grandchildren; 18
great-grandchildren; and 14
step-great-grandchildren; and
numerous other relatives and
friends.
Preceding Ruth in death was her
husband, Roy J. Hillis; her son,
Glenn Hillis; her two grandsons,
Tom and Dwane Hesley; two
great-grandchildren; three
sons-in-law; and three brothers.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Armond Schnieder, 1925-2008
January 23, 2008
Armond Schnieder, 83, died on
Sunday, January 13, 2008, at his
home in Stone Lake, Wisconsin.
Memorial services were held on
Saturday, January 19, at the
Appleyard’s Funeral Home in Rice
Lake, Wisconsin.
Armond, the son of George and
Maude (Ayers) Schneider, was
born at Garner on January 13,
1925. He graduated from the
Garner High School in 1944 and
entered the Navy.
Armond was a charter member of
the Garner VFW Post. After
service to his country, he
worked for the New Holland Farm
Equipment Company for 45 years.
He is survived by his wife,
Margaret, and her children,
along with the children from his
first wife, Joan. He is also
survived by two brothers, Elrede
and Jack; and sisters, Theo, Pat
and Genevive.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Ruby M. Lackore, 1916-2008
January 23, 2008
 Ruby
M. Lackore, 91, of Garner, died
on Monday, January 14, 2008, at
the Oakwood Care Center in Clear
Lake.
Funeral services were held at
11:00 a.m., on Friday, January
18, at the United Methodist
Church in Garner, with Rev. Dr.
Stephen McDuff officiating.
Burial was in the Memorial Park
Cemetery in Mason City. The
Cataldo Funeral Home was in
charge of the arrangements.
Ruby Marie Lackore, the daughter
of Gustav and Lydia (Hesley)
Schramm, was born on October 11,
1916, on a farm northwest of
Garner. She graduated from the
Ventura High School in 1934.
Following high school, she
worked on the farm with her
sister and brother-in-law. Ruby
studied art and professionally
hand colored photographs for
local portrait studios.
On April 23, 1973, she was
married to Clark P. Lackore in
Mason City. Ruby enjoyed
gardening, playing the piano and
reading.
She was a 4-H Leader, Ventura
Garden Club member, a volunteer
for Duncan Heights and
Opportunity Village and was a
nominee from Hancock County to
the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame
in 1991. She served as a Hancock
County Soil Conservation
District Commissioner, was the
Hancock County Farm Bureau
Women’s Chairperson for many
years and was active in her
political party.
She is survived by five great
nieces and their families,
Lesley Lackore of Ames, Joleen
(Kevin) Smith and their two
daughters, Abbie and Claire of
Belmond, Cheryl (Mark) Garrett
and her son, Brenton Lackore of
Clear Lake, Rachelle (Rick)
Klassen and their son, Jacob of
Palm Desert, California and
Raleene (Doug) Munsen of
Phoenix, Arizona; and a niece,
Doreen (Richard) Johnson of
Garner.
She was preceded in death by her
parents; husband, Clark; two
sisters, Floy Lackore and Evelyn
Schramm; and a nephew, Doran
(Betty) Lackore.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Grace Pauline Jones, 1922-2008
January 23, 2008
Grace Pauline Jones, 85, of
Thornton, died on Wednesday,
January 16, 2008, at her home.
A funeral mass was held on
Monday, January 21, at the St.
Patrick’s Catholic Church, Clear
Lake, with Rev. John R. Tilp
officiating. Interment was in
the Clear Lake Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the
Hospice of North Iowa. The
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel,
Clear Lake, was in charge of the
arrangements.
Grace was born on October 23,
1922 in New Richland, Minnesota,
the daughter of Peter and
Justine (Weber) Weydert. She
graduated from the Presentation
Academy, Whittemore in 1939. She
worked in Fort Dodge as a
cashier for the movie theater.
Grace married Joseph F. Jones on
August 24, 1943 at the St.
Patrick’s Catholic Church in
Clear Lake. They farmed in the
Emmetsburg area before moving to
Clear Lake in 1944. They lived
several places, including
Arizona, Mason City, Rockwell,
Fertile and back to Clear Lake
in 1962. In 1979 they moved to
Thornton.
