Carolyn Schnell

September 17, 2009

Carolyn Schnell, 63, passed away at the St. Frances Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, on Saturday, September 5, 2009 of cancer.

She was buried at Seale, Alabama on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.

She leaves to mourn her husband, Lynn (Butch) Schnell formally of Galt; Viola and Danny of Clarion and Randy Schnell of Belmond.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Boyd Eli LaRue

September 17, 2009

Boyd E. LaRue, age 85, of Clarion, passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2009, at the Careage of Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, September 10, at 10:30 a.m., at the Clarion Church of Christ, with Pastor Warren Curry officiating. Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Boyd joined the Navy in 1943, served during World War II and was discharged in 1946. He married Betty Lou Hackley in 1947 and they had seven children. He worked for the Iowa Department of Transportation until he retired at the age of 62.

Boyd enjoyed time with his family, fishing, bowling and baseball. He had a love for a good steak as well.

Boyd is survived by his wife of 62 years, Betty Lou; five sons and two daughters, Boyd Elgin (Mary) LaRue of Mesquite, Nevada, Dennis (Ronna) LaRue of Clarion, Cheryl (Robert) Batemen of Grafton, Wisconsin, Kenneth (Tanata) LaRue of Belmond, Doris (Clark) Trager of Rowan, Keith (Patty) LaRue of Clarion and Richard (Laurie) LaRue of Clarion; 21 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; 8 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Arlene Hanson of Eagle Grove; brother, Earl LaRue of Grimes; along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers; and three sisters.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

John F. Oliver Jr.

October 15, 2009

John F. Oliver Jr., age 55, of Coarsegold, California, passed away on Monday, September 14, 2009.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held at the Dows Convention Center on Saturday, October 17 at 11:00 a.m.

John was born in Spirit Lake to John and Donna Oliver of Dows.

He is survived by his wife, Mary of Coarsegold, California; two daughters, Jenny Oliver of Coarsegold, California and Breean Hoyt of Clarion; and two sons, Eric Oliver of Bloomington, Illinois and Brian Oliver of Clarion.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Sr.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Tena Idella Finn

September 24, 2009

Tena Idella Finn, 84, of Clarion, passed away on Saturday, September 19, 2009, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, September 22, at the United Methodist Church in Clarion, with Pastor Cynthia Finn officiating. Burial was in the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Belmond.

Tena Idella Finn, the daughter of William and Lena Koenen Kaduce, was born on March 27, 1925 in Meservey, Iowa. She grew up in Meservey and attended school there. After finishing school, Tena worked in Mason City for a few months. She was united in marriage to Melvin Pannhoff in December of 1943 in Garner. They lived throughout Wright County and were blessed with two children, Myrna and Marlyn. On June 1, 1953, Tena married Cecil Finn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The couple lived in the Belmond and Clarion areas and were blessed with three more children, Donna, Gary and Mike.

Tena worked all of her life raising her family, doing miscellaneous cleaning jobs around the Clarion area and was owner and operator of Tena's Thrift in Clarion. She loved her family, garage sales, checkers, puzzles and cards. She was a member of the Belmond Reformed Church.

Tena is survived by her children, Myrna (Larry) Koenen of Bentonville, Arkansas, Marlyn Pannhoff of Council Bluffs, Donna (David) Hoffmann of Renwick, Gary (Kim) Finn of Des Moines and Mike (Pastor Cindy) Finn of Des Moines; 14 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; along with several nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Melvin Pannhoff and Cecil Finn; her longtime companion, Richard Harms; and four brothers, with three of them passing away as infants.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Mary Ruth Stutters Smith Farmer

September 24, 2009

Mary Ruth Stutters Smith Farmer, 78, formerly of Clarion, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2009, at the Plaza del Rio Care Center in Peoria, Arizona.

Memorial services will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2009, at 2:00 p.m., at the First Congregational Church in Clarion. Inurnment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.
© Wright County Monitor 2009

Mary "Joann" Voss

October 8, 2009

Mary "Joann" Voss, 75, died peacefully in her home in Eagle Grove, on Saturday, September 26, 2009, surrounded by family and friends.

Joann was born in Dougherty, Iowa on April 24, 1934, the daughter of James Virgil Brady and Lila Christine (Forrett) Brady. The family moved to Clarion in 1947. She graduated from the Clarion High School in 1952, attended a year of nurses' training in Sioux City and moved back to Clarion and worked for several years at the Sheldon Insurance Agency.

She fell in love and married Leonard Frank Voss at the St. John's Catholic Church in Clarion in 1955. They then moved to Eagle Grove and raised their family. In August of 1961, they opened and continued to operate the Voss Floor Covering business until they retired in November of 1995.

She was an active member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Eagle Grove and loved spending time with family and friends at their cabin at Lake Cornelia. She enjoyed reading and was a faithful and graceful woman.

Family was the most important thing in Joann's life and her grandchildren especially brought her such great joy. In keeping with her wishes, the family will travel to Phoenix, Arizona to celebrate the wedding of her granddaughter, Michelle Lang on Saturday, October 3rd.

Upon the family's return, a celebration of Joann's life will be held on Thursday, October 8, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eagle Grove. Visitation and gathering of family and friends will be at 9:00 a.m., in the parish center, along with a Rosary Service at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m.

Memorials may be directed to the Wright County Hospice, Clarion, in appreciation of the incredible care and assistance they provided during her nearly year long illness with cancer and at the time of her death.

Joann is survived by her husband, Leonard Voss of Eagle Grove; four children, Mark Voss of Ankeny, Mary Lynn and husband, John Jeffries of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Carol and husband, Lanny Lang of Phoenix and Jill and husband, Marty Wadle of Algona; ten wonderful grandchildren; four siblings, Dan Brady of Ankeny, Linda Brewster of Oak Hill, Virginia and Dick Brady and Laurie Harrison of Clarion; and by many wonderful relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother.
© Wright County Monitor 2009