Sandra Jo Millard Niles, daughter of George and Iva Newell Millard, was born Dec. 2, 1937, in Peoria, Ill. Sandra died on Jan. 17 at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Jefferson at the age of 83.

Sandra grew up in Sac City and graduated from Sac City High School in 1955. On June 11, 1956, Sandra was united in marriage to Russell Niles.  

They were the proud parents of three children: Douglas, Jeffrey and Donald.

They made their home in Sac City until moving to Jefferson in 1977, where Sandra stayed busy taking care of the children and their home.

After Russell retired, Sandra and Russell enjoyed wintering in Texas, as well as camping in many locations all over the Midwest. She loved to spend time with her children and grandchildren.

Sandra was preceded in death by her husband, Russell, in 2015; her parents, George and Iva Newell; and her sister, Beverly Auen.

She is survived by her children: Douglas (Kathy) Niles, of Manning; Jeffrey (Melissa) Niles, of Jefferson; and Donald (Kyle) Niles, of Paton;  her sister, Nancy (Paul) Paisly, of Independence; three brothers:  Raymond (Sandy) Millard, of Missouri; Dennis (Sandy) Millard, of Missouri; and George (Marilyn) Millard, of Rippey; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; other relatives; and many friends.

A prayer service was held Jan. 20 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, with words of comfort by Commissioned Pastor Wendy Pittman, of First Presbyterian Church, Jefferson.

Recorded music was “Amazing Grace.”

Interment will be at 4 p.m. Jan. 21 in the Junction Twp. Cemetery, Grand Junction.

Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson is in charge of arrangements for Alyce Lane, 88, of Lake View and formerly of Jefferson.

Services will be held at a later date.

Alyce Grace Lane, daughter of Ross Albert Brown and Mae Ruth Davis Brown, was born Nov. 1, 1932, in Arion and died Jan. 11 at Black Hawk Life Care Center in Lake View. 

Alyce’s family moved to Grand Junction for a short time before moving to Jefferson. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1950. Alyce met the love of her life, Clyde Curtis Lane “Buzz,” and the two were united in marriage on Aug. 15, 1952, in Grand Junction.

The couple was blessed with three children: Neal, Dave and Cindi.

They lived in Jefferson for several years. Alyce got a job as a cook at the Jefferson school. Her mother, Mae, also worked there. Alyce loved working and spending time with her mother. The couple moved to Sac City until Buzz got transferred to the post office in Lake View. 

Alyce enjoyed making ceramics, sewing, knitting, crocheting and reading. She loved to cook, but what she loved most in life was her children and grandchildren. They were her world.

After Buzz retired, the couple would get their camper and head to Minnesota and Canada where they would fish. Alyce and Buzz loved traveling together. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and Royal Neighbors of America. 

Alyce was preceded in death by her parents, Ross and Mae; daughter Cindi Cummings; sister Violet Vaughn; sisters-in-law Arlis Coover and Pat Triplett (Clyde); and brother-in-law Rich Lane (Janice).

Alyce will be loved and missed by her husband, Clyde “Buzz” Lane, of Lake View; sons Neal Lane (Debra Frey), of Reedsburg, Wis., and Dave Lane (Mary), of Algona; five grandchildren: Kelley Lowe (Billy), of Jefferson, Kristen Russell (Paul “P.J.”), of Jefferson, Kale Cummings (Ashlee), of West Des Moines, Nick Lane (Jessica), of Algona, and Jake Lane (Casey), of Grimes; 11 great-grandchildren: Addyson Lane, Camden Lane, Maggie Lane, Eleanor Lane, Kaden Lowe, Tegan Lowe, William Lowe, Tori Lowe, Tia Lowe (Ben), Collin Russell and Lane Russell; one great-great-grandson, Wrenly; sister Audrey Larsh (Merrill), of Las Vegas; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Donald Eugene Huber Jr., 62, of Scranton, passed away peacefully at his home on Jan. 16.

A public visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton. Burial will be in the Paton Twp. Cemetery. 

Arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton and online condolences may be left for the family at dahnandwoodhouse.com.

Those in attendance at Don’s visitation are asked to abide by COVID–19 guidelines. Facemasks are required at the funeral home.

Don was born on April 11, 1958, in Muscatine, and was the son of Donald Eugene Huber Sr. and Beverly Ann (Lingle) Huber.  He grew up in Muscatine, where he attended high school.

He worked at several factories before moving to Scranton in 2015 to work for Scranton Manufacturing.

He was married to Angeli Sue Rohden on Sept. 9, 1999, in Fort Dodge. Don was an avid fisherman and also enjoyed hunting and trapping. 

