MARILYN R. WEITMON

MASON CITY - Marilyn R. Weitmon, 72, of 908 S. Virginia Ave., Mason City, died Wednesday afternoon (April 14, 1999) at North Iowa Mercy Health Center.

Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 17, 1999, at Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 2nd St. S.E., Mason City. Officiating will be the Rev. Loyd Ginn of Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Stanhope.

Visitation will begin after 4 p.m. today at the funeral home with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to the Senior Activity Center.

Marilyn was born on Sept. 28, 1926, in Minneapolis, the daughter of Arthur and Amy (Gifford) Akerson. In 1944, she graduated from Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, where she remained for 27 years. During that time she met her future husband roller skating. They were united in marriage on Sept. 9, 1949.

She was involved with administrative work at the Federal Reserve Bank and then Cargill in Minneapolis. They moved to Clarion in 1952 and then to Mason City in 1969, where they have lived ever since.

While in Clarion, Marilyn was active in the Church of Christ and the church circle. Marilyn enjoyed sewing, counted-cross stitch, needlepoint, knitting, reading mysteries and biographies and playing "500" and Euchre card games with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Canada and visiting her family in Arizona, New York and other places.

Those thankful in sharing Marilyn's life include her husband of 49 years, Carl, of Mason City; her four loving daughters, Paula J. and her husband, Robert Kellogg, of Vienna, Va., Debra L. and her husband, Mark Carlson, of Stanhope, Cindy K. and her husband, Dick Dombrowski, of Esko, Minn., and Sharon A. and her husband, Scotty Jones, of Mason City; eight grandchildren, Jon and Kim Kellogg, Robin Cushman, Amy Hubbard, Katie Carlson, Megan Carlson, Nathan Dombrowski, and Zach Jones; four great grandchildren, Ryan and Ethan Cushman, and Carly and Cale Hubbard; one sister-in-law, Myriam C. Crowell, Winnfield, La.; and one brother-in-law, Harold J. Borders, of Willows, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Lawrence Akerson; and one son-in-law, Kris Dahlhauser.

Fullerton Funeral Home (515) 423-8676.

WINIFRED BRANDT

FOREST CITY - Winifred Brandt was born March 25, 1898, in Grand Rapids, Mich. She was the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Jansma. She worked in Grand Rapids for 50 years at various offices, doing stenographic and general office work.

She married John W. Rindal in 1921 and they parted in 1935. In 1938 she married Galen Mirick, and in 1948 they moved to Phoenix, Ariz., for health reasons. Mr. Mirick passed away in 1950.

She continued to spend her winters in Phoenix and met Henry Brandt there. They were married in her church in Grand Rapids in 1953 and moved to Forest City, where she has lived for 46 years. Mr. Brandt passed away in 1964.

When in Grand Rapids she was a member of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. She was active in the women's choir and as a soloist for various church functions. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City, the Ladies Aid and the Mary Circle. She was a charter member of the Senior Citizens Kum Along Club and was their pianist for many years.

Winifred is survived by her Brandt family: daughter, Anna Harringa,of Forest City; daughter-in-law, Alvina Brandt, Woden; 12 grandchildren, Kathy Leuwerke, Bob Fisher, LeAnne Troxel, Becky Fisher and David Fisher, Carmen Fjetland, LeRoy Brandt, Mike Brandt, Tresea Couvilliane, Paul Brandt, Marie Steenledge and Donald Brandt; many great-grandchildren and many great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Joan DeRoos, of Conesus, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Galen Mirick and Henry Brandt; sons, LeRoy Brandt and Irvin Brandt; daughter, Evelyn Pendleton; brother, Joseph Jansma; and a sister, Anne Bagge.

Funeral service for Winifred Brandt, age 101, of Forest City, will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 19, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Forest City, with the Rev. David Samuelson officiating. Burial will be at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in rural Titonka. Death occurred at the Good Samaritan Center, Forest City. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Petersen-Lund Funeral Home, Forest City.

FERN STUPKA

KANAWHA - Fern Stupka, 80, passed away Tuesday (April 13, 1999) at her home in Kanawha.

