Kirk Lieberknecht

November 13, 2008

Kirk A. Lieberknecht, 56, of Belmond, died on Sunday, November 9, 2008, at the Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m., on Wednesday, November 12, at the Belmond United Methodist Church, with Stan Watne and Rev. Michael Druhl officiating.  Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery.  

Kirk Alan was born on November 16, 1951 in Belmond, the son of Wilbur John and Leona Berniece (Dorenkamp) Lieberknecht and one of six children, Janean, Janet, David, Jolene and Joan. He spent his early life on a farm near Meservey until the family moved to Belmond in 1960. Kirk attended the Belmond High School and graduated with the Class of 1970. He attended the LeTourneau Technical College in Longview, Texas, for one year.

On August 4, 1973, Kirk suffered injuries in an automobile accident that would effect his physical abilities for the remainder of his life. He would needed the assistance of a wheelchair. Surrounded by the endless love, care and devotion of Wilbur, Leona and his family, Kirk was able to live a productive and meaningful life. Though this tragedy brought physical impairments, it seemed to only strengthen his devotion to his church, family and many friends. Kirk became an inspiration to others. He often shared that he was where God wanted him to be. Kirk committed his life to the Lord as a young man and used his own God-given gifts of encouragement, patience, tolerance, positive attitude and open ear to counsel and mentor many who crossed his path. 

All who had the privilege of knowing Kirk will reflect fondly as they picture Kirk's ever smiling face, the twinkle in his eye, and his zest for life despite his disability. His family will miss his uplifting attitude, time spent with "Uncle Kirk" riding on his wheelchair, and his loving, patient and caring ways. Others will miss his encouragement, inspirational personality, and bountiful wealth of knowledge which he often shared so unselfishly. The community will remember Kirk town tooling around in his chair with his favorite jacket and famous furry hats. All will miss his warm, friendly smile, his nod hello, and the chance to stop by for an uplifting visit. Some recall being on the receiving end of one of Kirk's friendly pranks or in years gone by having a friendly chat with "The Rubber Band" man as he was known on CB radio.

In his early years Kirk was a talented vocalist, sharing his tenor voice as a part of The Crusaders Quartet. He had traveled to Mexico and enjoyed spectating at ball games and other events. Kirk was a longtime member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Belmond.  For over 20 years he was cared for by Jonell White, for whom Kirk and his family have great appreciation and gratitude.

Kirk was an entrepreneur and businessman, initially operating Kirk Lieberknecht's CB Sales and Service, then operating a satellite television business, and more recently owning a computer repair shop and Kalnet Internet Services, Inc.

Kirk was preceded in death by his grandparents; father, Wilbur; sister, Janet Faye; and nephew, Scott Charles Bubeck. 

Survivors include his mother, Leona of Belmond; siblings, Janean (Larry) Bubeck of Redlands, California,  David (Diane) Lieberknecht of Belmond, Jolene (Duane) Mennenga of Meservey and Joan (Gene) Lawin of Waterloo; nieces and nephews, Brad (Erika) Bubeck, Kimberly (Gordon) Hall, Debbie (Mark) Jenison, Daniel Lieberknecht, Jennifer (Kurk) Haack, Jason Baldwin, Josh Baldwin, Katelyn Baldwin, Erin Burt and Kylee (Eric) Lamb; great-nieces and nephews, Cassandra, Maxwell, Zachary, Lucas, Michael, Danielle, Nicholas, Benjamin, Andrew, Makayla, Owen and Adasyn; his loving caregiver, Jonell White of Mason City; extended family, Douglas (Brenda) White, Jr. and their children, Eric, Johanna, Tristan, Trevor, Joey and Kiara; Donell (David) Buerckley (White) and their children, Taylor, Mackenzie, Layne and Bailey; Jo Ann White and her children, Keegan, Jada and Jesenia; Joan White and her children, Kyler and Jonathan; Jackie (White) and husband, Ray Schmit and their children, Alex and Locklan; Charity White and her children, Ben, Blake and Bethany; and good friend, Everett James.

Memorials are suggested to the Calvary Baptist Church, the Belmond-Klemme School Building Fund or the Belmond Medical Center.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Marladean Hadley

November 18, 2008

Marladean H. Hadley, 81, formerly of Rowan, died on Thursday, November 13, 2008, at the Belmond Health Care Center.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 17, at the United Church of Rowan, with Pastor Nancy Hofmeister officiating. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery near Rowan.