Don is survived by wife Angeli Huber, of Scranton; his mother, Beverly Huber, of Muscatine; two daughters: Christina Huber (Shad), of Boyd, Texas, and Trisha Truss (Nathaniel), of Muscatine; a son, Gary Jaeschke Jr. (Erica), of Gowrie; 12 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters: Debra Titus (Bill), of Downey, Mo., and Sandy Braasch (Steve), of Muscatine; three brothers-in-law: Tim Rohden (Cindy), of Clever, Mo., Dan Rohden (Diane), of Paton, and Glenn Rohden (Susan), of Paton; and several nieces, nephews and other extended family members.

Don was preceded in death by his father, Donald Eugene Huber Sr.

Joan A. Webb, 86, of Grand Junction, entered into rest on Jan. 9 at her daughter Nancy’s home in Clear Lake.

A Mass of Christian burial was held on Jan. 16 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ogden, with Father Ross Caniglia officiating.

Burial followed at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Boone.

For online condolences, please visit carsonstappfuneralhome.com.

Survivors include two sons, Timothy James Webb, of Jefferson, and Nicholas John Webb, of Jefferson; one daughter, Nancy Jill Webb, of Des Moines; four grandchildren: Tom Webb and wife Laura, Tina (Webb) Mobley, Jesse WebbMausbach and Danni WebbMausbach; eight great-grandchildren: Colton, Madison, Kate, Truman, Sawyer, Grady, Leo and Lilee; one sister, Francese C. (Duncan) Meneough, of Boone; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.

Joan is preceded in death by her husband of 61½  years, Jim;  her parents, John and Peg Duncan, who were married 36 years; middle sister Colleen P. (Duncan) Jensen; grandparents George and Rebecca (Kincaid) Duncan, Joseph and Pauline (Starich) Koncher.

Memorials may be left to Joan’s favorite charity organization, St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain, S.D., in care of Father Anthony Kluckman, SCJ chaplain. Go to stjo.org. Father Anthony was one of the religious leaders who accompanied Joan’s tour group on the 1975 Holy Year Pilgrimage to Italy. Joan and Father Kluckman remained lifelong friends.

The Carson-Stapp Funeral Home in Ogden assisted the family.

Philip J. McCurdy, 66, of Cedar Rapids, died on Jan. 22.

Survivors include his wife, Barb; sons Frank (Jennifer), Shannon and Philip (Jennifer); grandchildren Mercedes, Ashlee, Kim, Audri, Lorena, Levi and Sam; and great-grandchildren Becka, Jase, Ariel, Sariya and Addison.

Phil was born on Sept. 16, 1954, the son of Eugene and Annabelle (Dittert) McCurdy in Jefferson. In 1972, he graduated from Jefferson High School, then moved to Cedar Rapids to further his education.

He married Barbara Kohl in 1975.

Phil was a talented millwright working at Farmstead Foods until their closing, and eventually spending 15 years at Quaker Oats before his retirement. He was a member of Millwrights Local No. 1039, enjoyed working on small engines and was a diehard Chicago Cubs fan. Phil and Barb enjoyed lots of time living the cabin life and catfishing on the river.

Phil was devoted to his family and left the world better than he found it. He was a man of few words, but the words mattered when he spoke. Phil loved with all he had and unconditionally, leaving a McCurdy legacy for his kids and grandkids to continue. A legacy of being true to who you are and the family name you bear.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, William and Lora Kohl.

Memorials may be directed to the family for cancer research and the local food bank.

Visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. All attendees are required to wear facemasks and respect social distancing.

A private family funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 29, with burial to follow at St. Patrick Cemetery, Fairfax.  

Friends and extended family are invited to watch the Mass via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Phil’s tribute wall and share your support and memories with his family at stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.

Gail Jean Reiter, born Feb. 14, 1954, passed peacefully on Jan. 16 in the presence of her family.

She is survived by her husband, Curtis, sons Joseph and Brian, and Brian’s partner, Johanna Barry. She was the only sister to her three loving brothers and their wonderful families: Linn and Sara Orris, Don and Bonnie Orris, and Jerry and Janet Orris.

She cherished the time they had together, and loved to spend time with her nieces, nephews and their families. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dick and Margaret Orris.

Gail was born and raised in Jefferson. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1972 and attended Northwest Missouri State for her undergraduate accounting degree in 1976.

Gail accepted a position with McGladry, Hanson and Dunn in Marshalltown, where she met her husband, Curtis. They were married in 1977 and moved to Grand Island, Neb., where Gail worked for the public utility department.

In 1980, Gail and Curtis moved to Omaha, where Gail worked for the Union Pacific Railroad.

In 1984, her first son, Joseph, was born. He now lives in Champaign, Ill. Her second son, Brian, was born in 1987, and lives with his partner in Chicago. 

Gail loved having the boys close, but with the chance to travel to see them. Gail and Curt’s desire to travel led her to take the position of controller for the Omaha Country Club when Brian was born. She remained at OCC for 30 years, retiring to spend even more time traveling and enjoying time with friends and family. She met so many wonderful people that were a joyful part of her life; and loved you all. Gail enjoyed Disney World adventures, traveling to European countries, Creighton volleyball and Creighton soccer.