Funeral services for Fern will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 17, 1999, at the Holmes Baptist Church, in Holmes, with Pastor Patrick Nemmers officiating. Burial will take place at Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Chapel in Kanawha, and one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church.

Fern Avis Stupka was born on March 13, 1919, near Radcliffe, to Bertha (Olson) Vroman and Carl Vroman. Around 1923, she and her family moved to Goldfield. They lived for a short time on a farm, where she attended school at a small country school.

After moving into town, she attended the Goldfield schools and graduated in 1937. She was very active in the operettas, speech and glee club. She received several excellent ratings in the music contests and an award pin from the WCTU for a written essay.

She was baptized in infancy, but at the age of 12, she accepted the Lord and followed the Lord in believer's baptism at the Baptist Church in Goldfield, where Ira D. Halverson Sr. was the pastor.

Since she was stricken at an early age with rheumatic fever, her activities were somewhat restricted. After graduation she became receptionist and secretary for Dr. B.L. Bassinger.

In 1940, she was married to Edward L. Stupka by the Reverend Charles Davis at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Vroman. Two children were born to this union, Marvin and Wayne.

They moved to a farm north and west of Goldfield and were tenants for Glen Thompson.

In 1942 they began farming on the Spencer farm north and east of Clarion and the next year moved to the Keller farm north and west of Clarion. They remained there until 1960, when they moved to the Middleton farm north and east of Renwick.

In 1973, they moved to Kanawha and were living at the retirement apartments on West Sixth Street at the time of Fern's death.

Fern was very active in her church and volunteer services. She and her husband, Ed, served with the commodity program in Kanawha for 10 years and they were presented a certificate from Governor Branstad at an award meeting. She also enjoyed helping with activities at the Kanawha Community Home.

She started as a Sunday school teacher when her boys were two and three years of age and served as a teacher for over 40 years. Also she held many offices in the church and was a soloist and choir member for many years.

She had a special love for her church, her family, her relatives and all her Christian brothers and sisters.

She leaves to mourn her passing her beloved husband, Ed; her son, Marvin and wife, Mary, her son, Wayne; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mrs. Peggy Kiley, of Kanawha, Mrs. Ruby Nelson, of Kanawha, Mrs. Helen Schultz and her husband, Don, of Clarion, and Mrs. Florence Anderson of Clarion; nieces and nephews; and a host of relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Orval; her mother, Bertha; her father, Carl; a brother, Annis; and a sister, Marie Kiley.

Ewing Dugger Funeral Chapel, Kanawha (515) 762-3211.

BETTIE J. WENTZ

CLEAR LAKE - Bettie J. Wentz, 74, of 2606 North Shore Dr., died Wednesday (April 14, 1999) at the Heritage Care Center, Mason City.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 508 Second Ave. N., Clear Lake, with the Rev. Fred Lewis officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Merle Hay Cemetery, Des Moines, with the Rev. William Cotton of Grace United Methodist Church officiating.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, and will continue one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Clear Lake United Methodist Church Alter Guild in memory of Bettie J. Wentz.

Bettie was born May 31, 1924, in Chariton, daughter of Richard and Blanche (Henley) Kennedy. She married Gordon L. Wentz on July 19, 1945, in Kansas City, Kan.

Bettie grew up in Chariton and was homecoming queen at Chariton High School in 1942. She worked at Younkers in Des Moines as a buyer and then was a secretary for two state representatives in the Iowa House of Representatives until retiring in 1989.

From 1962 until 1980 she and her families enjoyed spending summers in Clear Lake. In 1980 they made Clear Lake their residence. She loved gardening and arranging flowers and she loved crafts. Bettie enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She and her husband enjoyed traveling with Max and Liz Isaacson.

Bettie was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Des Moines and the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, and the Acanthus Chapter of Eastern Star. She was past president of the Des Moines and Urbandale Garden Clubs, the Clear Lake Arts Council and was an active member of the Republican Party.