Marladean Hazel, the daughter of Fred and Ida (Muhlenbruch) Stadtlander, was born on March 26, 1927 near Rowan. She attended school in Rowan and played on the girls' basketball team, graduating in 1944. Then she helped her parents on the farm.

On December 30, 1958, Marladean and Loran Hadley were united in marriage at her parent's home. Together they farmed and raised their family in the Rowan area. Marladean also assisted her husband in their Pioneer seed business. She and Loran moved to his father's home farm in 1982. Loran died in 1999, and Marladean moved to the Belmond Health Care Center in 2001.

The highlight of her life was her family. She rarely missed any of her grandchildren's events. Marladeans other interests included golf, craftwork, and raising toy fox terriers. One of her greatest joys was being outdoors, working in her garden raising strawberries and raspberries.

Marladean was a member of the United Church of Rowan, United Methodist Women, the Come Join Us Club, and the KYN (Know Your Neighbor) Club in Rowan.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Marladean is survived by her children, LaVerne (Mary) of Hampton, Kevin (Betty) of Rowan and daughter, Tracy (Randy) Gabrielson of Pella; grandchildren, Dean (Sara) Hadley, Katherine (Ryan) Harr, Kyle (Julie) Hadley, Wyatt (Kim) Hadley, Christy (Tony) Eisentrager, Cherish (Jay) Hadley-Njewel, Melissa Peterson, Alex Gabrielson and Alyssa Gabrielson; great-grandchildren, Allison, Lauren, Elizabeth, Kacie, Parker, Scott, Brady and Braedon; and sister, Ione (Albert) Langdon of Spring Valley, Minnesota.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Marlin Stadtlander

November 18, 2008

Marlin R. Stadtlander, 67, of Garner, died on Thursday, November 13, 2008, at the Concord Care Center in Garner, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 17, at the Garner United Methodist Church, with Rev. David Wagner officiating. Burial was in the Meservey Cemetery.

Marlin Rae and his twin sister, Mardell Mae were born on May 27, 1941 at the Belmond Hospital, to Dick and Rena Boelman Stadtlander of rural Belmond.

Marlin graduated from the Klemme High School in 1959. He married Sheryl Lynn Stille in Goodell on April 28, 1961. He helped area farmers and his father and brother with farm work and raised and sold rabbits. Marlin drove a milk truck and was a custodian at the Garner-Hayfield High School. He was a hard, faithful worker. He worked at Iowa Mold Tooling for thirty-three years and was the custodian at the United Methodist Church for forty-one years. He was also a member of the Garner United Methodist Church.

Marlin was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Edward Stadtlander; nephew, Dennis Stadtlander; sister-in-law, Delores Stadtlander; niece, Sherry Stadtlander; and a great-nephew.

Survivors include his wife, Sharyl; sons, Ross (Angela) of Garner and Blake (Linda) of Sioux City; grandchildren, Austin Stadtlander, Brittney Stadtlander, Drake Stadtlander, Payton Stadtlander and Kasay Stadtlander; twin sister, Mardell (Eugene) Jorgensen of Hampton; and brother, Luvern Stadtlander of Hampton.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Jean Gilligan

November 18, 2008

Jean A. Gilligan, 81, of Chanhassen, Minnesota, died on Friday, November 14, 2008, at the Auburn Manor in Chaska.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, November 18, at the St. Hubert Catholic Community in Chanhassen. Burial will be in the St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Britt.

Jean was born on July 6, 1927 in Kanawha, the daughter of Leo P. and Edna L. (O'Rourke) Gilligan. She grew up in the Kanawha and Belmond areas where she worked in her parent's movie theaters. She graduated from the Belmond High School where she was active in the band.

After graduation, Jean attended St. Catherine's College in the Twin Cities. After two years she left for California and worked as an X-ray technician at the Oakland County Hospital. She developed a blood disease and was sent back to Iowa. Jean recovered and enrolled at the Brown Institute and studied broadcasting. She was one of the first women in radio and TV in the late 40's and early 50's, starting in radio at Grand Forks. Then she went to Austin where she wrote for radio station KAUS and had her own afternoon TV show on KMMT-TV. Jean returned to the Twin Cities and worked for radio stations WPBC and KRSI.

Jean left broadcasting and was a partner in a venture to start a helicopter sight-seeing business at Hoover Dam. She and her partner took a helicopter on a flatbed truck to Arizona to set up the business. One trip up and over the dam, with all the cables and other obstructions, and they decided it wasn't a good idea. She worked for Munsingwear for 15 years, where she was a advertising and production manager. Then she worked as office manager for a small publishing company and later worked in direct marketing for a printing company. Recent years found her in declining health.