Celebration service at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Gail and the family request you provide a donation to Together Omaha, 812 S. 24th St., Omaha, NE 68198 or togetheromaha.org.

Roeder Mortuary is assisting the family.

Janice Kay (Burk) Squires, Jan, as she was known to friends, went home to be with Jesus on Jan. 14. She was wintering and enjoying California sunshine at the time.

Jan was born May 20, 1938, in Greene County to Ivan and Helen (Hunt) Burk.

She graduated from Rippey High School in 1956 and married the love of her life, Bill Squires. Together they raised three children: Lori, Randy and Shelly.

Jan was a homemaker while Bill worked for Fareway. They made their home in many Iowa communities, including Rippey, Perry, Osceola, Nevada and Humboldt. Jan and Bill enjoyed traveling, and after Bill’s retirement, they bought an RV and traveled to all 50 states either by air or by road. They also visited 23 countries together.

Jan and Bill loved California, and Jan continued to winter in Desert Hot Springs after his passing. She loved family, friends and food, all together or in any order!

Jan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bill; daughters Shelly Thompson and Lori West; siblings Ivan Burk Jr., Barbara Denman and Marilyn Hagemeyer.

Those left to remember Jan are her son and daughter-in-law, Randy and Deb Squires; son-in-law Scott West; granddaughters Kayla (Don) Boynton and Stacey (Tony) Negrete; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial is being planned for a later date.

Condolences may be sent to the Squires family at P.O. Box 121, Nevada, IA 50201.

Born 1930

Died 2021

Born and raised in Iowa, until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Came back to Iowa after he was discharged and met his future wife. They lived in Iowa until the early 1960s, when they moved their family to California.

Lived in Redondo Beach from the early 1970s until the mid-2000s. Relocated to the Palm Springs area for the remainder of his life, became a greeter and then a resident council member at the assisted living facility. Worked at Garrett/AiResearch for 35 years. His wife, Shirley, preceded him in death, may they rest in peace.

Survived by his children: Mike (Amy) Casey, Pam (Dave) Casey-D’Angelo, Colleen (Lenny) Casey-Balter, Peggy (Jim) O’Neal-Kubachka-Freeman; 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Also survived by his brother, Kenneth.

Due to Covid restrictions, there will not be a memorial service at this time. If you happen to be down at Redondo Beach or just have a drink in your hand at home, shout out “Cheers Bob” and he will hear it.

Richard (Dick) Alan Pound, aged 81, died on Feb. 3 at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson.  

Dick was born in Jefferson on June 19, 1939, to Alan Willard Pound and Edna “Irene” (Starling) Pound.

Dick graduated from Scranton High School with the class of 1957. He then enrolled at Wayne State Teacher’s College, Wayne, Neb. It was at Wayne State that he met his future wife, Karen Augusta (Britton) Pound, when they were both in the same freshman English class.

One day after English class, Dick offered Karen a ride home that weekend as he would be driving through Denison on his way to his hometown, Scranton. Dick and Karen were married on Aug. 28, 1960, at the First Presbyterian Church in Le Mars, where Karen’s parents lived at the time. 

Dick and Karen graduated from Wayne State the following May, 1961, and both taught in the northeast Nebraska area. Two years later, they both accepted teaching positions in Webster City. During their 25 years in Webster City, they were blessed with two daughters, Mary Alison and Melinda Ann.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Alan and Irene Starling Pound, of Jefferson, and granddaughter Marina Nicole Alvarez.

He is survived by his wife, Karen Pound, of Jefferson; his daughters, Mary (Art) Rivas, of Houston, and Melinda (Ken) Gallagher, of Jefferson; sister Jane (Jerry) Howard, of Johnston; brother Tim (Sheilah) Pound, of Jefferson; eight grandchildren (Ryan Alvarez, Austin Alvarez, Alison Gallagher, Britton Gallagher, Braden Gallagher, Brenner Gallagher, Adison Gallagher and Amelia Gallagher); three great-grandchildren (Gavin Alvarez, Emry Alvarez and Ramsey Alvarez); and several cousins, nieces and a nephew.

A celebration of Dick’s life will be scheduled in the future. Private interment will be held at the Scranton Twp. Cemetery.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made given in Dick’s name to the Raccoon Valley Muzzleloaders Club or First United Methodist Church in Jefferson.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be left at sliningerschroeder.com.

Phillip Michael Siglin passed away on Feb. 12 at age 69. 

Phil was born April 27, 1951, to Leslie and Minnie in Jefferson. He graduated from Jefferson High School, class of 1970. He attended Boone Junior College and excelled in frisbee 101 before moving on to a trade school in Neosho, Mo.

Phil retired from Pella Windows in Carroll in 2012, but had spent most of his career working for the city of Jefferson where he spent time as a volunteer firefighter certified in underwater rescue. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

In 1978, Phil married Joan Schilling; from this union came Daniel, Patrick and Alec. In 2010, he married Jan Healy, becoming stepfather to Dennis and Michael and completing the band of brothers.

