Cleona Marie Tegland

November 12, 2009

Cleona Marie Tegland, age 94, died on Monday November 2, 2009, at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, November 6, at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Belmond. Reverend Troy Pflibsen officiated. Burial was held in the Belmond Cemetery.

Cleona Marie Leonard, the daughter of Arthur Wallas and Erma Irene (Meacham) Leonard, was born on the family farm in Grant Township, rural Belmond, on October 15, 1915. She was baptized at the First Lutheran Church, Clarion. She attended the Plum Grove Township Country School and then graduated from the Belmond High School in 1932 at the age of 16. Following her education, she taught rural school for several years.

Cleona was united in marriage to Leslie Aaron Tegland on February 28, 1937. Following their marriage, the couple farmed and raised their family in the Belmond and Clarion areas and had also farmed near Burchinal for three years. Cleona assisted with the farming duties for many years. Cleona and Leslie were later divorced.

Cleona eventually lived for 19 years at Lake Cornelia before moving to Belmond, where she lived for the remainder of her life.

Cleona's greatest joy came from the times she spent with her children and grandchildren. Whether it was a family gathering, special event or just time spent visiting, she truly cherished each and every opportunity to be in their presence. Cleona loved old time music, ballroom dancing and square dancing. She looked forward to outings of dances and enjoyed going to the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. Cleona was a very proficient seamstress and loved to make handcrafted items, including quilts for family and those in need. She loved to visit with friends and the companionship of her poodles, "Howard" and more recently, "Dolly" over the years. Cleona loved the outdoors, planting trees and raising beautiful flowers.

She had been active over the years in the P.N.G. Club, The Birthday Club and various coffee groups, Trinity Lutheran Church, where she had also belonged to the Esther Circle, Social Hour Club and other groups.

Her memory will live on in the lives of her surviving daughters, Gael Olson of Cascade, Thelma Lindvall of Clarion and Erin Henry of Eagle Grove; grandchildren; one sister, Arlene (Don) Allen of San Jose, California; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Arthur Wallas Leonard Jr.; two sisters, Lova McAlpine and Icle Severson; and a great-grandson, Nick Shaw.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Duane "Dewey" Beisell

November 12, 2009

Duane "Dewey" Beisell, 74, passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2009, at his home.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 9, at the United Methodist Church, Eagle Grove, with Pastor Mike Agnew officiating. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Eagle Grove.

Duane Dewey Beisell, the son of George Dewey and Mary Olive (Miller) Beisell, was born on June 10, 1935 in Goldfield, where he was raised and educated. In 1954, Duane entered the United States Army, stationed in Anchorage, Alaska and served until 1956. On November 10, 1961, Duane was united in marriage with Beverly Sheriff in Eagle Grove. Duane worked various jobs until 1965, when he went to work for Umthun Trucking as a truck driver, retiring in 1997.

Dewey enjoyed hunting, fishing and the outdoors and he truly loved his family.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly Beisell of Eagle Grove; sons, Russell Beisell and wife, Shelley and Darrell Beisell of Eagle Grove; daughters, Mary Mills and husband, David of Bradenton, Florida and Candy Day and husband, Gary of Ames; one brother, Dick Beisell and wife, Beulah of Mesa, Arizona; ten grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Betty Rodriguez; and a son, Douglas.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Loyola Hocraffer

November 12, 2009

Loyola Genevieve Hocraffer, 92, of Clarion, passed away on Friday, November 6, 2009, at the Wright Medical Center, Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 9, at the St. John's Catholic Church, Clarion, with Father Nils Hernandez officiating. Burial was in the St. John's Catholic Cemetery, Clarion. There was a scriptural wake service on Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Loyola, the daughter of William and Catherine (DeHeck) McLaughlin was born on April 9, 1917, on the family farm near Cummings, Iowa. As a child, her family moved to rural Belmond where she attended school and graduated from the Belmond High School in 1934. Loyola attended Iowa State Teachers College and taught school for five years in rural Belmond Schools. On June 28, 1941, Loyola was united in marriage with Donald Hocraffer. The couple made their home south of Clarion where they farmed and raised their six children.

