Dr. Richard Young

April 7, 2005

Dr. Richard Young came to Clarion as a young doctor and made this his home. He was instrumental in bringing a hospital to the community and spent many years helping make Clarion a wonderful place to live and raise a family.

He served twice as Grand Marshal of the Festival in the Park Parade, an event he helped organize that will celebrate its 26th year in June. His work on the Gazebo and on the Depot provided facilities that are Clarion landmarks.

Richard A. Young, 85, of Clarion, died on Saturday, April 2, 2005, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m., on Wednesday, April 6, at the United Methodist Church in Clarion, with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. There was a private family burial in the Glenwood Cemetery in Goldfield.

Richard A. Young, was born on July 18, 1919, to Mary Leona Johnson Young and Howard Augustus Young at Ames. His father was a barber in Ames all his life and his mother was a tailor, housekeeper and baby-sitter.

Young's first job was digging dandelions for five cents a bushel. He also swept his father's barbershop and stocked produce in a grocery store. At the age of 12, he started delivering newspapers and magazines and won a contest in 1933 by acquiring new subscribers to the Des Moines Register and Tribune. The prize was a one-half hour ride over Ames in an autogyro. Also in 1933, he and a friend hitchhiked to the Chicago World's Exposition, sleeping in fields in sleeping bags along the way.

Starting at the age of fifteen, he worked in house construction, including plumbing and wiring, but mostly concrete and masonry. He poured basements, sidewalks, and driveways before the age of Ready-Mix, so it was all mixed on the job site.

He graduated from the Ames High School in 1937 and started Pre-Med at Iowa State University that fall. He graduated from ISU in 1940 and started medical school at the University of Iowa. He went to the U of I year-round and graduated in October of 1943. He continued construction work all through college and medical school.

Young moved to Des Moines to intern at the Methodist Hospital, specializing in anesthesiology and family practice, where he met Betty Lou Olson, of Goldfield, who was in nursing at Methodist Hospital. They married on January 28, 1945, on her family farm outside of Goldfield. To this union were born two daughters and a son.

He practiced medicine in Des Moines until April 1, 1947, when they moved to Clarion. He and fellow University of Iowa graduate, Robert Eaton bought out the practice of Drs. Tompkins and Walker on Central Avenue.

He served in the Korean War from July 1952 to July 1954, earning a fellowship in Psychology at Fort Sam Houston, and then was stationed at Fort Dix where he served in the mental health field.

He and Dr. Eaton spearheaded the campaign to build a modern hospital in Clarion in 1949. That resulted in the Clarion Community Memorial Hospital being built in November 1951. The practice, which by then included Dr. Charles Hawkins and Dr. Robert McCool, moved to their new clinic on First Street S.E. in 1956.

Dr. Young retired for the first time when he was 65. That retirement lasted less than a year. He was called back to open and run two satellite clinics in Kanawha and Dows. He retired a second time at age 75. He was called back to work again to take over the clinic in Eagle Grove and incorporated it into the Clarion Clinic.

He was always interested in Clarion and its citizens. He was proud of his work on planning and building the Gazebo in Gazebo Park, his work on restoring the Rock Island Depot, and the development and growth of the Clarion Clinic and the hospital.

He was also proud of the cabin he built, with the help of many good friends, in Arkansas. He loved going there, sitting on the deck, watching birds and listening to the music.

When asked last year what made him proudest in his life, he responded by saying, "I did the best I could. I have high regard for Clarion and the surrounding communities and all the people I have been privileged to meet."

He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou of Clarion; daughter, Sally Smith of Dodge Center, Minnesota; daughter, Kathleen Walton and husband, Robert of Englewood, Colorado; and his son, John Young and wife, Dianne of Minnetonka, Minnesota; five grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

His parents; and a sister, Gwen Ethington preceded him in death.
© Wright County Monitor 2005

Jane Middleton

April 7, 2005

Jane Middleton, 82, of Clarion, passed away on Saturday, April 2, 2005, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 5, at 1:30 p.m., at the United Methodist Church in Clarion. There was a private family burial prior to the services.

Jane Brooks was born on October 3, 1922, the daughter of Earl and Margaret Brooks of Eldora. She was raised in Eldora, Hampton and Eagle Grove.

Jane graduated from the Eagle Grove High School in 1940 and Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Marshalltown in 1944.

On September 1, 1946, Jane was united in marriage to Frank W. Middleton at the home of her parents in Eagle Grove. The couple spent their married life in Clarion.

She practiced nursing in the U.S. Army, Clarion Community School, private practice, and the Wright County Public Health.

Jane is survived by her husband, Frank of Clarion; sister-in-law, Mrs. Wendell Brooks of Buckeye, Arizona; and her two sons and one daughter.