As a teenager, Phil became interested in archery and received his instruction from Skeeter and the late Doreen Wilber, participating in and winning archery tournaments across the nation. He enjoyed competing until as recently as 2007. Phil received a Level 2 coaching certification from the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center by way of a grant provided by the Junior Olympic Archery Development Program and served as the Iowa Games archery commissioner for more than 10 years.

Phil coached “Gang Greene” archers along with the Wilbers and Don Orris. He and the students competed in events such as the Iowa Games annually until 2018.

Phil enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing and gravel traveling. He purchased the Wilber property on West Lincoln Way, where he lived until his final days. Phil loved riding his mower and taking care of his two acres (mows like five) on the prairie.

Phil was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Minnie. 

He is survived by his wife, Jan; sons Daniel (Cassie), of Denver; Patrick (Julie), of Fort Collins, Colo.; Alec, of Iowa City; Dennis and Michael (Angie), of Jefferson; grandchildren Ryder Siglin, Haddie and Avery Healy; sisters Deanna Hanson, of Sacramento, Calif., Annette (Jerry) Durlam, of Denver; two nieces, Kris Hanson and Shari Kautzky; and two nephews, Kyle and Aaron Durlam; along with numerous friends and relatives.

Memorials may be given to the family to be used at their discretion.

No services are planned at this time. A tribute to Phil’s life will be held at a later date when we can all share his unique humor and many “Philisms.”

Donald Eugene Graven was born Jan. 28, 1936, in Jefferson. His parents were Beryl and Pauline (Probst) Graven. Don had one sister, Janet.

Don grew up on the family farm north of Jefferson where he lived, now. He graduated from Jefferson High School. 

On Nov. 7, 1954, he married Jackie Ott. They resided in Jefferson and became the parents to eight children. They were married 61 years. Jackie passed away in 2015.

As a young man, Don worked for a local plumber. Over the years, his knowledge of plumbing was shared and appreciated by all of his family. Don became a heavy equipment operator for several companies out of Des Moines. He also farmed, which he loved.

For a number of years, Don was a member of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department. In his free time, he loved motorcycles of all kinds: riding them, racing them and working on them.

Through the years, Don appreciated his dogs and their faithful companionship. He also enjoyed camping, especially with his family. Don was a “teaser”; he loved teasing the grandkids and had nicknames for them. He enjoyed attending the Clay County Fair in Spencer. He liked to go fishing. Most of all, Don loved spending time with his family. 

For nearly 20 years, Don spent the winter months in Texas, first with his wife, Jackie, by his side, and even after her passing he continued to winter in Texas. There, he had many acquaintances and good friends.

Don Graven died Feb. 10 in Harlingen, Texas. He was 85 years of age.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. Masks are required. The family will not be present.

Interment will be at a later date in the Jefferson Cemetery. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jackie; grandson Logan Scheuermann; and sister Janet Davis.

Don is survived by:

daughter Vicki Nation and her husband, Dan, of Jefferson, and their family: Ryan and Nicole Nation, Clementine and Annabelle, of Ventura, Calif.; Jason and Alison Nation, Lincoln and Fletcher, of Bella Vista, Ark.; Ashley and Rafael Martinez, Iker, Rafa and Pablo, of Lenexa, Kan.; 

son Kevin Graven and his wife, Meladee, of Grand Junction, and their family: Travis Graven, of Des Moines; Cory and Kimberly Graven, Maverick, Piper and Wren, of Urbana; Kyle Graven, of Grand Junction;         

son Rodney Graven and his wife, Sherry, of Jefferson, and their family: Derek Graven, of Winter Park, Colo.;  Jenna and Wade Nasheim, Nora and Grady, of Ames;  

son Danny Graven, of Jefferson;         

daughter Julie Graven, of Jefferson;   

daughter Janie Scheuermann and her husband, Kent, of Jefferson, and their family: Airicka Scheuermann and Leroy Davis, Eyezayah Scheuermann and Octavia Davis, of Jefferson; Lyndsie and Josh Thompson, Koen, Nolen and Kasen, of Jefferson;

son Jay Graven, of Jefferson;

and son Terry Graven and fiance Pearlie Nguyen, of Norman, Okla.

Daryl Lee Hane, 74, of Cameron, Mo., passed away Feb. 13 in Kansas City after losing his battle with COVID-19.

He was born Dec. 4, 1946, in Jefferson to Glen and Helen (Coughennower) Hane.

Daryl was a physical education teacher/coach for the Cameron R-1 School District until retiring from teaching in 2007. His love of sports kept him actively involved with coaching until 2020.

Preceding him in death: his parents and grandparents. 