Grace enjoyed spending their
winters in Apache Junction,
Arizona. She worked at the
Mirror Reporter and the Globe
Gazette in advertising. She was
very involved in church. Grace
sang with the Keynotes, loved to
play bingo and dance. She
enjoyed arts and crafts, growing
flowers and walking. She was
very active in the Democratic
Party. She taught CCD, sang in
the choir and was a lecturer for
church. She was a member of the
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
and was active in the ACCD –
women’s Catholic group.
Grace is survived by her
husband, Joseph Jones of
Thornton; two daughters, Judy
Veselis and her husband, Robert
of Thornton and Nikki Cook and
her husband, Dennis of Thornton;
three grandchildren, Chad Cook
and his wife, Lisa, Lori
Cook-Thomas and her husband,
Prentice and Scot Cook and his
wife, Jill; six
great-grandchildren, Steven
Cook, Suzanne Cook, Jayson Cook,
Collin Cook, Joshua Henley and
Sophia Cook; three sisters,
Pauline Quinn of Evansville,
Minnesota, Barbara Haliday and
her husband, Bill of Osage and
Jacqueline Quinn and her
husband, Francis of Ventura; and
one brother, Simon Weydert and
his wife, Phyllis of Rockwell.
Grace was preceded in death by
her parents; two daughters,
Peggy Ann and Suzanne Jones; and
a brother, Marvin Weydert.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Opal Mae Obrecht, 1926-2008
January 30, 2008
Opal Mae "Sis" Obrecht, 81, of
Thornton, died of heart disease
on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, at
the Kavanaugh Hospice House in
Des Moines.
A memorial service was held on
Saturday, January 26, at the
Richland Lutheran Church in
Thornton. Burial was in the
Pleasant View Cemetery,
Thornton.
Opal (Nielsen) Obrecht, was born
on February 25, 1926. She was
the fifth of 11 children born to
Chris and Pearl Nielsen. She was
baptized and confirmed into the
Lutheran Faith at the St. Paul’s
American Lutheran Church. She
graduated from the Thornton
Consolidated Schools in 1942. In
1943, she married Thayne
Obrecht. To this union seven
children were born. The couple
celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary.
Through the years Opal was
active in the Richland Lutheran
Church, Ladies Aid, Sunday
School, vacation bible school,
Iowa Holstein Association,
Garden Cub, Franklin County
Democratic Party, North Iowa
Twins Club and Wigwam Campers.
She was a 4-H Leader and
volunteered at the Opportunity
Village in Clear Lake.
Opal and her late husband,
Thayne operated a successful
Holstein dairy farm and enjoyed
showing their cattle. She
enjoyed attending the sporting
events of her children and
grandchildren. Opal also loved
to attend draft horse shows and
she worked for Mid-Iowa Auction.
Opal was an avid cook and baker
and was “world famous” for her
sticky cinnamon rolls that were
enjoyed by all.
Her home was always open to all
who wanted to stay, with a
multitude of friends and
relatives staying over the
years. While wintering in Alamo,
Texas she loved singing,
dancing, going to garage sales
and playing cards and
shuffleboard. She scheduled and
organized jam sessions, with
musicians from across the Valley
attending each week to sing and
play various instruments.
She moved to Courtyard Estates,
an assisted living facility in
Bondurant, in November 2007.
Survivors include her children,
Audrene Hansen of Des Moines,
Maureen (Jerry) Modderman of
Altoona, Jacqualine (Gary) Dirks
of Onalaska, Wisconsin, Martha
Statlander of Thornton, Mary
(Paul) Schlichting of Thornton,
Colleen Obrecht of Des Moines
and Jeffrey (Becky) Obrecht of
Bondurant; grandchildren, Allen
(Angie) and Sonja Hansen, Todd
Modderman, Tammy (Brian)
Johnson, Jason (LeAnn),
Christopher (Jamie) and Joshua
(Heather) Dirks, Torey (Gwen)
Statlander, Melissa (Bob)
Decker, Travis (Sarah)
Statlander, Brian (Cathy), Bruce
(Marla) Schlichting, Buffy
(Dustin) Tschampel, Ashlee
(Adam) Wilson, Mark (Lisa)
Obrecht and Shawna (Kirk)
Beaubien; great-grandchildren,
Ryan and Natalie Hansen, Cameron
and Abbie Johnson, Jacob, Cody
and Brennan Dirks, Madeline and
Owen Statlander, Ellie, Casey,
Noah and Thayne Decker, Tanya
and Eli, Taylor and Teryn
Schlichting, Brett and Brandon
Bloemendaal, Tyler Teegan and
Sydney Tschampel, and Jase
Beaubien.
