Gary P. Whitesell

January 14, 2004

Gary P. "Doc" Whitesell, 59, of Kensett, died on Thursday, December 18, 2003, at the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, under the patient care of the Hospice of North Iowa.

Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, January 17, 2004, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, Northwood, with Rev. Dennis Ganz officiating. Military honors will be at the funeral home by Our Buddies VFW Memorial Post #6779 of Northwood. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service time on Saturday at the chapel. Inurnment will be at a later date. According to his wishes his body was cremated.

Gary was born on September 20, 1944 in Sioux City, Iowa and adopted into the loving home of Paul and Clara Whitesell of Cherokee. The family stayed there for a few years before moving to Ames, where Gary graduated from the Ames High School. He enlisted in the Navy in October of 1962 and after basic training served on the USS Blue for three tours of duty in Viet Nam. After being discharged he spent some time working in the logging camps in the north west.

He relocated to Northwood with his mother and sister after his father passed away. He ran a gas station for a few years, but Gary's real love was welding. He had a welding shop in London, Minnesota for a few years, and then worked in a welding shop in Northwood for Herb Barber. Even after he could no longer work full time he liked puttering in the yard and house.

He is survived by his very special friend, Lynne Schaub of Kensett; one sister, Nancy Whitesell of Northwood; and other aunts, uncles and cousins in the area.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Ruth Emma Braun

January 7, 2004

Ruth Emma Braun, 92, died on Saturday, December 20, 2003, at the Rosewood Estates, Waterloo.

Funeral services were held on Monday, December 22, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterloo, with Rev. Norman Stubbendick and Pastor Gary Olson officiating. Interment was in the Garden of Memories in Waterloo.

Ruth Emma Braun, was born in St. Ansgar on May 25, 1911, the daughter of Albert and Selma (Grapp) Kirchgatter. She was baptized in 1911 and confirmed in 1926. Ruth was raised and attended country school in and around St. Ansgar. She married Roy Braun on April 16, 1930. They moved quite often early in their marriage and in 1946 they settled in the community of Waterloo. Roy preceded her in death on September 23, 1976 and Ruth continued to make her home in Waterloo. For the past couple of years, she had resided at the Rosewood Estates. Ruth was active in the ladies auxiliary of the Local 1835 Union and was also a past president.

Survivors include a son, Marvin (Mary Lou) Braun of Waterloo; two daughters, Elaine (Paul) Myers of La Porte City and Margaret (Bob) Hartman of Waterloo; brother, Lloyd Kirchgatter of Tracy, California; sister, Doris Hanson of Northwood; 14 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers; a sister; and a great-grandson.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Debra M. Olson

January 14, 2004

Debra M. Olson, 42, died on Monday, December 22, 2003, at the Phoenix Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Memorial services were held on Saturday, at the Bayview/ Freeborn Funeral Home, Albert Lea, with Rev. Donald Rose officiating.

Debbie was born in Albert Lea on February 13, 1961, to Ray and Donna Olson. The family resided in Albert Lea until moving to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1969.

Debbie is survived by her grandmother, Marie Aves of Manly; LuVerne (Arline) Aves of Waterloo; Raymond (Mary) Aves of Manly; Richard Aves of Manly; LaVonne (Roger) Clagett of Kensett; Shirley Wohler of Sigourney, Iowa; Lila Johnston of Henning, Minnesota; Jeanette (Harold) Galligan of New Hampton; Linda (Ozzie) Dahle Melsaetner of Manly; Susan Aves of Mason City; Mary Brooks (William) of Bloomington, Minnesota; Betty Ball (Lloyd) of Albert Lea; special friend, DeWayne Symmonds of Phoenix, Arizona; and many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Donna and Ray Olson; grandmother, Polly Olson; grandfathers, Andy Olson and Lyell Aves; and uncle, Glen Aves.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Jan Jensen

January 7, 2004

Jan Jensen, 30, of Hartland, Minnesota, died in a car-train accident on Friday, December 26, 2003.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. David Hernes officiated with interment in the Greenwood Cemetery, Glenville.

Jan Ruth Ann Jensen, was born on July 18, 1973 in Austin, the daughter of Richard and Diane (Stiehl) Jensen. She graduated from the Northwood-Kensett High School in 1991. Jan was employed at Farmstead, at the Jennie-O Turkey Store and at the Albert Lea Seed House. She was a member of the Moose Lodge. Jan enjoyed horses and rode with the Loco Ropers.

She was an artist, enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, baking and cooking. One of the highlights of her life was the trip she took to Kodiak, Alaska. Jan loved telling jokes and was well known for her sense of humor. She had performed at the Knuckleheads Comedy Club in the Mall of America.

Survivors include her son, Kent of Hartland; her special friend, Ralph Thostenson of Hartland; her mother, Diane (Mrs. Kenneth) Nesset of Northwood; father, Richard and his wife, Cheryl Jensen of Glenville; sister, Jodie Jensen of West Virginia and her children, Cole and Jackie; step-sisters, Jennifer and Jamie Jensen, both of Glenville; her grandpa, Arthur Stiehl of Northwood; and many friends.