Survivors: wife Sherris Hane, of the home; daughter Betsey (Preston) Seymour, of Rifle, Colo.; sons Seth (Amy) Hane, and granddaughters Clara and Ellington Ann, of Bentonville, Ark.; and Joel Hane (fiancee Margaret Miller), of St. Joseph, Mo.; sisters Diane (Loren) Shriver, of Estes Park, Colo., and Sally Kendrick, of Des Moines; brother Chuck (Caryn) Hane, of Jefferson; nieces, nephews and his loving in-laws, the Snyder family. 

Services were held Feb. 17 at the Cameron United Methodist Church, Cameron, Mo., with visitation at the church Feb. 16.

Burial: Highland Cemetery, Hamilton, Mo.

Memorial fund: The Cameron Educational Foundation, to benefit physical education and athletics, in memory of Daryl.

Online condolences: polandthompson.com

Arrangements were by the Poland-Thompson Funeral Home, Cameron, Mo.

Helen Blake, 82, of Paris, Tenn., died Feb. 11 at Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville with her husband of 63 years and all three of their children by her side.

She was born in Des Moines on April 30, 1938, as the only child of Jasper and Sadie Wier, of Jefferson.

She met and later married Vince Blake on Dec. 22, 1957, her best friend and lifelong companion, while attending college in Des Moines. Shortly after their marriage, Vince was drafted into military service and together they traveled wherever the military needed their service for the next 20-plus years.

Throughout all that time, she welcomed each new assignment with joy and a zeal to learn the cultures and customs wherever they found themselves. 

She enjoyed all forms of crafts, including lapidary, leather modeling, ceramics, jewelry making, sewing and quilting. She also owned/operated a bakery in Jefferson and retired as an administrative specialist from US West Direct in Denver before relocating to the Paris area in 2001.

She was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ and enjoyed singing and the fellowship of all who worship together at the Van Dyke congregation of Paris.

She is survived by her husband, Vince, of Paris, and their children Steven (Treva) Blake, of Paris, Larry (Shon) Blake, of Jefferson, and LaDonna (Doyl) Watson, of Abilene, Texas;  nine grandchildren: Laura Blake, of Paris; Andrew (Ashley) Blake, of Fort Bragg, N.C.; Robert Harms and Timothy Blake, of Carroll; Paul Blake, of Jefferson; Sarah Watson, of Lexington, Tenn.; Joseph (Amy) Watson, of Murray, Ky.; Jessie (Ash) Watson, of Murray; and Joshua Watson, of Abilene; four great-grandchildren; and a close family friend, Jill Valentine, of Paris.

Cremation services are being handled by the Neptune Society of Nashville, with a family memorial to be conducted later this year with interment of her remains in the Van Dyke Church of Christ cemetery.

Our beloved mother, Ramona Jean Sanders, died on Jan. 1 in Atascadero, Calif., at the age of 98. 

Born on July 11, 1922, in Jefferson as Ramona Jean Richey, she was a strong-minded but gentle girl. Her family always had plenty to eat from the farm they lived and worked on, despite the Great Depression in the middle of her young life. Baby pigs were kept each spring for bottle feeding behind the warm kitchen stove. 

Along with her two brothers and one sister, our mother’s energy must have kept her family hopping; she is said to have plowed a field as an 11-year-old with a team of horses. Besides farming, she learned to sew, play piano and even sketched a bit, these being functional and artsy skills which enriched and inspired our lives.

At 19, our mom moved to the Golden State, where she met up with a few Iowan girlfriends and started a new life as a secretary. A stint of two years as a civilian secretary for the U.S. Army occupation and reconstruction in Japan broadened her sense of the world after World War II.

Forever seeking to know more, while a “stay-at-home mom,” she took classes in astronomy on TV and at the local community college in other subjects. Later, she volunteered tirelessly with the Tujunga United Methodist Church Women’s Club, as well as carrying on a career as a legal secretary. 

In her final years, she joined the Atascadero United Methodist Church. She could be seen some of those last days brightening up lunchtime chats with fellow residents of the Atascadero Christian Home by sharing images of the universe from a book on the Hubble Space Telescope.

Our mother lovingly raised a family of four lively kids — Jeff, April, Mark and Kim — who embody her soul in their own ways of being. Beyond us, she is survived by 12 others: Judy, Gabriel, Eva, Lindsey, Kayden, Sally, Jim, Sofia, Julia, Henry, Brady and Andrew. Her great-niece Starr Ann had been like a daughter to her for many years now.

Throughout her life, people who met her would say, “She is just so sweet.” We know that a bit of her nature cheered up everyone around her, making the world a better place.

She was truly the sweetest mom in the world. Maybe in the universe. Now she is giving back in the final possible way, to the earth from which she came. We rejoice in this process!

Mignon Rasmussen was born April 29, 1928, at her home in Scranton to Wesley Van Horn and Zoa Tressa McCollum.  She passed away on Feb. 13 at the Long Term Care at Greene County Medical Center.

Mignon lived in various places throughout her young life, including Scranton, Jefferson, California and Oregon.

