H. Victor Fox Memorial Service To Be December 7

Memorial services for J. Victor Fox, 75, of Osage, who died Sunday, December 1, 2002 at Faith Lutheran Home, Osage, will be held on Saturday, December 7 at St. Peter Catholic Church in New Haven with the Rev. Ray E. Atwood officiating. Vic's, body was donated to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for medical research. A gathering of family and friends will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, December 6, 2002, at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage with a Forester Rosary at 7 p.m.

Vic was born September 19, 1927 on his parent's farm southeast of New Haven, the son of Henry A. and Eva (Dunes) Fox. He graduated from Osage High School in 1945. In 1950 Vic was united in marriage to Deloris Jean (Sally) Johanns at St. Peter Catholic Church, New Haven. Seven children were born to this union: Barbara Jean Zimmerman and husband Karl of Tucson, Arizona; Kenneth Henry Fox and wife Patricia of Waverly and their two children, Nicole Mae Fox, and Matthew Victor Fox; Colleen Ann Fox of Osage; Kathryn Marie Orth who died April 2002, and husband David of Kansas City, Missouri, and their two children, Megan Lee Buckler and husband Jeremy and Connor Andrew Orth; Linda Louise Fell and husband Jim of Waseca, Minnesota, and their son James Henry Fett; Donald Steven Fox and wife Jacqueline of Osage, and their three children: Devin Christopher Fox, Colin Hale Fox and Aislinn Rose Fox, and Judy Ellen Fox who died September 1979.

Vie farmed all his life southeast of New Haven. He also had part ownership of Custom Ag in Riceville from 1973 to 1991. Vic enjoyed his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed farming, reading, golfing, fishing, traveling, visiting and telling jokes. He was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church, New Haven.

Vic is survived by his wife Sally Fox of Osage; two sons, 3 daughters and eight grandchildren; three brothers, Jerry Fox and wife Madonna of Elma; Larry Fox and wife Karen of Riceville; Curtis Fox and wife, Arlene of Elma; a sister, Doris Kulage and husband George of St. Charles, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two daughters, Judy Fox and Kathryn Orth; and one brother Dale Fox.

Burial will be at a later date in the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery.

Ralph Leonard Grimm Funeral December 6

Funeral services for Ralph Leonard Grimm, 52, of Osage, who died Tuesday, December 3, 2002, will be held on Friday, December 6, 2002, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Osage, with the Rev. Dennis Hanson and Rev. Dennis Niezwaag officiating.
Ralph was born in Charles City on January 25, 1950, the son of Jim and Annabelle (Koebrick) Grimm, and was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charles City in 1952. He was a 1969 graduate from Osage High School. He served in the US Army in Vietnam, and was united in marriage to Carol Jeanne Schoenborn in June 1970 at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Following his service in the Army the couple returned to Osage where they farmed. He was employed at Spahn & Rose Lumber Co. for the past 30 years. He was a member of the Osage VFW, Osage American Legion. He was an avid wrestling fan and participated in the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament. He was known in the area for his lawn work with his Ford tractors, which he collected.
Ralph is survived by his wife, Carol Grimm of Osage; a daughter, Vicki Fox and fiancé Kenny Low of Osage and his children, Stephanie, Allison and Ryan; two sons, Heath Grimm and wife Angela of Fayette; Chris Grimm of Osage; his parents, Jim and Annabelle Grimm of New Haven; five sisters, Beverly Friend (Bob) of Charles City; Jeanne Loomer (Jim), Greene; Kathy Kimm (Kevin) of Charles City; Julie Foth (Lawrence) of Osage; Janelle Neuhring (Bill) of Rockwell; four brothers, Roger Grimm (Judy) of Elma; LeRoy Grimm (Sue) Independence; Richard Grimm (Theresa) of Osage; Robert Grimm (Shelley) of New Haven; nieces, nephews; father and mother-in-law, Don and Claire Schoenborn, Osage; brother and sister-in-law Dar and Geri Thompson, St. Ansgar; sister-in-law Mary Kay Schoenborn and special friend Mike of Clear Lake; brother and sister-in-law Ed Schoenborn (Janna) of Santee, California.
He was preceded in death by maternal and paternal grandparents and other relatives.
Burial will be in the Osage Cemetery with Military Honors by Osage VFW Post 7920 and Osage American Legion Post 278.

Cleonora Weness Funeral December 3

Funeral services for Cleonora A. Weness, 87, of Adams, formerly of Melvin, Iowa, who died Friday, November 29, 2002, at Austin Medical Center, were held on Tuesday, December, 3 at Six Mile Grove Church with the Rev. Lydia Mittag officiating.
Cleonora was born March 13, 1915, in Lyle, Minnesota to Oscar and Rena (Nelson) Sampson. She was baptized and confirmed at Six Mile Grove Lutheran Church and graduated from Lyle High School. Cleonora worked as a housekeeper until her marriage to Kenneth S. Weness on November 22, 1942, at the St. Olaf Parsonage in Austin. Following Kenneth's time in the service, they made their home in Adams, Minnesota until 1950, when they moved to Melvin, Iowa where they owned and operated the locker plant. They traveled to Norway in 1975 and 1978 and have wintered in Mission, Texas. They moved back to the Adams area in November.
Cleonora was an avid needle worker, enjoying quilting and other crafts. She was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Melvin and active in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission, Texas.
Cleonora is survived by her husband Kenneth S. Weness; Adams, Minnesota; sisters and brothers-in-law, Enid and Don Patterson of St. Ansgar; Mildred and Keith Westling of Osage; Marilyn and Dean Rockafellow of St. Ansgar; brother and sister-in-law, Russell and Gladys Sampson of St. Ansgar; nieces and nephews.
Casket bearers were David Weness, Brian Sampson, Roger Weness, Brian Weness, Steven Sampson, and Mark Weness.
Burial was in Six Mile Grove Lutheran Cemetery in Lyle, Minnesota.

