Ralph Milbrandt

November 10, 2004

Ralph Milbrandt, 71, of Osage, died on Tuesday, November 2, 2004, at the Manly Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, November 6, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage, with Rev. Mark Reasoner officiating. Interment was in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Osage, with Military Honors at the grave by the Osage American Legion Post 278.

Ralph was born on October 2, 1933 near McIntire, in Mitchell County, the son of Lawrence and Louise (Johanns) Milbrandt.

 He is survived by his wife, Ilene Milbrandt of Grafton; six daughters; and four sons; a brother; and three sisters.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Dorothy Anna Gentz

November 17, 2004

Dorothy Anna Gentz, 82, of Northwood, died on Thursday, November 11, 2004, at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, surrounded by her family.

Funeral services were held on Monday, at the First Lutheran Church, Northwood, with Rev. Wayne Hagen and Rev. Randall Baldwin officiating. Burial was in the Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood.

Dorothy Anna Gentz, was born on March 11, 1922 in Northwood, the daughter of Fred and Alma (Olson) Schmidt. She was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of her baptism through confirmation in the Lutheran faith. She attended and received her education in the Northwood School System. Dorothy married Raymond Gentz on March 3, 1940, in the First Lutheran Church Parsonage in Northwood by the Rev. Tolo. Raymond preceded her in death on December 6, 2003. Dorothy and Raymond began farming north of Kensett in 1940, and in 1944, they moved east of Northwood where they made their home for sixty years. In November 2003, she moved to the Maple Court Apartments in Northwood.

Dorothy enjoyed her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dorothy also enjoyed gardening, collecting pigs, cooking, farming and spending time with her family at the annual Labor Day Gentz family camping trip. Dorothy was a very active member of First Lutheran Church and the Rebecca Circle, which she was their Treasurer for many years in Northwood.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Ronald Gentz and his wife, Kathy, Larry Gentz and his wife, Kathy and David Gentz and his wife, Cheryl, all of Northwood; eight grandchildren, Darrin Gentz and his wife, Tami of High Point, North Carolina, Jessica Roberts, Jared Gentz, Tony Gentz and his wife, Megan, Naomi Olson and her husband, Steven, Jacob Gentz, Hannah Gentz and Bethany Gentz; seven great-grandchildren, Ryland and Jillian Gentz, Carter and Kaitlyn Roberts, Alexia Gentz, Jace Gentz and Grace Olson; a brother, Carroll Dean Schmidt of Manly; as well as many other relatives and friends.

Besides her husband, Raymond; Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her sons, Kenneth Allen and Brian Keith; her daughter, Karen Ann; her brothers, Harold, Ralph, Russell, and Roger; and her sisters, Betty Butler and Ruth Wedgewood.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Glenn W. Johnson

November 17, 2004

Glenn W. Johnson, 90, of Marshalltown, formerly of Northwood, died on Friday, November 12, 2004, at the Iowa Veteran's Home in Marshalltown.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, November 17, 2004, at the First United Methodist Church, Northwood, with Reverend Wendi Gillan officiating. Interment will follow in the Sunset Rest Cemetery, Northwood. Visitation was held from 6-8:00 p.m., on Tuesday, November 16, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, Northwood and also for one hour prior to the services at the church on Wednesday. Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.

Glenn was born on June 11, 1914 in Gordonsville, Minnesota, a son of Walter and Myrtle (Bighley) Johnson. He attended school in Northwood before going to work at a CCC camp in Arkansas in 1934. Glenn entered the United States Army in 1942 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He toured France and Germany in the European Theater for one year during World War II. After his honorable discharge in 1945 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, he returned to north Iowa. Glenn worked as a projectionist at theaters in Northwood and Albert Lea, Minnesota for 25 years. He later became a mail carrier in Northwood for 20 years, retiring in 1979. Glenn was united in marriage to Jeannette Perzynski Wall on June 30, 1960, at the First United Methodist Church in Northwood. They lived in Northwood until moving together to the Iowa Veterans Home in December 1993.

Glenn loved old movies that he remembered showing at the theaters. He could tell everyone who played all the roles. He enjoyed playing the harmonica until he got dentures. Glenn had a strong sense of family and a strong work ethic. He took every job he had very seriously. Glenn never knew a stranger because he could find something to talk about with everyone he ever met.