Other survivors include her
sisters, Ruby Easley of Mason
City, Mavis (Rod) Jensen of
Cedar Falls, Joy Bulow of St.
Ansgar and Marlene Sheriff of
Rockwell; brothers, Franklin
(Anne) of Thornton and Leo
(Betty) of Sedgewickville,
Missouri; sister-in-laws, Betty
Nielsen of Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin, Lorraine Webber of
St. Joseph, Michigan and Vivian
(Joe) Hanawalt of Meservey;
brother-in-law, Roger Obrecht of
Mason City; and many loving
nieces, nephews, other relatives
and friends.
She was preceded in death by her
parents, Chris and Pearl
Nielsen; brothers, Gene, Ivan,
Dale and Donald; and in 1993 by
her husband, Thayne.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Mary Ellen Groh, 1925-2008
January 30, 2008
Mary Ellen Groh, of Thornton,
died on Thursday, January 24,
2008, at the Muse Norris Hospice
Inpatient Unit in Mason City, at
the age of 82.
Mary Ellen believed in helping
others and generously donated
her body to the University of
Iowa Medical School. A funeral
Mass was celebrated at the
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in
Rockwell on Monday, January 28.
The Retz-Grarup Funeral Home,
Thornton, was in charge of the
arrangements.
Mary Ellen, the daughter of John
and Freda (Wagner) Plonsky, was
born on May 22, 1925 at home, in
Mason City. She graduated from
the St. Joseph's Catholic High
School in Mason City.
She met her true love, Victor
Groh, at the skating rink in the
old Armory in Mason City and
they celebrated their 63rd
wedding anniversary on August 6,
2007.
In 1950, she and Victor
purchased the Thornton
Enterprise newspaper. At a later
date they also purchased The
Rockwell Tribune and at that
time both papers were renamed
The Southern County News. Vic
and Mary Ellen ran the Southern
County News until it was sold in
1979 at which time they
continued in commercial printing
as The Printing Office until
1997.
Mary Ellen devoted her life to
her husband, eight children, 12
foster children and her
grandchildren. Her door and
kitchen were always open,
welcoming her grandchildren and
neighborhood children to enjoy
chocolate milk and pudding cups.
Mary Ellen will be sadly missed
by her husband, Victor of
Thornton; daughters, Kristie
(Mel) Pope of Middleton,
Wisconsin, Polly (Bob) Nordman
of Savage, Minnesota and Amy
Kuhlers of Waterloo; sons, Barry
(Kim) Groh of Thornton and Steve
(Nancy) Solum of Franklinton,
North Carolina; her 14
grandchildren, Christopher
Green, Tom (Angelica) Green,
Brian Pope, Brad (Maria) Pope,
Michelle (Fred) Bartman, Derek
(Susan) Nordman, Cory (Bethany)
Nordman, Nicholas Nordman,
Angela (Kyle) Fogt, Scott,
Ashley and Randy Groh, Kody and
Kasey Kuhlers; and her
great-grandchildren, Grant and
Reagan Pope, Ethan, Evan and
Elizabeth Grace Nordman.
She is also survived by a
sister, Margaret Schmolke and
brothers, John and Robert
Plonsky; sisters-in-law, Pauline
Bull, Dorothy Larken, Delores
Miller, Rosie Redman and
Lorraine King; brother-in-law,
Donald Groh; and many nieces and
nephews.
Mary Ellen was preceded in death
by her children, Vickie, Randy
and Lisa; her parents, Freda
(Plonsky) Ong and John Plonsky;
and sister, Imogene Berg.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Janet Lea Adams, 1937-2008
January 30, 2008
 Janet
Lea Adams, 71, of Marshalltown,
Iowa, died on Friday, January
25, 2008, at the Iowa Methodist
Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at
1:30 p.m., on Wednesday, January
30, at the First Presbyterian
Church in Conrad. Visitation was
from 4-8:00 p.m., on Tuesday, at
the Pursel-Davis Funeral Home,
Marshalltown. Burial will be in
the Conrad Cemetery, Conrad.