Updated by Chuck Prickett 6/30/2003

Florence Davis Funeral December 4

Funeral services for Florence Davis, 97, who died Wednesday, December 11, 2002, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, were held on Saturday, December 14 at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood, with the Rev. Richard Jensen officiating.

Florence was born on November 4, 1905 in Cathay, North Dakota to Mark A. and Lillie (Beeghley) Cornwall. She married Northrup Ensrud in 1927 and together they had two sons. She moved to Carpenter in 1934. In 1944 she married George Davis. Florence moved to Northwood in 1989. She enjoyed gardening, canning and cooking.

Florence is survived by two sons, Duane Ensrud of Sioux City, Iowa, and Robert Ensrud of
Henderson, Nevada; six grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; and six great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Northrup Ensrud and George Davis; two sisters, Edith Belz and Lottie Larson; one brother, Harold Cornwall.

Burial was in the St. Ansgar Cemetery.

Laverne Rohlfsen Funeral December 17

Funeral services for Laverne Orville Rohlfsen, 74, of Grafton, who died on December 13, 2002, at Mercy Medical Center, North Iowa, were held on Tuesday, December 17 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, with the Rev. Wayne Ellingson officiating.

Laverne was born on October 25, 1928 to Orville and Clara (Beermann) Rohlfsen in Cherokee, Iowa. He attended country school for his first three years of schooling, then Lutheran Parochial School, German-town, Iowa, through the eighth grade. He attended high school in Paullina, graduating in 1947. He enrolled in Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls in 1947. He was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps in 1953. Laverne returned to college, at what is now UNI and graduated in 1954. While there he received three football letters.

His first teaching job was in Rockwell City, Iowa, where he coached and taught from 1954 to 1956. He married Mary E. Purdie on May 28, 1955 in Rockwell City. They moved to Northwood where he was a teacher and coach from 1956 until 1960. He sold insurance for two years. They moved to Grafton in 1962 where he was a junior high teacher and coach from 1962 until 1989. He retired in 1989. Laverne did multi peril crop insurance for 20 years. He enjoyed reading, going fishing, playing cards and farming with the Cole family.

Laverne is survived by his wife Mary of Grafton; three sons, Dar and wife Ann of Ankeny, Iowa; Bill and wife Renee of Mason City; Todd and wife Netty of Jesup; one daughter, Robin and husband Karl Johnson of Auburn, Alabama; 10 grandchildren; Chase Rohlfsen and wife Heidi and great grandson, Keegan Rohlfsen, Brandon, Scott, Adam, Nick, Max, Kelly, Amy, Joe and Justin Rohlfsen; a brother, Orlen Rohlfsen and wife Phyllis of Newell, Iowa; brother-in-law, Melvin Kisher of Newell; sister-in-law Miriam Rohlfsen of Des Moines; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Elaine (Rohlfsen) Kisher; a brother, Dr. Don Rohlfsen.

Burial was in the Grafton Cemetery.

Updated by Chuck Prickett 6/30/2003

Viola Gutmann Memorial Service

Memorial services for Viola Anne Gutmann, 98, who died at the Stacyville Nursing Home on December 21, 2002, were held Monday, December 23 at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, with the Rev. Byron Northwick officiating.

Viola was born on June 25, 1904 to George J. and Minna Laura (Riccius) Gutmann of St. Ansgar. The Gutmann family operated the bakery in St. Ansgar for many years and everyone was expected to help out. She attended school in St. Ansgar and was valedictorian of her senior class in 1922. Earlier in 1918 she had been confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Vi decided on teaching as her profession and attended both Iowa State Teachers College and the State University of Iowa. Here she graduated with a BA in 1929. In between attending each college she taught math in the Bayard, Iowa schools for two years. Next she landed in Moulton teaching math for several years and in 1933 she started teaching at Story City where she remained for 35 years. In 1958 she was presented with a new 1959 Chevy during the half time of a football game. Graduating classes from her 25 years of teaching there had contributed enough money to make this happen. It was truly the highlight of her teaching career. In 1962 the Story City yearbook was dedicated to her and one quotation sums up her work nicely, "She was the bestest teacher ever!"

After her retirement, she returned to St. Ansgar. Keeping in touch with family and friends was important to Vi. She also enjoyed gardening, mowing her lawn, driving around in her car and playing cards. She also assisted at the library for several years. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Viola is survived by two nephews and five nieces, a sister-in-law and many great nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers George and Herman, and sisters Esther Klindt and Harriet Machlan.

Burial will be at a later date.