Month: May 2021

June I. Carver, 86, of rural Wayland, died Sunday, May 30, 2021.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant.

Online condolences may be left at www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com.

On May 22, 2021 Linda McDowell entered her eternal home with peace, grace and dignity after a long battle with cancer.

Linda was born October 14, 1947 in Burlington, Iowa to Merle and Louise (Mason) Smith. Linda met her soulmate Ronald “Jake” McDowell in 1986 and they were united in marriage on February 11, 1995.
Linda was a graduate of New London High School. She worked at Mt. Pleasant Mental Health, several secretarial positions and retired from Metro Mail in Mt. Pleasant, as a human resource assistant. After retiring, she worked at Van Vorhies Haus and then did interior painting with Cindy Hayes. Linda spent several years giving of her time to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, H2O (Help to Others) Organization and was a member of the Mt. Pleasant Country Club. Linda was passionate about giving back to others and spent time donating blood. She was known for her beautiful kind ways to all and her kind compassionate spirit. She cherished time with Jake at their cabin on the Skunk River. Always a highlight was being with family and friends, playing games, being near water, fishing, decorating her home and entertaining special friends.

To all of the many friends who were there to love and help her through the last 18 months “Thank You” as it was a precious gift to her. Linda was of the Christian faith and faced death knowing her loving Father was calling her home where she would begin her first day in Heaven, free at last of earthly bonds.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands, several aunts and uncles.

Survivors include, children Michael (Verna) Miller of Elbert, CO, Jason (Angie) Bishop of Ottumwa, Tom (Sara) McDowell of Oskaloosa, Tony (Natalie) McDowell of Mt. Pleasant, Terri McDowell of Ottumwa; 11 grandchildren and a great grandchild.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021 at Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel. A private memorial service will follow at 1:30 p.m. for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Henry County Relay for Life, New London Christian Church and EveryStep Hospice. Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel is caring for Linda and her family.

Randall “Randy” Allen Brown, 69, of Nauvoo, Illinois, passed away Thursday, May 27, 2021, at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington, Iowa.

Randy was born on March 30, 1952, in Keosauqua, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Virginia (Wixom) Brown. On August 28, 1972, he married Martha Lynn Allen in Carthage, Illinois. She preceded him in death on April 27, 1993. On June 11, 1994, he married Barb Schuerkamp Jefferson in Nauvoo, Illinois.

Survivors include his wife: Barb; six children: Karla McPherson of Fort Madison, Iowa, Victor Jefferson of Montrose, Iowa, Robin Fuller of Hamilton, Illinois, Melanie Wood of Grinnell, Iowa, Nathan Brown of Germany and Erin Dusenberry of Fort Madison, Iowa; one sister: Rebecca (Harry) Jarvis of Farmington, Iowa; sixteen grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; honorary children: Casey Cox and Jeremy Powell of Ankeny, Iowa. Also surviving are nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife: Martha.

Randy was a 1970 graduate of Harmony High School. He received three certificates from Southeastern Community College for C.N.C. programming and operating. He worked as a machinist at Gleasons for thirty plus years. Randy was a member of Nauvoo United Methodist Church and  he enjoyed fishing, camping, traveling, photography and his dogs.

His body has been entrusted to Schmitz – Banks & Beals Funeral Home for cremation.

Friends may call after 12:00 noon, Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Schmitz – Banks & Beals Funeral Home in Nauvoo, Illinois, where the family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. that evening.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Nauvoo United Methodist Church with Pastor Randy Azbell officiating.

A memorial has been established in his memory.

Schmitz-Banks & Beals Funeral Home in Nauvoo is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at: www.sbbfuneralhome.com.

Mary Ann Freeland, 79, of Mount Pleasant, passed away Thursday, May 2021 at Park Place Elder Living.

A family graveside service for Mary Ann will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 5 at Saint Alphonsus Cemetery, Mount Pleasant. Father Dominick McManus of Des Moines, IA, will officiate. Friends may call from 12 Noon to 8 PM on Friday, June 4 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main St., Mount Pleasant. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 PM Friday evening.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be directed to the Hope Haven Area Development Center, Mount Pleasant Public Library or the Mount Pleasant REC Center. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com.

Mrs. Freeland, the former Mary Ann Toller, was born June 30, 1941 in Omaha, NE, the daughter of Harold B. and Margaret (Henderson Toller. She graduated from Saint Cecelia High School in Omaha and attended Duchein College in Omaha for a year. On September 30, 1961 at Saint Cecelia Catholic Church, Mary Ann was united in marriage to John Freeland.

Mary Ann and her family resided in the communities of Decatur, NE, Ackley IA and Melcher-Dallas, IA before settling in Mt. Pleasant in 1974. For many years, Mary Ann worked as an Administrative Assistant at Iowa Wesleyan College (now University).

