Larry D. Best

GRIMES - Larry D. Best, 65, of Grimes, formerly of Garner, died Monday, Oct. 4, 2010 at his home.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday Oct. 8, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Monsignor John Hemann officiating. Burial will be in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Garner.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner with a Scriptural wake service at 7:30 p.m. continuing one hour prior to services at the church.

Cataldo Funeral Home, 641-923-2841, www.cataldofuneralhome.com.

LAKE MILLS - Jerry N. Jenison, 66, of Lake Mills, died Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, Iowa.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street in Lake Mills.

You can contact the family with on-line condolences at: www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com, 641-592-0221.

CLEAR LAKE - Violet V. Olson, 84, 1200 10th Ave N., Clear Lake, died Tuesday, Oct. 5, at her home.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 8, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with the Rev. Jim Allard, Chaplain, Hospice of North Iowa officiating.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the Violet V. Olson Memorial Fund.

Violet was born on January 18, 1926, in St. Paul, Minn., the daughter of Horace Benjamin and Ruth (Diltz) Jolly. She attended schools in Woden and Meservey. She married Clare Olson and lived south of Clear Lake where they farmed. Violet worked at cleaning cottages and hotels, then later was a prep cook at Perkins and worked at various restaurants in Clear Lake and at Oakwood Care Center. She also did volunteer work at Oakwood. She loved to play pool and bingo and watch the Twins. She enjoyed gardening and growing flowers, needle work and embroidery. She was a member of the "Thought and Thimble Club."

Violet is survived by her special friend Jerry Kaster, Clear Lake; three daughters Mary Butts, Riverside, Mo., Marcia (Jim) Gardinier, Clear Lake, and Ruth Ann (Doug) Henning, Fertile, Iowa; daughter-in-law Pam Peterson, Clear Lake; four grandchildren Ashley Olson, New York City, N.Y., Steven Cash, Riverside, Mo., John (Lynn) Sheimo, Mason City, and April Sheimo, Northwood; nine great grandchildren; three brothers Cecil (Eunice) Jolly, White Bear Lake, Minn., Kenneth Jolly, Meservey, Iowa, and Richard (Betty) Jolly, Gilbert, Iowa; and one sister Elsie Forcier, White Bear Lake, Minn., and several nieces and nephews.

Violet was preceded in death by her parents, son David Olson, husband Clare Olson, and four brothers Harold, Muriel, Donald and Leroy Jolly.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA, 50428, 641-357-2193, www.colonialchapels. com.

GLADBROOK - Doris Leila Webner Palmer, 87, formerly of Holland, died Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at the Westbrook Acres Nursing Home in Gladbrook while under the care of the nursing staff and the Cedar Valley Hospice.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the United Methodist Church in Grundy Center with Pastor Matt Miller officiating.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church. A private family burial will take place after funeral services.

To leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit www.abelsfuneralhomes.com.
Memorials may be directed to the family.

Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home, 509 4th St, Grundy Center, IA, 50638, 319- 824-3319.

Published in Globe Gazette on October 6, 2010

MASON CITY - Elmer E. Billick Sr., 90, of Mason City died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 8, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with the Rev. Ron Stein and the Rev. David Biddle of the First Baptist Church officiating.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7, at Major Erickson Funeral Home with a Moose service at 7:30 pm.

Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Friday. Interment will be at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Elmer E. Billick Sr. Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Elmer was born Dec. 28, 1919, in Eddyville, Iowa, the son of William J. and Frances M. (Eberline) Billick. His family moved to Mason City in 1923, where he attended school.

He married Carline M. Day on Sept. 25, 1955, in Mason City. Elmer was a truck driver for Lehigh Cement Co. for 37 years before retiring in 1984. Elmer enjoyed his family and helping others. Elmer was a member of and very involved in the First Baptist Church, the Clear Lake Evening Lions Club, the Moose Lodge, AA and the River City Tri Club. He was also a member of the Cement, Lime & Gypsum Union No. 106.