Memorial Contributions are
suggested to the First
Presbyterian Church in Conrad or
the American Red Cross Iowa
Rivers Chapter.
Janet was born on September 3,
1937 in Grundy Center, Iowa to
Robert and Lillian (Huisman)
Hillygus. She married Deane
Adams on September 15, 1956 in
Conrad and assisted him on the
family farm near Liscomb, where
they lived until moving to
Marshalltown in 1999. Together
they were blessed with four
children, Lori, Doug, Lana and
Dan.
Janet will be greatly missed by
her husband of 51 years, Deane
Adams; her children, Lori Adams
of Ames, Lana (Galen) Adams-Herr
of Cedar Falls and Dan (Karen)
Adams of Oskaloosa; a
daughter-in-law, Brenda Adams of
Garner; her grandchildren,
Jessica, Lindsey, Jordan, Megan,
Rachel and Maggie; a sister,
Carol (George) Brady of Lake
Elsinore, California; and a
brother, Jim (Diana) Hillygus of
Conrad; international exchange
students, Andres Ibanez
Berkholtz and Nikita Lamanov.
She joins her son, Doug Adams
and her brother, Gary Hillygus
in eternal life.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Charles L. Claude, 1917-2008
January 30, 2008
Charles L. Claude, 90, of
Corwith, died on Saturday,
January 26, 2008, at the
Westview Care Center in Britt.
Funeral services were held on
Tuesday, January 29, at the St.
John Lutheran Church in Corwith,
with Pastor Kay Wold
officiating. Burial was in the
Corwith Cemetery. The Ewing
Dugger Funeral Chapel, Britt,
was in charge of the
arrangements.
Charles LeRoy Claude, was born
on November 4, 1917, to Rose
(Draeger) and Henry Claude. His
father, Henry was killed
tragically when Charlie was
three years old. He attended
country school, but because he
was needed to help with the farm
and work many other jobs to help
earn money to support the
family, he only was able to
finish the 8th grade.
In his lifetime, he worked for
many people, too numerous to
mention. He worked for several
farmers and mechanics. He earned
enough money to buy his fist
convertible car with a rumble
seat. He would talk so often
about his encounters with
falling asleep at the wheel and
waking in the ditch. Also about
his experience with getting hit
by lightning and surviving.
He married Roseland Adreon, on
March 30, 1941. A simple
ceremony with Roseland’s sister,
Lurlia and her husband, Ray
Fisher standing at their sides.
In this union, three children
were born, Charlotte, Phyllis
and Terry.
Charlie enlisted in the United
States Army Air Force in 1942
and served his country as a
pilot of the “Flying Fortress”
B-17G Bomber plane. It was at
this time, that he received his
college education with degrees.
He flew 20 missions over Germany
and other countries in Europe.
Many times he saw his buddies
fall to the enemy, but his
bravery and strong will brought
him home.
We all have heard his many
stories of his missions and the
places he has been and seen. We
will all cherish each and every
memory he shared. We never got
tired of hearing them over and
over again. His life was filled
with so many different
experiences that he loved to
share.
When returning to the United
States and Corwith, Charlie
worked for the City of Corwith
from 1946-1968. At that time, he
purchased a plumbing business,
which became “Claude’s Plumbing
& Heating.” Charlie employed his
son, Terry, with the business
for nearly 18 years. Charlie and
Rosie operated the business
until his retirement in 1996.
Through these years, he also
served several terms of Mayor
for the City of Corwith,
totaling nearly 20 years
combined.
On January 30, 1999 his wife,
Rosie died as a result from
open-heart surgery. He lost his
life’s partner, but with the
help of family and his daughter,
Charlotte, he overcame another
battle. He loved doing odd jobs,
along with his yard work,
woodworking and visiting with
friends and neighbors who passed
by. His daughter, Charlotte
continued to live with him in
the home he built himself until
his health began to fail. His
years with fighting the many
episodes with pneumonia, was
finally taking its toll.
He entered the Westview Care
Center in Britt, following a
serious case of pneumonia, which
required him to have a feeding
tube inserted in the fall of
2007. Shortly thereafter,
Charlotte also became a resident
of the Care Center, sharing a
room with her Dad. The really
enjoyed being together making
all kinds of new friends and
sharing their stories and
experiences.