Mary Ann was a devoted wife and mother to her family. She volunteered her time through her life and met good friends along the way. She was a Brownie and Girl Scout Troop leader when her daughter was young. She was a member of Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church and served several volunteer capacities at the church. She appreciated her time volunteering in the gift shop at the Henry County Health Center. Mary Ann enjoyed her aquacise class with her friends. Her love of writing and reading lead her to membership in Scribblers (a writing group) and a book club. Mary Ann was a published author with her favorite poem “Pumpkinship” in the 2001 edition of Design Magazine of Iowa Wesleyan. She loved to travel and thoroughly enjoyed family reunions and researching family history and genealogy. A classy lady with style and grace, Mary Ann was deeply generous and thoughtful of others. She sent handwritten notes and cards to make people feel special.

Those thankful for sharing in Mary Ann’s life include her husband of 59 years, John of Mt. Pleasant; 2 children – Kathleen Lippold and her husband David of West Des Moines, IA and granddaughter Caitlyn Lippold, and James Freeland and his wife Anita of Fayetteville, North Carolina and her daughters Rebekah and Clary; a brother, Robert Toller and his wife Jane of Texas and a nephew Robert Toller of Oklahoma.

Mary Ann’s family give their greatest and warmest gratitude to Every Step Hospice and Park Place Elder Living who cared for her during her last days.

Waunita W. Hobbie, 95, of Mt. Pleasant, died Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant.

Born July 5, 1925 in the Burlington Hospital, Burlington, IA, she was the only child of Otto H. and Fredericka (Wick) Hobbie.

Waunita grew up on the family farm in Canaan Township. She walked a mile to Center School, a one-room country school that had also been attended by her parents and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins. In 8^th grade, she started to school in New London. Waunita graduated as the valedictorian of the New London High School class of 1942. She graduated Cum Laude from (then) Iowa Wesleyan College in 1946.

From 1946-1959, Waunita worked as a private secretary to Charles C. Sowers, General Manager of the Mt. Pleasant plant of the W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company. From 1959-1979, she was a partner in the Sowers Insurance Agency with Charles C. Sowers and from 1979-1982, she worked part time as an insurance agent in the Shook Insurance Agency.

Waunita was appointed to the Mt. Pleasant Public Library Board on July 1, 1968 and served until July 1, 2010. She also served on the Henry County Health Center Board (January 1, 1967-January 2005), acting as secretary for 32 years and then as Vice-Chair and Chair. Waunita served Iowa Wesleyan as a member of the Alumni Association Board from 1983-1996 and as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1986-2003, then becoming a Life Trustee/Trustee Emeritus. She wrote a column in the Iowa Wesleyan alumni magazine, The Purple and White, from 1987-1995. Because of her dedication to the institution,  Iowa Wesleyan conferred Waunita with an Honorary Doctorate in 1998.

In 1959, Waunita was the first woman in Henry County to be licensed by the state of Iowa under the new law requiring insurance agents to appear in Des Moines and pass examination in the lines of insurance to be sold. She was licensed in all lines of insurance. In 1964, she was president of the Henry County Association of Independent Insurance Agents, the only woman president in Iowa of such an association that year. In 1971, she was elected President of the Mt. Pleasant Public Library Board of Trustees, the first woman president since the establishment of the City Library in 1901. Waunita was awarded the Edna Epperson Brinkman award as an outstanding alumna of Alpha Xi Delta in Iowa. Iowa Wesleyan awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 1992. She was honored in March 2007 as a candidate for inclusion in the Who’s Who in America. On March 26, 2015, Iowa Wesleyan proclaimed Waunita as one of the first recipients of the inaugural Arabella “Belle” Babb Mansfield Award.

Waunita was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta alumnae, Chapter NZ of P.E.O., Scribblers (since 1958), 4^th Tuesday Book Discussion (founding member), Coterie, Sans Souci, Wednesday Club and Tuesday Study Club, and First United Methodist Church. Her special interests were reading – especially mysteries and nonfiction, traveling (including all 50 states of the U.S., Canada from coast to coast, Mexico, Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises, 14 European countries, Venezuela and Israel. She also enjoyed writing and photography.

Waunita is survived by cousins and her many friends. Her parents precede in death.

The funeral service for Waunita will be held at 1 PM on Friday, June 4 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant. Pastor Jeffrey A. McPheron will officiate. Burial will be on the family plot at Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant. Open calling hours will be from 12 Noon to 8 PM on Thursday, June 3 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. In lieu of flowers, Waunita chose memorials for the Mt. Pleasant Public Library Foundation, Henry County Health Center Foundation and Iowa Wesleyan University.

The funeral will be livestreamed on the church’s YouTube channel.   Online condolences may be left at www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com.