Edward "Slim" Cardis Lester

April 22, 2004

Edward “Slim” Cardis Lester, 81, of Clarion, passed away on Wednesday, April 14, 2004, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Edward “Slim” Cardis Lester, was born on January 4, 1923, the first son of Cardis and Maude (Bisgrove) Lester. He was born on the home farm and lived there his entire life. Edward was educated at a country school just east of the home place.

He farmed with his two brothers, Leland and Frank. Slim didn’t work in the field but he was always cleaning up or took care of the hogs or cattle. After retiring, he loved to spend time at the elevator chatting with his friends. One of Slim’s favorite pastimes was riding around the countryside looking for wildlife, especially deer.

Slim is survived by one sister, June McLaughlin of Belmond; sister-in-law, Mary Lester of Clarion; one nephew; many nieces; and several great-nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Leland and Frank.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Walter D. Close

April 22, 2004

Walter D. Close, 76, of Jesup, died on Thursday, April 15, 2004, at the Windsor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Cedar Falls. He had been a patient at the nursing home for the past three months.

Funeral services were held on Monday, April 19, at the First Presbyterian Church in Independence. Rev. John Hougen officiated at the service. Burial was in the Cedar Crest Cemetery, Jesup, with military rites conducted by the Pump-Scheer American Legion Post #342 of Jesup.

Walter D. Close, was born on January 4, 1928 at Brandon, the son of Edwin Dennis and Ellen Marie (Phelps) Close. He graduated from the Jesup High School with the class of 1946. From 1950-52 he served in the U.S. Army's 188th Airborne Division.

On April 4, 1953, Walter and Darlene Betty Walker were united in marriage at Waterloo. They made their home in Jesup, where Walter operated a bulk milk route until becoming associated with Primrose Heating and Air Conditioning as a service technician. He later became co-owner of the business until his retirement on December 31, 1992.

Walter was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Independence and had served on the Jesup Ambulance Service staff and the Cedar Crest Cemetery Board for many years.

Walter is survived by his wife, Darlene of Jesup; two daughters, Sharon (Michael) Keys of Cedar Rapids and Diane (Steven) Stocks of Clarion; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five brothers, John of Kirkland, Washington, Glenn of Redmond, Washington, Allen of Brandon, Lloyd of Jesup and Richard of Marshalltown; five sisters, Eileen Mains of Jesup, Dorothy Schrader of Vinton, Ann McKeeman of Volga, Kate Dickerson of Orlando, Florida and Donna Hansen of Jesup.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Shelley Ann Close; two sisters, Mary Hill and Ella Mae Close.
© Wright County Monitor 2004   

 
Dorotha "Dot" Ketchum

April 22, 2004

Dorotha "Dot" Ketchum, 95, of Rowan, passed away on Friday, April 16 2004, at the USA Healthcare Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 19, at 10:30 a.m., at the United Church of Rowan.

Dorotha Lukens, was born on March 25, 1909 in Wright County, the daughter of Joe E. and Flora (Crabtree) Lukens. She attended Grant #7 Country School and graduated from the Clarion High School in 1927.  On February 21, 1929, she and Philip E. Ketchum of Rowan were united in marriage.

Dot and Philip farmed for all their married years. She was active in her church and community, serving on several church boards, teaching Sunday School for many years, being a member of the Alpha Circle, Women's Fellowship, a 4-H Leader, serving on the County 4-H Committee, Square-Circle Club, Quilting Club, Progress Club and neighborhood events. She also enjoyed gardening, flowers and crocheting.

In 1968, she and Philip moved to town and enjoyed traveling, gardening and card clubs.

Dot is survived by three sons, Robert J. and wife, Inez of Belmond, Sidney H. and wife, Barbara of Hayden Lake, Idaho and Philip E. of Bagley; one daughter, Patricia J. Crafton and husband, Verle of Rowan; 11 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Violet; an infant brother; husband, Philip in 1987; one grandson, James Crafton; and a foster daughter, Dorothy Schraeder.
© Wright County Monitor 2004 

Gladys Elnora Marker

April 22, 2004

Gladys Elnora Marker, 84, of Britt, passed away on Saturday, April 17, 2004, at the Westview Care Center in Britt.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, April 21, at the First Lutheran Church in Britt. Rev. Dr. John Meyer officiated at the 11:00 a.m. service. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Britt.

Gladys Elnora Draves, was born on November 6, 1919 at Waltham, Minnesota, the daughter of Edward and Emma (Jorges) Draves. She attended country schools and graduated from the Dows High School. She and Carl Marker were united in marriage on February 19, 1939 in Hampton, the start of a union of 64 years.