Loyola was a member of the St. John's Catholic Church in Clarion and her faith was very important to her. She also enjoyed gardening, crocheting, playing bridge and reading.

Loyola is survived by six children, Richard (Denise) Hocraffer of Clarion, Mary Kay (Robert) Kidd of Cedar Rapids, Donna (Michael) Pomajzl of Boonville, Missouri, Edward Hocraffer of Clarion, William (Bonnalee) Hocraffer of Bonner Springs, Kansas and Mark ( Michelle) Hocraffer of Cedar Rapids; ten grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; a sister, Kathryn Weber of Odessa, Washington; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Loyola was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; seven brothers; and two sisters.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Alice M. Moss

November 12, 2009

Alice M. Moss, 88, of Clarion, passed away on Friday, November 6, 2009, at the Careage of Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 10, at the First Lutheran Church, Clarion, with Pastor Gary Boen officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Alice, the daughter of Clifford and Laura (Perkins) Nelson, was born on July 21, 1921. She was raised in the Galt area where she attended country school through the eighth grade. Alice attended and graduated from the Clarion High School. On January 20, 1944, Alice was united in marriage to Olaf M. Moss at the Congregational Church in Clarion. The couple made their home and raised their three sons on the farm. In 1982, after 40 years on the farm, Olaf and Alice moved into their home in Clarion. Alice lived in Wright County her entire life.

Alice was very interested in current events, religion and politics. She loved her family very much and was a very giving person. Alice enjoyed sewing with the ladies at the church and making Teddy bears and quilts. She loved her flower gardens and was head of the Horticulture Exhibit at the county fair for several years. She was a very organized woman who took great pride in her home.

Alice's faith was very strong, and family was very important to her. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church and Ladies' Aid and Circle.  She was a past member of the Federated Garden Club.

Alice is survived by three sons, Marvin (Judy) Moss of Galt, Gary (Pam) Moss of Excelsior Spring, Missouri and Kevin (Sue) Moss of Clarion; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; along with several nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Olaf in 2003; a brother, Floyd Nelson in 1962; and a sister, Annabelle Smith in 2006.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Ronald C. Anderson

November 19, 2009

Ronald C. Anderson, 68, of Clarion, passed away on Monday, November 9, 2009, at the Wright Medical Center, Clarion.

Memorial services were held on Thursday, November 12, at the First Lutheran Church, Clarion, with Pastor Gary Boen and Pastor Bill Kem officiating.

Ronald C. Anderson, was born on January 2, 1941 in Clarion, the son of Charles B. and Ruth (Sheffield) Anderson of rural Clarion. Ron attended and graduated from the Clarion High School in 1959. On September 8, 1961, he married Linda Kay TerHark. To this union two sons were born, Scott Weyde and Monty Lee.

Ron loved spending time with his family, cheering for his grandchildren at their various sporting events and emceeing his last two class reunions. Ron loved life and could be seen dressed as Santa on the front lawn or awaiting the children on Halloween. Even Ron couldn't find all the clues to the grandchildren's hidden treats he spent hours hiding every year for Christmas. Ron served as the Wall Lake Beavers 4-H Club Leader for ten years. He loved trucking and was proud to have trucked more than 25 years for Monsanto. He spent his entire life farming and took pride in every detail. He was always known for his love of trivia, his quick wit and his pride in his family.

Ron is survived by his wife of 48 years, Linda; two sons, Scott (Melinda) and Monty (Spook); five grandchildren; one brother, Larry (Shorty); and one sister, Jan (Ed) Ryerson; and nieces and nephews.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Gloria Arthur

November 19, 2009

A longtime Clarion resident, Gloria Arthur, 60, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, surrounded by her family at the Hospice House in Omaha, Nebraska.

She chose cremation and a public memorial service is scheduled at the North Shelter at Lake Cornelia, from 1-4:00 p.m., on Saturday, December 12. A memorial fund has been established in lieu of flowers.