Elmer is survived by his son Clarence Billick and wife, Mary, of Kresgesville, Pa.; daughter Darcy Saindon and husband, Mike, of Stuart, Iowa; stepson Rodney McClain and wife, Derra, of Seguin, Texas; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; two sisters: Mary Lou and husband, Lee, Tully of Santa Ana, Calif., and Donna Jean Waters of Garden Grove, Calif.; special family friend, Penny Pattee. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carline, in 2006; his son, Elmer E. Billick Jr., stepson Rick McClain; grandson John Ross Rezab; great-granddaughter Angelica (Awe) Billick; two brothers: William F. Billick and Jerry Lee Billick; three sisters: Maxine M. Billick Snell, Josephine M. Billick Dahl and Hazel "Bea" Billick.

Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, Iowa 50401, 641-423-0924. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com.

CLEAR LAKE - Opal E. Coffin, 98, Clear Lake, died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at the Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11, at the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dennis Ganz officiating.

Visitation will precede the service starting at noon at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake. Memorials may be given to the charity of your choice.

Opal was born April 23, 1912, in Mason City, the daughter of John and Neva (Homes) Purviance. She graduated from Clear Lake schools in 1930. Opal married Cecil E. Coffin on Jan. 26, 1931, in Clear Lake. Cecil died Feb. 11, 1987, after 56 years of marriage.

They lived in Shenandoah for one year after they got married, farmed south of Mason City and Clear Lake from 1933-1949 and then moved to Wichita, Kan., where she worked as a sheet metal assembler for the Cessna Aircraft plant, retiring in 1974.

Opal was a member of the Golden Wedding Jubilee Club, the Senior Citizens of Fertile and the Church of Christ, Fertile.

Opal is survived by her daughter Norma Proctor, Iowa Falls; four grandchildren: Dale Moorehead, Sanger, Texas, Cecil Moorehead, Ventura, Karen (Keeling) Reiter, Cedar Falls, and Darlene (Keeling) Smith, Little Rock, Ark; 11 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great-grandchildren; sister Clara Ball, Prescott, Ariz.; and brother-in-law Warren Millard, Mason City.

Opal is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Cecil; granddaughter Arlene Smith, March 10, 2008; and brothers and sisters John Jr., Floyd, Lola Stranquist, Jesse, Clyde and Alleen Petersen.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, IA 50428, 641-357-2193, www.colonialchapels.com.

CEDAR FALLS - Jean A. Garvey, 84, of Cedar Falls died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, at the Western Home Communities Martin Center.

Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, Sept. 27, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Cedar Falls, with burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Manly.

Memorials may be directed to designated at a later date.

She was born Oct. 23, 1925, in Manly, the daughter of Vance J. and Mary I. (Murphy) Reindl. She married William T. Garvey on May 10, 1948, in Manly. He died Nov. 27, 1967.

She was a 1943 graduate of Manly High School and was employed with Mannens Grocery Store and Manly Care Center.

Survivors include a daughter, Irene (Jack) Elbert of Cedar Falls; two sons: Brian (Ramona) Garvey of Hospers and Michael Garvey of Cedar Falls; two grandchildren: Cory and Rachel Elbert of Cedar Falls; two sisters: Rita (Ronald) Grimm of Cedar Falls and Karen (George) Baker of Santa Maria, Calif.; and six nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a sister, LaVonne Reindl.

Online condolences may be left at www.richardsonfuneralservice.com.
Richardson Funeral Home, 615 Main Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613, 319-266-3525.

LAKE MILLS - Virginia A. Levorson, 78, of Lake Mills died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills.

Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11, at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, with Pastor Eric Hoeft officiating.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church only on Monday.
Burial will take place at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Cemetery in Lake Mills.

You can contact the family with online condolences at www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com.
Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, 641-592-0221.

HAMPTON - Marlys Ruth Pralle, 78, of Hampton died Oct. 7, 2010, at the Presbyterian Village in Ackley.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hampton. The Rev. Karl Bollhagen and Vicar Roy Berquist will officiate the service.
Burial will take place in the Hampton Cemetery.

Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home in Hampton.

Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home, 306 Central Ave. E., Hampton, IA 50441, www.sietsemavogelfuneralhomes.com, 641-456-3232.

MEBANE, N.C. - Robin Laureen Field Rosson was born in Mitchell County, Iowa, on Sept. 1, 1959, to Helen Janet Christiansen Field and Roger Lee Field (deceased). Robin passed away Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, of complications from breast cancer, with which she was diagnosed on Feb. 13, 2006.