Mignon’s parents were divorced when she was young and she, her mother and her brother had to move frequently. Life was very hard for her family but Mignon remembers always feeling loved by her mother and siblings. Her mother worked at the shipyards on the West Coast and took in sewing to help care financially for her family, as well as sewing all of Mignon’s clothes.

When Mignon was 17, she moved back to Jefferson and worked at Louie’s soda and candy shop on the west side of the Square. It was there she met Norman (Stub) Rasmussen, who she always said was a young, handsome, brown-eyed boy who she fell madly in love with. They courted for a short while and eloped to Kansas to marry on July 21, 1946.

The love lasted for 58 years when Norman passed away on Dec. 22, 2004. She never truly ever got over missing him.

Mignon and Norman began their married life on a farm north of Paton, where they farmed and milked cows. She reported they were so poor they had to sit on milk cans for kitchen chairs and in the winter the flooring would rise up from the cold winds coming in through the windows. Mignon would not let those early hard times determine who she was and always believed anyone could rise above their particular situation, as she did.

Their firstborn son, Keith, was born when they lived on the Paton farm. Five years later, the family moved to their present farm, where daughter Carla and youngest son Kevin joined them.

Norman and Mignon worked hard on the farm all their lives with Mignon’s joy and main focus being a homemaker and taking care of her family, often going without so her children didn’t have to. The love for her family was never in doubt and what made her the happiest was spending time with her family.

Mignon loved to bake and cook and often made room for one more at the table as Norman would invite workmen in to join them for a meal or a dessert. Her specialty was homemade angel food cake, which her children were the recipient of — especially on their birthdays and other celebrations. 

She had many friends and belonged to several clubs where they would play cards and/or meet for coffee. Mignon’s faith was important in her life and she tried to be in church every Sunday. She served as an elder and a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson, as well as teaching Sunday school and serving on the kitchen committee helping fix funeral dinners and cleaning the kitchen for many years.  

Mignon worked as a Pink Lady at the hospital auxiliary for 26 years. She loved to watch sunrises and sunsets, read, garden, shop, eat chocolate and played cards into her 90s. One of her favorite ways to spend time was with the entire family playing “Up and Down the River,” laughing and talking and just being together.

Mignon was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and her brothers: Keith Van Horn and John Van Horn; and sisters: Catherine Oeffner and Mary Ellen Blaine. 

She is survived by her sons: Keith Rasmussen, of West Des Moines, and Kevin (Jill) Rasmussen, of Jefferson; daughter Carla (Steve) Haupert, of Jefferson; grandchildren: Krista (Brian) Kinkennon, of Ogden; Shane (Gray Morell) Rasmussen, of Los Angeles; Nathan (Shelly) Haupert, of Lytton; Bret (Stephanie) Haupert, of Pella; Jacob (Torrie Ferrari) Rasmussen, of Jefferson; Tressa (Bryce Snedden) Rasmussen, of Ogden; great-grandchildren: Dillon (Jil Dietz) Olsen, of West Des Moines; ReBecca (Zachary Stoos) Olsen, of Ankeny; Onna and Jossa Haupert, of Lytton; Addison and Adam Haupert, of Pella; great-great-grandchildren: Chesley and Lane Stoos, of Ankeny, and Elika Dietz, of West Des Moines; sister-in-law Helen Rasmussen, of Omaha; brother-in-law Richard Rasmussen, of Lone Rock, Wis.; many nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.

Per Mignon’s request, a private funeral service at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson will be attended by her children and grandchildren, only, with words of comfort by Commissioned Pastor Wendy Pittman.

Honorary bearers will be her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. 

Casket bearers will be Nathan Haupert, Bret Haupert, Krista Kinkennon, Jacob Rasmussen, Tressa Rasmussen and Shane Rasmussen.

Interment will be in the Jefferson Cemetery.

Services were arranged by the  Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.

Carolyn Ann Smith was born Oct. 27, 1938, to Esther (Andrew) Smith and Clarence Smith in the inaugural year of the Greene County Hospital in Jefferson. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Feb. 8 at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City.

Carolyn, a gifted homemaker, created a beautiful and welcoming home. She was a wonderful cook and hostess, often welcoming many over for dinner parties and game day celebrations. She managed to start as an OSU fan then, in retirement, switch to an avid OU fan.

She enjoyed sitting on her deck admiring her gardens and watching her dogs, and being active in her book club. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing clothing and home decorations for herself, her children and grandchildren. She played the flute and piano and taught musical lessons.  

Carolyn and younger brother Gerald and sister Miriam grew up on their maternal Greene County family farm. With paternal grandparents living nearby Jefferson, many happy times were spent at their rural home. Yearly family vacations and get-togethers with cousins, aunts and uncles were times she enjoyed.

Carolyn was born into a house without modern plumbing and at first attended a nearby rural country school. When this school closed, she and her siblings rode the bus to Churdan public schools where her mother was high school principal.