They farmed in the Dows-Galt area until moving to a farm north of Britt in 1948. She was a farm wife and homemaker, as well as being employed as a seamstress at Stitchcraft Corporation of Forest City and as a cook for the Woden-Crystal Lake Schools.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; son, Arnold; grandsons, Aaron and Eric Kipp; five brothers, Arthur, Carl, Clarence, Harry and Anton Draves; and one sister, Edna Eccles.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Faye Gertrude Harris

April 29, 2004

Faye Gertrude Harris, 82, of Gravois Mills, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, April 17, 2004, at the Capital Regional Hospital, Jefferson City, Missouri.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, April 21, at 2:00 p.m., at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Home, Clarion. Burial was in the St. John’s Cemetery, Clarion.

Faye Gertrude Mulhern, was born on August 12, 1921 in Clarion, the daughter of William and Clara (Judd) Mulhern. She was united in marriage to Charles Edward “Chuck” Harris on June 2, 1941 in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

In their early years as a “Navy couple”, Faye and Chuck were stationed in Panama; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and New London, Connecticut. The family returned to Iowa in 1957 and resided in Mason City. Faye served many years as a devoted care worker at the Americana Home, I.O.O.F. Home and the Good Shepherd Home in Mason City. They retired in 1982 and moved to Gravois Mills, Missouri where they lived until Fay’s recent passing.

Faye is survived by her husband, Charles Edward “Chuck”; son, Charles Edward Jr. “Skip” and wife, Marilyn of London, England; daughter, Anne Marie and husband, Larry of Kansas City, Kansas; and four grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Bill and Don; and three sisters, Margaret, Dorothy and Irene.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Fern Margaret Blankenship

April 29, 2004

Fern Margaret Blankenship, 91, of Clarion, died on Saturday, April 24, 2004, at the USA Healthcare Center, Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 27, at the United Presbyterian Church in Clarion. Rev. Candace Adams officiated at the 10:30 a.m. service. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Fern Margaret (Schroder) Blankenship, was born on August 3, 1912, the daughter of Fred and Matilda (Duden) Schroder in rural Wright County. She attended the Galt School.

On January 3, 1931, Fern and Marion Jay Blankenship were united in marriage in his grandmother’s home at North Liberty, Iowa.

Fern and Marion farmed in the Galt area and enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. Fern started singing in the rural Bethel Church when she was four years old. She sang at many funerals and was a member of the Wright County Rural Women’s Chorus.

Fern is survived by her son, Verle and wife, Marliss of Hyndman, Pennsylvania; three daughters, Betty Bell and husband, Keith of Clarion, Karen Hilpipre and husband, Harvey of Fort Dodge and Marlene Grote and husband, Richard of Boydes, Maryland; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Marion; three brothers, Harry, Ernest and Earl; and five sisters, Lena, Minnie, Caroline, Gertrude and Nellie as an infant.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Luther Lester Tate Jr.

April 29, 2004

Luther Lester Tate, Jr., 73, of Clarion, formerly of Meservey, died on Saturday, April 24, 2004, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Iowa City.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, May 2, at the the First Lutheran Church, Clarion. Rev. Gary Boen will officiate at the 3:00 p.m. service. Interment will take place in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Luther was born on February 8, 1931, the son of Luther L. Tate Sr. and Anna E. (Subject) Tate. He was raised in Clarion and often spent summers with his Uncle Virgil and Aunt Ruby Tate on their farm near Renwick. Luther attended the Clarion Public Schools and was a member of the track team.

On July 26, 1949, he entered the United States Army and earned his high school diploma in the military. Luther served with the 16th Infantry Regiment and was honorably discharged at the rank of Private First Class on November 15, 1952.

In the mid 1950’s he and Margaret Erickson were married. To this union two children, Diane and Robert, were born. In 1962, he married Leona Anderson. They had one child, Jeanette.

Luther spent his civilian life working in various occupations, including truck driving, railroading, construction, and operating a feed mill. He retired in September of 1992 as a weather observer for Weather Data Services at the airport in Mason City.

When Luther’s health began to decline earlier this spring, he left his home in Meservey and resided at the USA Healthcare Center in Clarion.

In addition to his children, those blessed to have shared his life include one granddaughter and one great-grandson, and one sister, Shirley Covington of Goodell.

He was preceded in death by his father, Luther L. Tate Sr.; mother, Anna Evans; stepfather, Ivan Evans and wife, Leona Tate.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Robert N. Ruleman

May 6, 2004

Robert N. Ruleman, 85, of Des Moines, died on Saturday, April 24, 2004, at his home.

Memorial services were held on Wednesday, April 28, at the New Hope United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m.

Robert N. Ruleman, was born on September 20, 1918 in Eagle Grove. He graduated from Morningside College and the Garrett-Theological Seminary. He served as a chaplain (Commander) in the U.S. Navy from 1943-63.  He also served with the Marine Corps during World War II and Korea. After the service, Robert served the Methodist Churches of Milford, Red Oak and Dows.

Robert started and served as Senior Chaplain for the Iowa State Patrol Chaplain Program. He was one of the founding chaplains for the F.B.I. Chaplain Program; a member of the International Conference of Police Chaplains; and Chaplain at the VA Medical Center in Des Moines.  Robert was also a member of the Northwest Optimist Club, the Military Officers Association and a volunteer for many charitable organizations.