The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at St. Mark's Church with the Rev. Todd Maberry and the Rev. Eric Allred officiating.

The family will receive friends at St. Mark's Church from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, prior to the service. Other times they will be at the residence.

Surviving family members are her loving husband, Gary B. Rosson, and her treasured sons, Paul and Ryan Fox, all of Mebane, N. C.; her mother, Helen Christiansen Randolph of Dallas, Texas; her siblings, Rebecca Field Tate and son Sean of Durham, N.C., Loren S. Field, his wife, Lenore, and children Lauren and Nolan of Hinton, Iowa, and Ward C. Field and his wife, Shannon, and children, Megan and Shane of Pine Island, Minn.

Robin was baptized in 1959 at the Rock Creek Lutheran Church in Meroa, Iowa. Her ashes will be scattered into the water of nearby Rock Creek. Robin's headstone will be next to Gary's in the Rock Creek cemetery near her grandparents, Carl and Myrtle Christiansen.

Robin graduated from Osage Community High School in Osage, Iowa, in 1977. She had various jobs in Iowa before moving to Houston, Texas, where she was employed by Century Development Co.

After moving to California in the late 1980s, Robin attended community college for two years. She also worked for several years in marketing for a savings and loan and later was communications director for the Regional YMCA. After living in Minnesota and Iowa from 1996 to 2001, she and her sons, Paul and Ryan, moved to North Carolina.
Robin and her sister, Becky, raised their families together in the community of "Solterra" in Durham for several years. God brought Gary and Robin together as husband and wife at Hope Creek Church in Durham, N.C., on March 4, 2006. Their new family moved to the Mebane countryside in August 2007 where Robin worked at ArcaTech Systems, a cash transaction company in Mebane, before a recurrence of cancer in April 2009. The family attends St. Marks, an interdenominational church in Mebane.

Rich & Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service in Graham is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be offered to www.richandthompson.com.

GARNER - Donald W. Standley, 64, of Garner died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garner with the Rev. Dale Glawatz officiating. Burial will be in Concord Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the Donald Standley Memorial Fund. Cataldo Funeral Home, 641-923-2841, www.cataldofuneralhome.com.

MASON CITY - Arlene C. Groh, 72, of 715 S. Fillmore Ave., died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City.

A celebration of life service will be at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. N.E., Mason City. A reception will follow the service at 12:30 p.m. at the V.F.W., 1603 South Monroe, Mason City.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to Arlene's service on Sunday at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel.

Friends may call at Arlene's home, 715 S. Fillmore, from 1 until 4 p.m. on Saturday evening, Oct. 9, for reminiscing and sharing stories with the family.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Arlene Groh Memorial Fund.

Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third Street Northeast, Mason City, Iowa 50401, 641- 423-2372, www.colonialchapels.com.

MASON CITY - Anna L. Leichtnam, 82, of Mason City, died Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, at her home.

Arrangements are incomplete with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA, 50401, 641-423-0924.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com.

LAKE MILLS - Virginia A. Levorson, 78, of Lake Mills, died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at the Lake Mills Care Center.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, with Pastor Eric Hoeft officiating.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church only on Monday.
Burial will take place at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Cemetery in Lake Mills.

Virginia A. Levorson was born in Lake Mills, the daughter of Ingvald and Adella (Peterson) Levorson, on Dec. 7, 1931. She was baptized and confirmed at the Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Church, where she was a lifetime member. She graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1950.

Virginia worked at the Lake Mills Canning Factory until it closed. She babysat at the homes of many local families. Children brought much joy into her life. She then worked at the Arlington Hotel in Lake Mills until she turned blind from diabetes.

She was active in her church, singing in the choir and a member of Ladies Aid. She liked embroidering and hand sewing. She loved her nieces and nephews being around her and entertaining them. She also loved her companion, her cat.

In 1998, she moved to the Lake Mills Care Center because of failing health. She liked it there very much, she had many friends there and enjoyed all of the activities with them. She called the care center her home.

Virginia was a kind and loving person and she will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Lawrence Levorson.

Virginia is survived by one brother, Harlan Levorson and his wife Ramona; one sister, Norma Peterson; her husband Phillip, and one sister-in-law, Anita Levorson, all of Lake Mills; nephew, Duane Peterson of Wichita Falls, Texas; nieces, Carole and her husband Grant Knighton of Collierville, Tenn.; Laura Levorson-Ruslaaten of Sandvicka, Norway; along with her beloved cat Mitzy.