Gloria Arthur, was born and raised in Belmond and was the youngest of 16 children of Vere and Dorothy (Lackore) Jenison. After high school, Gloria married Gale Arthur in 1966 and together they raised three sons. Gloria worked for many years at Clarion Super Value and EDS in Clarion, prior to moving to Omaha in 2003.

She enjoyed helping others, reading, watching Minnesota Vikings games and spending time with friends and family, especially her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Gale; sons, Alan of Omaha, Nebraska, Dayton of Omaha, Nebraska and Cameron (Nicole) of Springfield, Missouri; her brothers, Arthur (Judy) Jenison of Randall, Peter (Yoshi) Jenison of Story City, Oscar (Nancy) Jenison of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Bradley (Nyle) of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; her sisters, Lorinda (Gary) Mines of Des Moines, Jolene Smith of Clarion, Geraldine McClure of Grinnell and Adelaide Delano of Des Moines; and three grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; four sisters, Hope, Audra, Wanda and Carolyn Sue; and three brothers, Jon, Greydon and Randall.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Phyllis Borel

November 19, 2009

Phyllis Borel, 83, of Clarion, passed away on Thursday, November 12, 2009, at the Careage of Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 16, at the First Lutheran Church, Clarion, with Pastor Gary Boen officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Phyllis Ann Henriksen, was born in Clarion on February 23, 1926, the daughter of Laurence and Christene (Larsen) Henriksen. She attended Clarion Schools and graduated in the class of 1944. During her senior year in high school, Phyllis was a telephone operator at the Clarion office. After high school, she attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines and worked one year at the Wright Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. In 1945, she returned to Mason City and worked as a telephone operator and later as a supervisor.

On October 8, 1946, she married Ralph Borel. Starting in 1948, they made their home farming south of Clarion. Their three children were raised on the farm. In 1994, Ralph and Phyllis moved into a Clarion condominium. All family was very important to Phyllis and she loved entertaining.

Phyllis was an active member of the First Lutheran Church, Ceres Circle since 1948, Hospital Auxiliary and the Meals on Wheels program. She enjoyed gardening, indoor plants and especially baking and cooking.

Phyllis is survived by her husband, Ralph; three children, Jane (William) Dettman of Clarion, Michael J. (Joan) Borel of Alamo, California and James C. (Marcia) Borel of West Chester, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren; one sister, Helen McPhail of Lake Oswego, Oregon; one brother, John (Doris) Henriksen of East Moline, Illinois; and one sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Henriksen of Floyds Knob, Indiana; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Agnes Lee and Joanna Sorensen; and one brother, Larry Henriksen.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Larry Ehlers

November 19, 2009

Larry Ehlers, 59, of Clarion, passed away on Friday, November 13, 2009, at the Wright Medical Center, Clarion.

Memorial services were held on Tuesday, November 17, at the Ewing Funeral Home, with Father Nils Hernandez and Deacon Dr. Michael Whitters officiating. There was a Masonic Service on Tuesday evening following the Memorial Service.

Larry Ehlers, was born in Cedar Falls on July 8, 1950, the son of Paul and Evelyn (VanFleet) Ehlers. He attended the Cedar Falls High School and graduated in the class of 1968. After high school, Larry enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1968, serving during the Vietnam War. In 1970, Larry was Honorably discharged with Sergeant ranking. On July 13, 1974, he was united in marriage to Debra Kay Schake and they made their home in Clarion. During their marriage of 34 years, two sons were born, Neal and Jon. Larry operated D & E Motors for nearly 25 years. He also worked as a Realtor and Contractor.

Larry enjoyed fishing, cooking, being outdoors and spending time with friends and family, especially his granddaughters. He was a certified aircraft mechanic and an avid flyer. Larry was a member of the St. John's Catholic Church, Cyrene Lodge 325 in Clarion and was a Mason and Shriner.