Carolyn was involved in many school, church and community activities. She was honored as a member of the Iowa All-State Orchestra and graduated valedictorian of her 1956 high school class. As Miss Greene County, she competed for the Miss Iowa title held at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. At Drake University, she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and graduated with a bachelor of music education.

In 1959, Carolyn married David Lohr, also from the Churdan area. Together they had four children: Elizabeth, Steven, Stephanie and Phillips, and they traveled, lived and loved in Iowa, Utah, South Carolina, Iowa, West Germany, Iowa and Ohio. Their children were loved but their marriage ended in divorce in the early 1980s.

Carolyn started a new chapter in Edmond, Okla., in 1982. She built a new life with her youngest children and eventually found new love and marriage with Tom Lilly in 1986. Unfortunately, Carolyn was widowed in 1990, but was blessed with her first of many grandchildren and a career at the State of Oklahoma Employment Service until 2004. She also was blessed with her marriage to Jim Slaughter on Dec. 21, 1996, becoming stepmother to Becky and Lee.

As Carolyn and Jim’s blended family continued to grow, they spent many years visiting family, traveling and cruising while making new friends. Their retirement travels took them to Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Germany and so many more places. Carolyn and Jim particularly loved their more than 14 cruises. 

Carolyn is survived by husband Jim Slaughter; sister Miriam (Smith) Peters; all of her children and their spouses: Elizabeth (Lohr) and Greg Koolbeck, Steven and Alicia Lohr, Stephanie (Lohr) and Alan Cooper, Phillips and Betsy Lohr, Becky (Slaughter) and Jason Frey, Lee (Slaughter) and Ryan Jeannet; and all 17 grandchildren.

Carolyn is preceded in death by brother Gerald Smith; nephew John Peters; and former husbands Tom Lilly and David Lohr.

Memorial will be livestreamed 10 a.m. March 8 for those attending remotely. Go to Matthews Funeral Home, Edmond, Oklahoma, YouTube page. Click “Videos,” then “Live Streams.”

Mark Dana Friedow was born April 28, 1949, in Mason City to Verlyn and June Friedow. 

Mark graduated from Kanawha High School in 1967, and then went on to Iowa State University for two years. He was Beta Theta Pi.

He interrupted his education to begin his ag business career and tend to his new family. He held various positions in the agriculture industry in Huron, Algona, Klemme and Jefferson. Most recently he worked as a strategic account manager for Cargill. Mark also proudly served on the board of directors of the Robert and Arlene Hamilton Family Charitable Foundation.

Mark lived on his family farm until he was 12, eventually moving with his family into Kanawha. He continued to raise Poland China hogs with his grandfather and uncles.  His passion for agriculture stayed in his heart forever.

Mark died from complications of COVID-19 on Feb. 6.

Mark is survived by his children and siblings: son Forrest Friedow (Nathan Marcy) and grandson Mansel, of Los Angeles; son Justin (Lorena) Friedow, of Belmond; grandson Ricardo Mendoza, of Coralville; granddaughter Ashley Friedow, of Waterloo; and grandson Aiden Friedow, of Belmond; and mother to Forrest and Justin and family friend Ann Freiberg, of Iowa City; daughter Alyssa (Chris) Sundell and grandson Grant, of West Des Moines; mother to Alyssa and family friend Vickie Friedow, of West Des Moines; stepson Terry Fisher, of Gilmore City; grandson Allen Fisher and great-granddaughter Avery Fisher, of Houston; grandsons Alex Fisher and Christian Fisher, of Jonestown, Pa.; and granddaughters Kylee Reynolds and Victoria Fisher, of Houston; sister Melissa Cook, of Britt; brother Mitchell (Geneva) Friedow, of Huxley; and sister Rene (Dan) Abels, of Kanawha; special friend Rita Scheiring and her daughter Stephanie Hummel and her granddaughters Madison and Evelyn Hummel.

In addition, Mark had a wonderful extended family, including cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends around the world.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Verlyn and June Friedow, and sister Martha Brass.

The family wants to express their gratitude to Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines for their compassionate care during his final days.

There are no public services. Please consider sending donations in Mark’s memory to the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org.

Ewing Funeral Home, Kanawha, assisted the family.

Jack Harmer, 77, of Jefferson, died Feb. 19 at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. March 1 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson, followed by interment of cremains and military rites at the Jefferson Cemetery.

Jackie Merritt Harmer was born Oct. 6, 1943, in Council Bluffs to Virginia (Pine) and Barton Merritt Harmer, of Glenwood. The family moved to Jefferson in 1951 and resided on South Cedar Street. Younger brother Judd was born in 1952.

As a boy, Jack liked playing “cowboys” and “war” with his neighborhood friends.

In 1962, he graduated from Jefferson High School, where he played football and basketball. He attended Northwest Missouri State and graduated from American Institute of Business in Des Moines. He worked part-time at Safeway Stores while attending college.

Jack and Chris Henning met in 1964 and were married in 1966 in Jefferson. Daughter Angela was born in 1967 in El Paso, Texas. Son Scott was born on his father’s birthday in Jefferson in 1968.