On January 22, Charlie fought
the battle of his life against
pneumonia, but lost his short
fight on January 26. Charlie
will always be remembered as a
“Hero,” a “Great Dad,” a “Great
Grandfather,” a “Great Brother,”
and a “Great Uncle.” He always
had time to listen and guide his
family the best way he knew how.
He left this world, leaving
behind his three children,
Charlotte, Phyllis (Marvin)
Bosworth and Terry (Tammy)
Claude; three grandchildren,
Jason (Kaylin) Bosworth, Andrea
(Andy) Bernhard and Sybil (Kent)
Johnson; eight
great-grandchildren, Kalib,
Kourtney, Kealey, Jaycee, Tyler,
Kallon, Jaydin and Calista;
sister-in-law, Rena; and many
nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his
mother, Rose (Draeger, Claude)
Henschen; father, Henry;
step-father, Julius; wife,
Rosie; three brothers, Fred and
wife, Blanche, Albert and
Walter; two sisters-in-law, Erma
Garman and Lurlia Fisher; four
brothers-in-law, Glen Adreon,
Leon and wife, Maxine, Phillip
and wife, Margaret Adreon, Ray
Fisher and Larry Freiberg; two
step-sisters, Velma and Lloyd
McCluskey and Violetta and Amos
Hughes; two nieces, Shirley
Knorr and Rita White; and a
nephew, Ronald Adreon.
We are blessed to have shared
the time with him and will hold
his memories in our hearts.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Robert LeRoy Mitchell, 1923-2008
January 30, 2008
Robert LeRoy Mitchell, died on
Monday, January 28, 2008, in
Britt.
Funeral services will be held on
Thursday, January 31, at the St.
John Lutheran Church in Corwith.
Pastor Kay Wold will officiate
at the service. Interment will
be in the Corwith Cemetery in
Corwith, with military honors
provided by the Elmer Wilson
American Legion Post #229.
Robert LeRoy Mitchell, was born
on October 31, 1923, on the
family farm in Prairie Township,
Hancock County. He was the third
child of Lennie Osborn and
Jennie Elizabeth Merriam
Mitchell. He graduated from the
Corwith High School in 1941,
vice president of his class. Bob
served in the U.S. Army during
World War II, assigned to the
25th Mechanized Calvary Rem,
receiving the Asiatic-Pacific
Theatre Ribbon, Victory Medal,
Army Occupation Medal (Japan)
and Good Conduct Medal. Upon
discharge, he returned to
Corwith to help on the family
farm. Bob also worked a short
time for the railroad, and
later, intermittently worked
construction jobs and assisted
local farmers.
On November 23, 1952, Bob was
joined in marriage to Gladys
Marie Yeoman, daughter of George
and Olive Palmer Yeoman. They
made their home south of Corwith
on their farm. Bob and Gladys
celebrated their 55th wedding
anniversary last fall. They have
four children, Michael L., Jean
M., David A. and Julie L.
Bob was a life member of the
American Legion, having served
as Post Commander and Chaplain.
He served over 15 years on the
Hancock County Conservation
Board.
Fishing was Bob’s passion. His
truck and often his pockets,
typically held a variety of
lures and hooks, in the event a
fishing opportunity arose or a
fellow fisherman was in need.
His quest for the “lucky lure”
was ongoing. Bob also enjoyed
reading, had an interest in
wildlife conservation and, in
earlier years, was an avid
winter trapper.
He is survived by his wife,
Gladys of Corwith; and his
children, Mike and Sherry
Mitchell of Swisher, Mark and
Jean Hoyt of Flower Mound,
Texas, David Mitchell of Corwith
and Jim and Julie Richter of
Corwith; 9 grandchildren, Travis
and Laura Mitchell Sheely of
Amana, Len Mitchell of Swisher,
Jason and Lisa McDowell Hoyt of
Lewisville, Texas, Joshua and
Tara Hoyt active duty Navy of
New York, New York, Dave and
Nichole Yokimishyn, Troy and
Jaime Reick and Matthew and Lany
Mitchell, all of Wesley, Lynn
Richter of Eagle Grove and Brian
Richter of Corwith; and 12
great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by his
parents; and his two sisters,
Alberta Maland and Ellen
Mitchell.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Ronald G. Woiwod, 1924-2008
February 6, 2008
 Ronald
G. Woiwod, 84, of Garner, died
on Wednesday, January 30, 2008,
at his home.