She is also survived by and cherished the support of the Middleton family, David Middleton and wife, Helen of Richland, Washington; their son and daughter, Jo Ellen Middleton of Riverside, California and her two daughters; nephews, Tom and Marc Middleton of Belmond and Ron Middleton of Omaha, Nebraska and their families; Jack Row II and wife, Annette of Tennessee and their two sons; Valerie (Row) Watson and husband, George of Bella Vista, Arizona; Jeff Row of Dallas, Texas and his daughter and two sons; Barbara (Row) Moore and husband, Jim of Clarion; Jane's two honorary grandchildren, Elizabeth and Samuel Moore of Clarion; and many great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Wendell Brooks; brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Alberta Middleton; and brother-in-law, Robert Middleton.
© Wright County Monitor 2005

Linda Sue Pressler

April 14, 2005

Linda Sue Pressler, 53, of Eagle Grove, died on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Friday, April 8, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eagle Grove. Father Wayne Droessler and Father David Beckman officiated at the service. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery.

Linda Sue Pressler, was born on June 22, 1961 in Fort Dodge, the daughter of George H. and Arlene E. (Shurson) Christensen. She was raised and educated in Eagle Grove, graduating from the Eagle Grove High School. She attended Iowa Central Community College in Eagle Grove and the University of Northern Iowa for two years, receiving her teaching degree.

On August 21. 1971, Linda was united in marriage with Raymond W. Pressler. They made their home in Eagle Grove, where she had lived her entire life on the farm.

Linda helped with the family business of raising hens for egg production, was a substitute teacher and also a teacher's aide for Warren Scholten at the high school, worked with AMI for eight years, and Unlimited Opportunities in Clarion for the last three years.

Linda liked to camp, go shopping with her sister and spend time with Jason riding in their sports cars. She loved people and enjoyed life.

Survivors include her husband, Ray of Eagle Grove; a son, Jason Pressler of Eagle Grove; one sister, Donna Christensen of Eagle Grove; uncle and aunt, Vern and Nola Christensen of Goldfield; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents. Memorials may be directed to Unlimited Opportunities in Clarion.
© Wright County Monitor 2005

Arletta H. Busse

April 14, 2005

Arletta H. Busse, 83, of Clarion, passed away on Saturday, April 9, 2005, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Memorial services are pending and will be announced at a later date.
© Wright County Monitor 2005

Dennis Bollig

April 21, 2005

Dennis L. Bollig, 51, of Dows, died on Saturday, April 9, 2005, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday, April 12, at the Danbury Catholic Cemetery. Msgr. Mark Duchaine officiated at the 1:00 p.m. service.

Dennis Lee Bollig, was born on July 13, 1953 at Battle Creek, Iowa, the son of George Bollig, Jr. and Audrey (Manker) Bollig. Dennis graduated from the Central Decatur High School in Leon with the class of 1972. He worked as a carpenter until 1977, when he became disabled by Multiple Sclerosis.

Dennis entered the Dows Nursing Home in 1994 and resided there until its closing. He then moved to the USA Health Care Center in Clarion.

Survivors include his parents, George and Audrey Bollig of Dows; one brother, Steven Bollig and wife, Christine of Stanhope; and three nieces and one nephew.
© Wright County Monitor 2005

Marion Francis Hill

May 12, 2005

Marion Francis Hill, passed away suddenly in Arizona on Friday, April 29, 2005, doing what he loved best, driving his semi truck.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, May 7, at the Dows Methodist Church. Pastor Tony Hershey officiated at the 10:30 p.m. service. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery, Webster City.

Marion Francis Hill, was born on June 20, 1947 in Clarion, the son of Francis and Viola (Heim) Hill. He was baptized and confirmed at the Methodist Church in Dows. Marion graduated from the Dows Community School in 1965.

He drove semi for 30 years, traveling to every state in the United States plus Canada and Alaska, but called Iowa his home. It was his request to be buried in his home state of Iowa.

In June 1977, Marion and Sharon Stephens were united in marriage in Coos Bay, Oregon.

Marion is survived by his wife, Sharon of Dayton, Oregon; three daughters, Tonyia Hill Holtz of Florida, Becky Hill Rogers of Hawaii, Kristy Hill Edwards of Oregon; mother, Viola Hill of Dows; a sister, Diane Hill Ingraham of Webster City; brother-in-law, Kenny Ingraham of Webster City; five step-children, Cody Lowe of Oregon, Vicki Stephens of Oregon, Dawn Guyer of the Netherlands, Velvet Stephens of Illinois, Venetta Stephens Hanks of Oklahoma; 25 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Francis Hill in 1962; infant daughter, Theresa Dawn Hill; father and mother-in-law, John and Lillian Lowe of Oregon; grandparents, Earl and Florence Hill of Webster City, Fred and Maude Heim of Dows; uncle, Donald Gardalen; aunt, Florence Heim; and cousin, Tony Azeltine.
© Wright County Monitor 2005