Music and writing were always part of her life. She wrote many songs, poems and short stories.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents; and cousins, Pat Cunningham, Marlys Moore and Robert O'Rourke.

She is survived by cousins, Bill Parker of Colorado and Lois Haferman of Iowa; godsons, Patrick O'Rourke of South Carolina and Shawn Parker of Nebraska; and caregiver and friend of 37 years, Ruby Beebe.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Candice Andrews

November 25, 2008

Candice "Candii" S. Andrews, 31, of rural Alexander, died on Tuesday, November 18, 2008, at the Belmond Medical Center.

A private family service was held on Saturday, November 22, at the Andrews Funeral home. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery near Rowan.

Candice "Candii"  Sue Andrews, the daughter of of Verlynn and Lyn (VerHelst) Andrews, was born on December 17, 1976 at Belmond. She was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy following a birth accident. Though every aspect of her life was touched with this disability, it did not define her. She loved to tease family and friends, especially her home health aides Brenda, Sarah and Teresa. She also laughed easily, found joy in the little things, and loved hard. She taught all the true definitions of kindness, humanity and love. All who had the honor to witness it will miss her smile, joyful presence and sweetness. Candii was the light of Christ to many and a joy to all.

Candii attended special education at Hampton-Dumont for many years. She had numerous hobbies and loves, including playing with her niece, watching movies (especially romance and scary), collecting snow globes, laughing, playing games, (especially Uno), being surrounded by family, Nancy Drew mysteries, anything purple, warm socks, and her puppy Keebler. Candii was fond of watching The Learning Channel, and a favorite show was "What Not To Wear".  She looked forward to dining out, especially if it included a trip to a Chinese restaurant. A favorite place to visit was Mt. Rushmore.

Candii was preceded in death by her paternal grandpa, Vergene Andrews and maternal grandpa, Kenneth VerHelst.

Candii's presence will be missed in the lives of her parents; brother, Shawn Andrews; sister-in-law, Tawnda Andrews; and niece, Evelyn Andrews of Mapleton, Minnesota; sister, Laura Andrews and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Brandon Byrd of Sheffield; grandma, Maurine VerHelst of Belmond; and grandma, Enid Andrews of Belmond.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Marie Schlagel

November 25, 2008

Marie I. Schlagel, 93, of Belmond, died on Thursday, November 20, 2008, at the Belmond Medical Center, with her family at her side.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 24, at the Bethany Reformed Church in Belmond, with Rev. Philip Arnold and Rev. Melvin Voss officiating. Burial was in the Fairview Cemetery, Dows.

Marie Ione, the daughter of George and Catherine (Johnson) Hunst, was born on October 1, 1915 in Cartwright, North Dakota. As a young child she moved with her family to Iowa, where she received her education in rural schools near Belmond.

Marie was a life-long home maker and loving wife to her husbands, who all preceded her in death, Joe Zieger who died shortly after their marriage during his military service; Charles Pratt with whom she bore a son, Wayne; and later Hank Schlagel with whom she farmed in rural Dows for many years before retiring to Belmond in the mid 1970's. In earlier years she worked for a time at the woolen mills in Des Moines.

Marie's life was dedicated to her family, church and God. Marie was an independent spirit who treasured living in her own home. She enjoyed cleaning, cooking, tidying drawers and spending time with her family and dear friends. Above all, Marie was good and kind. She always had a smile on her face and never had a negative thing to say about anyone or anything.

Marie enjoyed any opportunity to go places. She relished the simple things in life, whether it included her daily journal entries, time spent watching her favorite television shows, listening to her favorite music, senior dining, card clubs, daily phone calls and weekend visits with her granddaughter, Sena, or just being with her family. She will be remembered as a hardworking, mild mannered, gentle and caring lady.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; brothers, Glenn and Raymond "Cooney"; and her sister, Betty Lou "Dixie".

Survivors include her son, Wayne Pratt and his companion, Jody Tripp and her daughter, Edde of Dows; granddaughter, Sena Pratt of Cedar Rapids; grandson, Michael (Taryn) Prattt and daughter, Kamdyn of Phenix City, Alabama; step-sons, Chuck (MaryAnn) Schlagel of Maryland and Dennis (Jan) Schlagel of Bloomington, Illinois.
©Belmond Independent 2008

June McLaughlin

December 2, 2008

June McLaughlin, 87, of Belmond, died in her sleep on Wednesday, November 26, 2008, at the Belmond Medical Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, December 1, at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Belmond, with Rev. John Hemann officiating. Burial was in the St. Francis Catholic Cemetery.