You can contact the family with online condolences at www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com, 641-592-0221.

Published in Globe Gazette from October 8 to October 9, 2010

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. - Ruth O'Brien Smith, 81, of Hendersonville died Friday morning, Oct. 8, 2010, at her home.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 15 at the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church with the Rev. John Salvas officiating.

She was born on March 28, 1929, in Mason City, Iowa to the late Dr. Steve O'Brien and Mrs. Edith Schaeffer O'Brien. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Dr. Steve O'Brien, and her sister, Dr. Marie Alcorn.

Ruth O'Brien Smith was a woman of many talents. She and her husband lived with their family for eighteen years abroad, in France, Peru, Mexico, Australia and England. Jack and Ruth returned to the United States to settle in Lake Forest, Ill., for the next twenty-seven years. In Lake Forest she was an avid, and winning, golfer and also a writer who participated in book groups and the Coterie. In 2005, she and Jack moved to Hendersonville to retire. Ruth continued to play golf and was involved with the Literacy Council.

She is survived by her beloved husband, John (Jack) Smith and her six children, Susan Schnuer, Kevin Smith, Brian Smith, Steve Smith, Robert Smith and Elizabeth Schwarze, and also her twenty-one grandchildren, her in-laws, and her sister, Ann Brosius.

Ruth O'Brien Smith lived her life with grace, integrity and love. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Memorials in celebration of Ruth Smith's life may be made to St. Gerard House, 208 7th Ave., Hendersonville, NC, 28791, or to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC, 28731.

To sign the online register book, please visit www.shulerfuneralhome. com. Shuler Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Shuler Funeral Home, 125 Orr's Camp Road, Hendersonville, NC, 28792.

GARNER - Donald W. Standley, 64, of Garner died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Oct. 11, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garner with the Rev. Dale Glawatz officiating. Burial will be in Concord Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2 until 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the Donald Standley Memorial Fund.

Donald Wayne Standley, the son of Donald C. and Bernadine (Lundy) Standley, was born on Sept. 30, 1946, at Mason City. He attended elementary school in Clear Lake and graduated from Garner-Hayfield High School in 1966. On April 30, 1971, he married Lois Kitner at Garner. They lived in Garner where they raised their two daughters. Don worked at Howie's Implement, Bekins Van Lines with his brother-in-law, Ray, Schoneman's Standard Station and did construction work with Bob and Larry Best. In the fall of 1975 he began working at the Hancock County Rural Electric Cooperative in Garner which later became Prairie Energy. He retired from there in 2008 as an I.T. information systems specialist. Upon his retirement he helped his family in watching the grandchildren and assisting his daughter and son-in-law in their towing business. Don enjoyed going to his grandchildren's sports activities and camping. Don was especially proud to have achieved twenty-seven years of sobriety celebrated on his recent birthday.

He was former member and president of the Garner Jaycees.

Don is survived by his wife, Lois, of Garner; two daughters, Kelsey (Jason) Zasada and their children, Cody, Nathan and Lucas of Burlington, Wis., and Kami (Mark) Kaczor and their children, Annie, Morgan and Jared of Garner; two sisters, Cindy (Raymond) Koelm of Altamont, Ill., and Kathy (Keith) Kimbrough of Mount Pleasant; his mother-in-law, Emilyn Kitner of Garner; two aunts, Madelyn Paca of Garner and Aretta Van Dorin of Mt. Pleasant; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Donnitta (Bob) Hayungs; brother, James Standley; and father-in-law, Robert Kitner.

Cataldo Funeral Home, 641-923-2841, www.cataldofuneralhome.com.

ALGONA - Adeline Mary Wagner, 93, of Algona, died Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010, at the Good Samaritan Society Algona.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 11, at St. Cecelia Catholic Church with Father Merle Kollasch officiating. Burial will be in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in St. Joseph.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, with a Catholic Daughters of the Americas rosary at 5 p.m. and a wake service at 7 p.m. at Oakcrest Funeral Services in Algona.

Oakcrest Funeral Services-Algona, 515-295-3731, www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com.