Larry is survived by his children, Neal Ehlers of Clarion and Jon (Heather) Ehlers of Ames; two grandchildren; parents, Paul and Evelyn Ehlers of Cedar Falls; two brothers, Wayne Ehlers of Galt and Mike Ehlers of Cedar Falls; one sister, Susie Potts of Janesville, Minnesota; and numerous other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Donald W. Watts

November 19, 2009

Donald W. Watts, 77, of Clarion, passed away on Friday, November 13, 2009, at the Careage of Clarion after a lengthy illness.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 17, at the United Methodist Church, Clarion, with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Donald, the son of Ralph and Emma Watts, was born on October 17, 1932 in Belmond. He graduated from the Clarion High School. On April 2, 1952, Donald was united in marriage with Darlene Evans of Eagle Grove. The couple made their home in Clarion where they raised their two daughters. Donald worked at the Gannon's Coffee Shop for ten years until he bought Rainbow Cleaners in 1963. He retired after 37 years.

Donald worked tirelessly to promote the growth and development of Clarion. He was an active participant in many organizations in Clarion, including the Clarion Lions Club, Jaycees, Coin Club and the Clarion Development Committee; as well as the Iowa Numismatic Association and Iowa Dry Cleaning Organization. One of Donald's greatest passions was that of community involvement and philanthropic activities.

Donald is survived by his wife, Darlene Watts of Clarion; two children, Debra (Robert) Locke of Omaha, Nebraska and Vicki (Lynn) Erickson of Waukee; five granddaughters; three brothers, Daryl Watts of Eagle Grove, Dick Watts of Sammamish, Washington and Duran Watts of Dakota City.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Robert William Fritz

November 19, 2009

Robert William "Bob" Fritz, age 79, of Waukon, passed away on Saturday, November 14, 2009, at the Veterans Memorial Hospital. He fought a courageous 11-month battle with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Robert was born on April 9, 1930 in Waukon, Iowa, the son of Herbert and Marie (Persona) Fritz. He was raised in the rural Lansing area, Mays Prairie where he attended Country School until 8th grade and graduated from the Lansing High School in 1947. Following school he taught a year. He was united in marriage to JoAnn Glynn on May 24, 1951 in Lansing, Iowa. They had four daughters and he farmed 23 years before moving to Waukon in 1975. He worked a short time for UBC and was employed by the Veterans Memorial Hospital where he worked for 17 years in maintenance and also was an EMT for the ambulance service.

Bob enjoyed being outdoors and in his retirement, he worked seven years for the Waukon City Park as a caretaker. He also enjoyed mowing the lawn and snow blowing many neighbors' yards. His pride was his yearly potato patch which he tenderly cared for and he proudly gave his harvest to many family and friends. He was a great carpenter and helped with many family remodeling projects.

His family was most important to him and he treasured the time he spent with them. He and his wife enjoyed their many bus trips to Branson, enjoying his last trip in October with his wife and daughters.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, JoAnn ; daughters, Deborah (Bill) Maxon of Clarion, Suzanne (Mike) Monroe of Postville, Rebecca (Steve) Welper of Waukon and Tamara (Ron) Onsager of Decorah; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ruth (Jim) Jacobson of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Esther (Al) Honetor of Rick Lake, Wisconsin; and one sister-in-law, Norma Fritz of Norfolk, Virginia.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Charles Fritz; and a son-in-law, Loren Dodge.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Wava Mary State

November 26, 2009

Wava Mary State, 88, of Clarion, passed away on Friday, November 20, 2009, at the Careage of Clarion.

Memorial services were held on Monday, November 23, at the United Presbyterian Church, Clarion, with Pastor Bill Kem officiating. Inurnment was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be directed towards the Hospice of Wright County or the Careage of Clarion.

Wava Mary (Cooper) State, was born on July 15, 1921, at the home of her parents, Noah "Dick" Cooper and Bertha (Keeling) Cooper in Grant Township. Wava went to school in Grant Center, then at Belmond and finally in Galt, where she graduated from high school in 1939. She went to work in Des Moines doing defense work during the war. She also worked at Boyat Harness and later at the Clarion A&P. On February 14, 1945, at her parent's home in Dows, Wava married Myron State. To this union were born three children, Myra, Gary and Scott. The family lived and farmed south of Clarion, until Myron and Wava moved to town in February 1976. In March of 1999, Wava became a resident of the Meadows Retirement Community.