Jan was preceded in death by her grandparents; and her step-father, Kenneth Nesset.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Betty M. Hegney

January 7, 2004

Betty M. Hegney, 75, of Hanlontown, died on Monday, December 29, 2003, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, January 3, at the Grace Lutheran Church, Hanlontown, with Rev. Kris Snyder officiating. Burial was in the Brush Point Cemetery.

Betty Maxine, the daughter of John and Grace (Barrick) Kennedy, was born on September 12, 1928 in Burchinal, Iowa. She attended country school near Burchinal. After her schooling, she worked for the Clear Lake Bakery. She married Orain Hegney on April 1, 1961 in Hanford, Iowa. She was a very dedicated homemaker, who also did a lot of babysitting for many families.

Betty enjoyed dancing and bird watching, but her favorite past time was spending time with her family. She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church of Hanlontown, in which she was very active, a member on the Park Board for Hanlontown and played an instrumental role in revamping the park. She was also a Girl Scout Leader.

Betty is survived by her husband, Orain of Hanlontown; her children, Michael Kennedy and his wife, Donna of Hanlontown, Cheryl Tietjens and her husband, Roger of Kensett, Julie Losee and her husband, Kevin of Hanlontown and Barbara Suby and special friend, Daniel Kramer of Hanlontown; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; siblings, Delores Klang of Clear Lake, Robert and Carol Kennedy of Mason City, Melvin and Linda Kennedy of Burchinal and Dorothy and Don Nichols of Clear Lake; and one sister-in-law, Jeanette Holm of Glenwood, Minnesota.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Aaron Tietjens; one sister, Mildred Bates; two brothers-in-law, Merlin Klang and Donovan Bates; and many aunts and uncles including Ida Thovson.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Jerry Fred Ackerman

January 7, 2004

Jerry Fred Ackerman, 46, of Northwood, died on Monday, December 29, 2003, at his home in Northwood.

Memorial services were held on Saturday, January 3, at the Conner Colonial Chapel, Northwood, with Rev. Allan Stoa officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date.

Jerry Fred Ackerman, was born on October 22, 1957, in Mason City, the son of Joe and Mabel (Magee) Ackerman. He attended and received his education in the Mason City Public Schools. Jerry moved to Northwood in 1972.

He enjoyed collecting antique toy tractors, Coca-Cola memorabilia, dice and carnival glass. Jerry took special interest in the Iowa lottery and purchased tickets daily, and watched his numbers faithfully. He was also anxiously awaiting the decision for a Worth County Casino. Jerry was very concerned with the various activities and new businesses in Northwood and enjoyed the new Dollar General Store in Northwood.

Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Joe and Mabel Ackerman of Northwood; a sister, Bernice Lyons of Jacksonville Beach, Florida; two brothers, Robert (Kay) Ackerman of Mason City and Jim Ackerman and his special friend, Ralene Rippentrop, both of Northwood; and nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
© Northwood Anchor 2004

Mildred L. Newgard

January 7, 2004

Mildred L. Newgard, 90, of the Willow Point Assisted Living, formerly of Manly, died on Tuesday, December 30, 2003, at the Good Shepherd Care Center, Mason City.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Manly, with Rev. Randy Nielsen officiating. Burial was in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City.

Mildred, the daughter of Frederick and Hannah (Dahl) Hartz, was born on February 27, 1913 in West Rock, Minnesota. Upon the death of her parents at the young age of 10, she lived with relatives in Minneapolis, Glasgow, Montana and Chicago, Illinois. She was confirmed in the Calvary Lutheran Church at Minneapolis and graduated from the Calumet High School in Chicago. She was introduced to her future husband, Severt, by her sister, Edna and Severt's brother, Loren, who had married four years prior. Severt and Mildred were married in the Little Brown Church at Nashua in 1935.

Mildred and Severt owned and operated what is now known as the Trading Post in Gordonsville. They sold the station in 1947 and bought a farm near Gordonsville, which they sold in 1950 and moved to Manly. Mildred worked at several local businesses and also for the school district. She volunteered at the Manly Care Center and delivered Meals on Wheels. She was very active within the Bethlehem Lutheran Church by teaching Sunday School, being a member of the Alter Guild and various circles.

Mildred is survived by her children, Marlene Freudenberg and husband, Jack of Mason City, Don Newgard and wife, Mary Ann of St. Joseph, Missouri and Mary Ann Peterson and husband, Dennis of Maple Grove, Minnesota; seven grandchildren; great-grandchildren; one sister and brother-in-law, Irene and Vernis "Bun" Austin of Lakewood, California; and many nieces, nephews and her beloved dog, Rajah.

Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Severt; one sister, Edna Newgard; and two infant brothers.
© Northwood Anchor 2004