June Ellen, the daughter of Cardis and Maude (Bisgrove) Lester, was born on August 20, 1921, on her parents' farm in rural Clarion. As a child June was baptized and confirmed in the Methodist Church. She graduated from the Clarion High School in 1939 and taught country school and worked for a time at a variety store in Clarion.

June married James T. McLaughlin on November 26, 1942, at the Catholic Church in Belmond. She embraced the role of devoted wife, mother and partner in the operation of the farm. She dedicated her energies and love to providing for the needs of her family. In addition, June was an area salesperson for Avon products for more than 40 years. Her outgoing personality, friendly smile, proficiency and wealth of knowledge of Avon products brought her countless awards and membership in the President's Club for many years. Her china cabinets were filled to capacity with beautiful hand-painted dolls, bowls, dishes, goblets, pins and other figures she received for her achievements.

June and Jim enjoyed traveling, including trips to Ireland, Hawaii, Alaska and Las Vegas. In earlier years June did needlework and was an avid bowler. She also enjoyed playing the piano, listening to her favorite polka music and attending family gatherings, especially if they included little children. Her children recall Saturday outings with mom and dad to the K.C. Hall, and Sunday afternoons filled with bowling and pizza. June looked forward to the competition of bingo and spending time watching her favorite game shows, which included "The Price is Right," "Wheel of Fortune" and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

June was a long-time member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and was involved in the CDA and Rosary Society for many years.

June was preceded in death by her parents; husband in 1992; daughter, Carolyn Peterson in 1998; and brothers, Leland, Frank and Edward.

Survivors include her children, Phillip J. (Nancy) McLaughlin of Thornton, Marlys (Chuck) Taylor of Mason City, L.D. (LaDonna) McLaughlin and companion, Randy Fishel of Clear Lake and Kathy (Brian) Hunt of Little Rock, Arkansas; grandchildren, Craig (Susan) McLaughlin, Jane (Aaron) McLaughlin-Middlekauff, Steven (Tiffany) Ainger, Mark (Christiana) Taylor and Ryan (Elisabeth) Taylor; great-grandchildren, Ashly, Chase, Emily, Giselle and Madeline McLaughlin and Kaiya, Connor and Garrett Taylor.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Otto Bonin

December 2, 2008

Otto P. "Benny" Bonin, 87, of Dows, died on Wednesday, November 26, 2008, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Monday, December 1, at the First Lutheran Church in Dows, with Pastor Robert Edwards officiating. Burial was in the Colo cemetery, with military rites by the American Legion Post of Colo.

Otto Paul Henry, was born on May 14, 1921, on a farm near Buckeye, to Max and Edith (Mitchell) Bonin. He attended school in the Iowa Falls area. On November 2, 1940, Otto and Ida Johnson were married in Burt and they had nine children. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 18, 1943 and served in the Pacific Theater during WW II.

Otto was a laborer who retired in 1986 and moved from Colo to Dows. In 1996 Ida passed away. He married Beverly Barz on July 25, 1998 in Dows.

Otto enjoyed fishing, dancing, woodworking, playing cards (especially Pepper), and watching old westerns and war movies on video.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Herman, Max and Hugo; sister, Viola Whipple; wife, Ida; son, Daniel; and daughters, Linda, MaDonna and Pauline.

Otto is survived by his wife, Beverly; children, Judy Kreitlow of Kirbyville, Missouri, Patricia (Donald) Lane of Dows, David (Joy) Bonin of Belmond, LouAnn (Leroy) Sharp of Cushing, Oklahoma and Shirley (Charles) Pack of Des Moines; sisters, Louise Roberts of Iowa Falls and Ethel Shane of Sioux Falls; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
©Belmond Independent 2008

Marlin Jenison

December 2, 2008

Marlin Jenison, of Urbandale, Iowa, died on Saturday, November 29, 2008.

He was the son of the late Paul and Maxine Jenison of Belmond. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 5, at 10:30 a.m., at the Meredith Drive Reformed Church in Des Moines. Cards may be sent to Ardith Jenison, Des Moines, Iowa.
©Belmond Independent 2008