Glenn is survived by his daughters, Carol Hughes of Oak Forest, Illinois, Linda and Larry Limesand of Lake Mills, Fran Wall of Tama, Pam Johnson of Des Moines and Cheri and Dr. David Flagel of Chillicothe, Ohio; one son, Mike Wall of Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma; one sister, Dorothy Gettman of Wildwood, Florida; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; nine nieces and nephews; and eight great-nieces and nephews. He was also a grandpa to several dogs, birds and a cat, taking great interest in these animals.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jeannette Johnson in July 1995; and two brothers, Robert and Virgil Johnson.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Delores Christina Virchow

November 17, 2004

Delores Christina Virchow, 85, of rural Northwood, died on Sunday, November 14, 2004, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday, November 20, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Myrtle, Minnesota, with Pastor Jeff Wallager officiating. Burial will be in the Stateline Cemetery, rural Northwood. Visitation will be from 5-8:00 p.m., on Friday, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, Northwood. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service time on Saturday at the church.

Delores Christina Virchow, was born on January 2, 1919 in Gordonsville, Minnesota, the daughter of Wilmot T. and Emma (Abbe) Gordon. She was united in marriage to Russell Virchow on July 18, 1941, at the Lutheran Parsonage in Myrtle, Minnesota. After their marriage Delores and Russell farmed their entire life north of Northwood. She was a very active member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the WELCA at the church.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Russell Virchow of Northwood; three children, Donald Virchow of Stewartville, Minnesota, Robert Virchow and his wife, Deborah of Glenville, Minnesota and Donna Nelson of Lake Mills; 14 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren; as well as other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson; one brother; and two sisters.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Helen Elizabeth Brownlee Nelson Brightwell

December 1, 2004

Helen Elizabeth Brownlee Nelson Brightwell, died at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, on Saturday, November 27, 2004, of natural causes.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 2, 2:00 p.m., at the Northwood United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Wendi Gillan officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Rest Cemetery, Northwood. Visitation will be held from 4-6:00 p.m., on Wednesday, December 1, at the Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood.

Helen was born in Charlton, Iowa, on March 17, 1905, to Frank and Elizabeth (Cain) Brownlee. Prior to her marriage, Helen taught school in Williamson and Sabula, Iowa. She married Russell T. Nelson in 1929 in Charlton, Iowa. They moved to Northwood in 1930 and lived in Cedar Rapids between 1943 and 1947. They returned to Northwood when R. T. became manager of the Northwood Co-op Elevator. Helen was an active member in Chapter ES of the PEO Sisterhood, Eastern Star, Past Matrons of Eastern Star, Inter Se, Semper Fidelle, Garden Club and the United Methodist Women. For many years she taught Sunday School and Bible School both at the Northwood Untied Methodist and St. Paul's Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. She volunteered as a Camp Fire Girls group leader in Cedar Rapids and a Girl Scout troop leader in Northwood.

Throughout her life, Helen enjoyed the responsibilities of leadership and membership in her many activities and charities. She loved to play bridge and participated with several bridge clubs. Her many travels throughout the world brought her much pleasure.

Survivors include her son, Frank Nelson of Northwood; daughter, Mada (Bob) Jensen of Homestead, Florida; step-daughter, Marjorie Otteson of California; grandchildren, Scott Nelson of Des Moines, Wayne Nelson of Iowa City, Russell Jensen, Robert Jensen, Glen Burnie of Maryland, Christian (April) Jensen of Gainesville, Georgia and Jessica (Doug) Sahres of San Antonio, Texas; great-grandchildren, Christopher Jensen, Kaitlin and Joshua Sahres, Julie Otteson and Hilari Woody; sister, Margaret Latta of Kalamazoo, Michigan; and many nieces, nephews, great-great-grandchildren and their families.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Russell, "R. T." Nelson in 1969. She remarried in 1979 to Kenneth Brightwell, a friend from her Charlton days, who passed away in 1984. She was also preceded in death by her sisters, Olive Groth and Meda Large; and her brother, Leland Brownlee.
© Northwood Anchor 2004