Funeral services were held at
10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, at the
St. John’s Lutheran Church east
of Garner, with the Rev. Carl
Hedberg officiating. Burial was
in the Memorial Park Cemetery in
Mason City. The Cataldo Funeral
Home in Garner was in charge of
the arrangements.
Ronald George Woiwod, the son of
Otto and Lulu (Henschen) Woiwod,
was born on January 2, 1924, on
a farm east of Garner. He
attended the St. John’s
Parochial School northeast of
Garner and graduated from the
Ventura High School in 1941.
After high school, he worked as
an auto mechanic in the north
Iowa area.
On September 18, 1954, he
married Mildred Harrison in
Alabama. They later divorced. In
1963, his father, Otto, passed
away. Ron then moved to the
family farm east of Garner and
took over the farming operation.
Following his retirement from
farming he moved into Garner.
In June of 2001, he married
Lorraine Rooks in Clear Lake.
Ron enjoyed playing cards and
visiting with people. He was a
member of the St. John’s
Lutheran Church, where he was
confirmed and served as an
usher.
Ron is survived by his brother,
Laurice “Pete” Woiwod and his
wife, Billie of Clear Lake;
sister-in-law, Elaine Woiwod of
Garner; step-daughters, Connie
Pals and her husband, Wayne of
Thornton and Valera Hovelson of
Clear Lake; three nieces, Laurel
McMahon and her husband, Jim of
Garner, Kris Juenger and her
husband, Tom of Garner and
Beverly Kelck and her husband,
Lynn of West Union; and a
nephew, Richard Woiwod and his
wife, Sherry of Fertile.
He was preceded in death by his
parents; wife, Lorraine; and a
brother, Ernest Woiwod.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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Wilma Scholl, 1915-2008
February 6, 2008
Wilma E. Kruckenberg Scholl, 92,
of Rockwell, died on Thursday,
January 31, 2008, at the
Rockwell Community Nursing Home.
Funeral services were held on
Saturday, at the St. Peter
Lutheran Church in Rockwell,
with Rev. Ronald J Bolinger
presiding. Interment was in the
Hillside Cemetery, Sheffield.
The Retz-Grarup Funeral Home,
Sheffield was in charge of the
arrangements.
Wilma E. Kruckenberg Scholl, was
born on a farm near Hampton, in
Franklin County on October 2,
1915, to Elwood and Ethel
(Morehouse) Walker. She
graduated from the Sheffield
High School in 1934. On March 5,
1935, Wilma was united in
marriage with Arnold
Kruckenberg. She was baptized
and confirmed on May 19, 1935,
at the St. John’s Lutheran
Church in Sheffield.
Wilma and Arnold raised two
children, Larry Kruckenberg of
Rockwell and Karen Stadtlander
Ulrich of Armstrong. They farmed
east of Sheffield and north of
Dougherty until 1970 when they
retired and built a home in
Rockwell. Arnold passed away in
April 1971. On June 6, 1974
Wilma married Victor (Bud)
Scholl of Rockwell.
Always willing to help, Wilma
taught Sunday School at
Sheffield for two years and
after moving to Rockwell she
served as President of the ELCW
and Rebecca and Martha Circles.
She also served as President of
the Hostess Committee and served
on the Altar Guild. She loved to
work in her garden and with her
flowers, as well as spending
time with her family and
friends.
She is survived by her husband,
Bud Scholl of Rockwell; son,
Larry (Deanna) Kruckenberg of
Rockwell; daughter, Karen (Bob)
Ulrich of Armstrong; four
grandchildren, Kurt (Dina)
Kruckenberg of Omaha, Nebraska,
Kandee Bartholomew of Mason
City, Denise (Steve) Jensen of
Ringsted and Dawn (Dean) Looft
of Armstrong; three
step-grandchildren, Janiece,
Jodie and Scott; 18
great-grandchildren; 1
great-great-grandchild; sister,
Kathryn Foell; and many nieces,
nephews and friends.
Wilma was preceded in death by
her first husband, Arnold; her
parents; five sisters, Clare
Alden, Frances Brown, Cleone
Miller, Florence Mahn and
Prudence Faye in infancy.
©The Garner Leader & Signal 2008
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