Survivors include her husband, Gordon Wentz, of Clear Lake; two daughters, Marianne Hansen Luce and her husband, Greg, of Spokane, Wash., and Kristin Wentz of West Des Moines; two grandchildren, Luke and Erin Hansen, both of Spokane, Wash.; one niece, Kay Hallum and her husband, Claude, of Kansas City, Mo.; one nephew, David Garton and his wife, Marie, of Des Moines.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and three sisters, Audrey, Phyllis and Doris.

PHYLLIS SAYLOR

BELMOND - Phyllis Saylor, 79, passed away Tuesday (April 13, 1999) at her son and daughter-in-law's home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 19, 1999, at the United Methodist Church in Belmond, with Pastor Cylesteyne DeVance officiating. A private family burial will take place at the Hampton Cemetery, Hampton.

There will be no visitation. The body was cremated. Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, Belmond, is in charge of arrangements.

Phyllis, the daughter of Edward and Jennie Booth Simmons, was born Aug. 5, 1919, in Hampton. She attended country schools in the Hampton area and graduated from Hampton High School.

Phyllis was united in marriage with Maurice Saylor on Aug. 5, 1938, in Hampton. The couple made their home in the Hampton area, where they farmed. Phyllis and Maurice would later move to California, where they lived for several years, returning to Iowa in 1959. Maurice passed away in 1980. Phyllis moved to Belmond in 1988 and to the Belmond Apartments in 1989.

Phyllis enjoyed walking and riding her bike on the Franklin Grove Heritage Trail in Belmond. She tutored students at the grade school in Belmond several years and loved spending time at the Belmond Public Library.

Phyllis was a Rebekah and very active in the United Methodist Church in Belmond. She was active in the Ladies Circle and other committees in the church.

Phyllis is survived by two sons, Bart and his wife, Donna, of Belmond and Dwight and his wife, Debbie, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; five grandchildren, Kirk, Kari, Dwight Jr., Shannon and Jesse; two stepgrandchildren, Jason and Charlie; and four great-grandchildren, Alex, Garrett, Devon and Jacob; and one brother, Allen Simmons of Bakersfield, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Maurice; son, David in 1962; and one sister in infancy.

Dugger Ewing Funeral Home, Belmond (515) 444-3248.

WILLIAM THORNTON FARNAN

CLEAR LAKE - William Thornton Farnan, 51, of White Bear Lake, Minn., formerly of Clear Lake, died Saturday (April 10, 1999) in White Bear Lake.

Funeral services were held April 14 at St. Mary's of the Lake Church in White Bear Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by the Rev. Roger Pierre and concelebrated by Monsignor Joseph Slepicka, pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church ofClear Lake.

Bill was born in Mason City on Nov. 29, 1947, and was the son of Thornton J. and Geraldine Farnan. He attended Clear Lake Schools and graduated from Newman High School. Bill graduated from Iowa State University in 1970 with a degree in Architecture.

He began his professional career in the Twin Cities and later established a private architectural practice. He also taught architectural related classes at St. Paul Technical College.

Bill was a kind and compassionate man who was loved by all who knew him. His creative sense of humor enriched our lives. He will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; sons, Michael, of Los Angeles, and Timothy, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; stepchildren, Jill Myers of Minneapolis, and Eric Myers and Bridge Myers of White Bear Lake; his mother, Geraldine Farnan, of Clear Lake; brothers, Dennis (Maureen), of Fort Wayne, Ind., and David (Mary Ann), of Shelby Township, Mich.

He was preceded in death by his father, T.J. Farnan; and one infant son, John Farnan.

IOLA DOROTHY SWAN

RICEVILLE - Iola Dorothy Swan, 90, of Riceville, died Wednesday (April 14, 1999) at the Riceville Community Rest Home.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Lindstrom Funeral Home, Riceville. Burial will be in Rest Haven Cemetery, Fort Collins, Colo.

There will be no visitation.

CHARLES R. COLBY

MASON CITY - Charles R. Colby, 83, of 302 Second St. N.E., died Tuesday (April 13, 1999) at the North Iowa Mercy Health Center East.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Bethany Lutheran Church in Kensett.

There will be no visitation. Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, is in charge of arrangements.