Mabel Emily Bitker 

Neva Armsbury 

Veral Robert Porter, 74, of Slidell, La., died Wednesday, March 19, 1997 at his residence from heart failure

A memorial service was held Friday, March 21 at Calvary Baptist Church, Slidell, with the Rev. Charles Starnes officiating

Veral Robert Porter was a native of Clear Lake, Iowa, and a graduate of Clear Lake High School. He was a member of Pearl Lodge No. 456, F & A.M., a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. Veral was employed by John F. Beasley Construction Co. of Chicago, Ill., and worked on the Superdome project and numerous constructions projects at the Stennis Facility in Mississippi and was a retired iron worker out of Iron Workers Local No. 58 in New Orleans, La. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II well known by friends as having exceptional abilities with wood working

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Polk Porter, Slidell, La.; a sister, Betty Petersen, Vucalpa, Calif.; two nieces; and one nephew

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Lester and Fleeta Lockwood Porter. 

Mrs. Evelyn M. Knudson, 79, of Fertile, Iowa, died Wednesday, April 9, 1997 at the North Iowa Mercy Health Center East Campus, Mason City, Iowa

Funeral services were held Saturday, April 12, at the Fertile Lutheran Church, Fertile, with the Rev. Roger Kampstra officiating. Graveside services were held at Blairsburg Cemetery, Blairsburg, Iowa. The family suggests memorials to the Evelyn M. Memorial Fund.

Evelyn was born in rural Hamilton County, Iowa, the daughter of Arthur and Lucille (Farley) Chantrill. She graduated from
Blairsburg High School, Blairsburg, Iowa in 1937

On Sept. 12, 1937 she married Harvey Knudson in Blairsburg.
They farmed together near Williams until 1942, then moved to rural Glenville, Minn., where they farmed until 1953. They then farmed in Fertile, Iowa area until 1968 when they retired from farming

After her retirement from farming, Evelyn worked at the Fertile Library and continued to work in the new library until her retirement in he mid 1980s as the librarian. She enjoyed
collecting cookbooks and cooking for her family

Evelyn was a member of Fertile Lutheran Church, Fertile, and the Fertile Garden Club

She is survived by a daughter, Mary Ann DeArmond and her husband, Richard, Surprise, Ariz.; three sons, Lloyd Knudson Sr. and his wife, Loni, Fertile, Lyle Knudson and his wife, Judith, Blairsburg, and Richard Knudson and his wife, Penny, Alexandria,.; nine grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; a sister, Edna Denekas and her husband, Lester, Kamrar, Iowa

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on June 17, 1996; and one sister, Lorraine Inglas.

Odessia Bonnie West, age two months and three days, died Friday, April 11, 1997, at her home in Lehigh, Iowa, of sudden infant death syndrome. 

Funeral services were held April 14, 1997 at 1 p.m. at the Community Church of Kamrar, Iowa, with Dr. Craig Alan Bex officiating. Burial was at Oakwood Cemetery, Stratford, Iowa. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Becker Funeral Home in Jewell, Iowa. 

Odessia was born on Feb. 8, 1997 in Des Moines, Iowa. Odessia
is survived by her father Cory Lynn Hall of Ft. Dodge, Iowa and her mother, Teri Lynn West of Lehigh. She is also survived by her grandparents, William and Pam West, Lehigh, Cheryl Hall of Ft Dodge and Gary Van Ornum of Moorland, Iowa; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Lydia Hanselman, 91, of Garner, Iowa, died Monday, April 14, 1997 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa. 

Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday), April 16, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Garner, with the Pastor Carl Hedberg officiating. 

Louise Boehnke will be organist.

Pallbearers will be James Dodge, Dennis Hanselman, Daniel Greiman, Kevin Greiman, Keith Greiman, William Hanselman and James Hanselman. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery. 

The Cataldo Funeral Chapel at 160 E. 4th St., Garner, is in charge of services. 

Lydia E. W. Hanselman was born March 20, 1907 on a farm northeast of Garner to Julius and Anna (Lade) Jass and adopted by Albert and Anna (Lade) Jante. She attended St. John's Parochial School and then graduated from Garner High School in 1924. Lydia taught in the rural schools of Madison Township and Garfield Township #1. 

On Feb. 12, 1933, she married Arthur Hanselman at St. John's Lutheran Church. They farmed near LuVerne until 1937, when they moved northwest of Garner and in 1953, they moved south of Clear Lake and continued farming. In 1967, they moved into Garner and in 1988 to Prairie View Apartments. Art and Lydia had spent 18 winters in Mesa, Ariz. She enjoyed sewing, crafts, gardening, preserving and exhibiting at the North Iowa Fair. 

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, Walther League, Ladies Aid, LWML as chairman and also treasurer of the Algona Zone, treasurer of Iowa District West, a member of the St. John's Orchestra, the North Garner Community Club, the Thought & Thimble Club and the Ventura Garden Club. 

She is survived by her daughter, Phyllis Winkelman and her husband, Edward, Clear Lake; two grandsons, William A. Winkelman and his wife, Barbara, of Johnston and James E. Winkelman and his wife, Joanne, of Clear Lake; three great-grandsons, Thomas Winkelman, Wyatt Winkelman and Walker Winkelman; and a sister, Evelyn Greiman and her husband, Kenneth, of Garner.