Robert is survived by his wife of 63 years, Freda of Des Moines; two sons, David Ruleman of Washington, D.C. and Gary Ruleman of Marietta, Georgia; a daughter, Judith Reilly of Lake Arrowhead, California; fifteen grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
© Wright County Monitor 2004 

Lois Caroline Cooper

May 6, 2004

Lois Caroline Cooper, 94, of Jefferson, died on Monday, April 26, 2004.

Memorial service were held on Thursday, April 29, at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. Interment was in the Jefferson Cemetery.

Lois Caroline Cooper, was born on May 3, 1909 in Ottumwa, the daughter of Joseph L. Graham and Katherine Kelly Graham. Lois graduated from the Ottumwa High School on May 23, 1926.  She then attended Parsons College in Fairfield for two years and graduated from the Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in Boston, Massachusetts in 1930. For 10 years she worked as a private secretary to a vice president in the trust department of the Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

On October 27, 1940, Lois married Thomas O. Cooper at her family's home in Ottumwa. Lois and Tom lived in Minneapolis for one year and then moved to Jefferson in November 1941. During the next 42 years the couple lived in Indianola, Clarion, Jefferson and Des Moines. They were winter residents of Sun City, Arizona from 1976 until June of 1987, when Sun City became their year round home.

In March 1992, Lois and Tom moved back to Jefferson on a permanent basis, where Lois was an active member of the community. She was a member of the Friday Club, Beta Tau Delta (50 year member), Daughters of the American Revolution and JK Chapter of P.E.O., Des Moines, demitting to Chapter CZ in Jefferson in April of 1992.

While living in Des Moines, Lois worked as a volunteer in the business office of the Central Presbyterian Church for many years and also worked as a volunteer at the Des Moines Art Center. Lois was an active member of the choirs at the Clarion, Jefferson and Des Moines Churches for 30 years.

Lois is survived by her husband, Thomas O. Cooper of Jefferson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Susan Gayle Cooper who died at birth; sister, Helen Quinn; and a brother, John Graham.
© Wright County Monitor 2004   

Gary Eugene Sherman

May 6, 2004

Gary Eugene Sherman, 65, of Goldfield, died on Friday, April 30, 2004, at his home in Goldfield.

Memorial services were held on Tuesday, May 4, at the United Methodist Church of Goldfield. Rev. Karen Dearchs officiated at the service. 

Gary Eugene Sherman was born on February 27, 1939 in Goldfield. He graduated from the Goldfield High School in 1957. 

Gary was united in marriage to Carolyn Tungesvik on November 10, 1961. He retired from Farmland/Land O’Lakes in 2001 after 33 years. For the past two years he was employed at Monsanto in Clarion.

Gary was a member of the Goldfield Fire Department for more than 30 years. He was a Trustee for the United Methodist Church of Goldfield, helped with Meals on Wheels and was a member of Masonic Lodges in Goldfield and Eagle Grove. Gary had served with the National Guard and was a past member of the Conservation Board for Wright County. Gary will long be remembered as the ‘handyman’ and ‘candy man’ of Goldfield. 

Gary is survived by his wife, Carolyn of Goldfield; two daughters, Susan Stoll and husband, Darin of Boone and Linda Schnittjer and husband, Wade of Franklin, Tennessee; one son, Keith and his friend, Sue of Clarion; 10 grandchildren; one sister, Joyce Gragg and husband, Ray of Boone. 

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lela Sherman and father, Robert Eugene Sherman.
© Wright County Monitor 2004

Dixie Pavelka

May 6, 2004

Dixie Pavelka, 50, of Britt, died on Friday, April 30, 2004, after succumbing to her most recent bout with cancer.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 4, at the United Methodist Church in Britt. A private family burial was held in the Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.

Dixie Lyn Lester, was born on June 14, 1953 in Clarion, the daughter of Kenneth and Hazel (Dockwell) Lester. She was baptized and confirmed at the First Methodist Church in Clarion and attended school in Clarion. She moved to Britt in 1971 and worked various jobs over the years and for the past six years was an employee of Winnebago Industries of Forest City.

She was active in various organizations including Jaycees, Britt Hobo Day activities and the Relay for Life in Cerro Gordo County.

Dixie is survived by two sons, Jason and wife, Kristy of Britt and Nathan of San Diego, California; mother, Hazel Lester of Belmond; two brothers, Gary Lester of Red Feather Lake, Colorado and Kent Lester and wife, Sandy of Fort Collins, Colorado; three sisters, Linda Bruening and husband, David of Annapolis, Maryland, Renae Duffey and husband, Michael of Tucson, Arizona and Debra Tarvin and husband, Mark of Fort Collins, Colorado; four grandchildren; nieces and nephews; aunts and uncles; and former husband, Jerry Pavelka.

Dixie was preceded in death by her father; and her grandparents.
© Wright County Monitor 2004