Jack was drafted into the Army in 1967 and completed basic training at Fort Bliss in El Paso. Orders sent him to Vietnam in 1968, where he served as personnel specialist at Cam Ranh Bay. At the conclusion of his duty, he was honorably discharged as a sergeant in December 1968.

Jack, Chris and the kids made their home in Des Moines in 1969. He resumed working for Safeway where he became store manager til 1975. The couple later divorced but remained friends, supporting children and one another over the years.

Jack worked as area manager for Richman Gordman from 1975 to 1989.

He married Nancy Fryett in 1982. They later divorced.

In 1990, Jack moved to Las Vegas with his companion Wanda Benvenuti, who preceded him in death in 2003.

He very much enjoyed living in Las Vegas; warm weather, rodeos, NASCAR and his casino hangout, The Gold Coast.

He worked at Sheplers Western Wear. Jack loved that job! The boots, the hats and the people he met. He retired as assistant manager in December 2007.

Jack returned to Jefferson in mid-2008 to care for his elderly parents and be near family.

An admirer of Corvettes, he bought himself one in 2009 and later upgraded to a 2014 C-7 Night-Race Blue Vette for his 70th birthday. He named it “The Magnificent Seven.”

He traveled to many Corvette events. In 2016, he drove the “Tail of the Dragon,” an 11- mile road with 318 curves in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. He also drove his car on the Talladega Super Speedway and Indianapolis Speedway.

Jack enjoyed golfing at Lakeside, reunions with Army buddies and gathering with friends and family from the many facets of his life. A great meal and, of course, dessert, was never declined.

Many will remember him as a listener and man of few words who, when he did speak, was worth listening to. He will be truly missed.

Jack Harmer is survived by his daughter, Angela (John Elliott), of Des Moines; his son Scott, of Jefferson; and his first wife, Chris Henning, of Cooper.

He was preceded in death by his mother Virginia in 2008; his father Merritt in 2009; and his brother Judd in 2006.

Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson.

Dennis Murphy, 71, of Scranton, passed away Jan. 20. After struggling with several health issues over the years, he is at peace and reunited with his wife, Patricia Murphy.

Dennis was born Oct. 25, 1949, in Carroll to parents Leo and Regina Murphy. He spent most of his childhood and young adult life growing up in Jefferson.

Dennis graduated from the University of Iowa in the fall of 1971. He moved from Iowa to California in 1979, and started his career as an iron worker. He retired from Iron Workers Local 377 in February 2004. In the fall of 2005, he moved back to Iowa with his son, Matthew. He spent the remainder of his life in Scranton.

Dennis has been greeted into heaven by his father, Leo Murphy; mother Regina Murphy; and sister Mary Jo Murphy.

He was an exceptional father to Deana, Erin, Jamie and Matthew. He left an imprint on the lives of his grandchildren: Christian, Julia, Jayden, Anaya and Andrew; along with many others.

Dennis was a true friend to many and will never be forgotten.

Traditional Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon the fields and

until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Graveside services will be held Oct. 2, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Jefferson.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the estate of Dennis Murphy, 974 D Ave., Scranton, IA 51462. Donations will be made to the nurses of Boone County Hospital. They took great care of Dennis over the past years. xoxo

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson assisted the family.

Richard Joseph James Pille, son of Virgil Joseph Pille and Marian Ruth Blackburn Pille, was born June 20, 1944, at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll and died Feb. 5 at The Lakeside Village in Panora.

Dick went to school in Arcadia until the third grade. He grew up in Jefferson and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1963.

On Sept. 21, 1968, Richard and Janet Christy were united in marriage. The couple were blessed with three children: Kristi Marie, Anthony Richard and Todd Andrew.

Dick worked at Oscar Mayer, IBP and Tyson for 44 years as a meatcutter and then utility man before retiring. He enjoyed fishing, snowmobiling and cutting wood with his family to heat their wood-burning home. Dick especially enjoyed spring when everything “green” came to life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Marian. 

He is survived by his children: Kristi Marie Wilson (Todd Fagen), of Jefferson; Anthony Richard Pille, of Jefferson; Todd Andrew Pille (Katie), of Stratford; his sister, Mary Catherine “Kay” Lipke (Cleo Underwood), of West Des Moines; aunt Marjorie Greene, of Ames; and nephew Louis Rand (Lynda), of Des Moines; grandchildren: Harper Violet Pille, Paisley Joann Pille, Carly Marie Pille.

Dick is additionally survived by his significant other and best friend, Sherri Reimer, of Perry, and her family: son Brett Reimer (Rachel), of Des Moines, and daughter Amy Reimer-Mayo (Jennifer), of Des Moines; grandchildren: Lauren Reimer, Claire Reimer and Grant Reimer.

Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson was in charge of arrangements.

Cards may be sent to: c/o Richard Pille, 1816  235th St., Jefferson, IA 50129.