Wava was an active member of the United Presbyterian Church, CERES Circle, various circles and clubs, and as a volunteer for the Wright Medical Center Gift Shop.

Wava is survived by two sons, Gary (Terrie) of Imperial, Nebraska and Scott (Shirlee) of Sulphur Springs, Texas; one son-in-law, Roger Paulsen (Carol Showalter) of Belmond; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.

Wava was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Myron on June 21, 1981; daughter, Myra in November 2002; one sister, Evelyn Llewelyn; and three brothers, Bluferd, Wilbur and Russell.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

JoAnn Fritz

December 10, 2009

JoAnn Fritz, 79, of Waukon, died on Thursday, November 26, 2009, at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 1, at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon, with Rev. Lynn G. Groe officiating. Burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing.

JoAnn Glynn Fritz, was born in Lansing on December 1, 1929, the daughter of Ralph Glynn, Sr. and Magdalene (Dehli) Glynn. She grew up in Lansing, was baptized and confirmed at the East Paint Creek Synod Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, and graduated from the Lansing High School in 1947. Following school, she worked at the Lansing Button Company. On May 24, 1951, JoAnn married Robert Fritz at the Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lansing. They were constant companions for over 58 years. They operated dairy farms on what they called the Grandpa Fritz, Thomson and Iverson farms in Allamakee County. JoAnn worked right beside Robert, tending to the calves, driving the tractor for baling and doing whatever was necessary to help make the operation successful. In 1975, they moved to Waukon where she worked as a nurse's aid at the Good Samaritan Center until her retirement in 1999.

Throughout her life, JoAnn enjoyed preparing large family dinners, gardening and canning all kinds of produce in the fall. She especially loved her roses. She also did a lot of sewing, particularly when the children were younger. In more recent years she enjoyed taking bus trips to Branson, Missouri, the last one being this past October with Robert and their daughters.

Survivors include 4 daughters, Deborah (Bill) Maxon of Clarion, Suzanne (Mike) Monroe of Postville, Rebecca (Steve) Welper of Waukon and Tamara (Ron) Onsager of Decorah; 9 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Joyce Glynn of Lansing; and a brother-in-law, Bill Wendel of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert on November 14, 2009; a brother, Ralph Glynn Jr.; a sister, Marie Wendel; and a son-in-law, Loren Dodge.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Wendell D. Nail

December 10, 2009

Wendell D. Nail, 80, of Clarion, passed away on Monday, November 30, 2009, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, December 3, at the United Methodist Church in Clarion, with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Wendell, the son of Charles and Gertrude (Matthews) Nail, was born on November 12, 1929 in Webster City. Wendell was raised in the Webster City and Clarion areas, graduating in 1947 from the Webster City High School at the age of sixteen. On August 20, 1950, he was united in marriage to Joyce Miller. To this union seven children were born. Wendell farmed near Clarion for nearly 45 years.

Wendell enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also enjoyed playing golf, having coffee in the morning with the guys and spending winters in Arizona with all his snowbird friends. Wendell was also a member of the Clarion United Methodist Church for 59 years.

Wendell is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joyce Nail of Clarion; six children, Mike (Nancy) Nail of Clarion, Bruce (Cinda) Nail of Clarion, Jeff (Mary) Nail of Owatonna, Minnesota, Nancy (Brian) Ring of Clarion, Mark (Karen) Nail of Austin, Texas and Edward (Marlys) Nail of Webster City; twelve grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Dick (Barb) Nail of Clarion and Gary (Jan) Nail of Webster City; one sister, Joyce (Roy) Fulton of Webster City; and one sister-in-law, Fely Nail of Webster City; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Wendell was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, JoAnn in infancy; and brother, Don Nail.
© Wright County Monitor 2009