Roman “Joe” Tanner

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 10:58 am CDT

Roman “Joe” Tanner, 62, of New London passed away on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington.

Joe’s family will host a celebration of his life on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at noon at the Evergreen Hill Cemetery, rural Tipton.  Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for his arrangements.

Luella Jean Brombaugh

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 10:57 am CDT

Luella Jean Brombaugh passed away on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at Lakewood Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 99.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, August 23, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant.  Following the service interment will be in the Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Memorials may be directed in her memory to the First United Methodist Church of Mt. Pleasant or to the Salem East Cemetery in Salem.

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant is caring for her arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Judith Kae Scarff

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 10:26 am CDT

Judith Kae Scarff, 75, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at Arbor Court in Mt. Pleasant.

A Celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 5:3- p.m. at the VFW Hall at 103 South Jackson Street, Mt. Pleasant.  A private family burial will be held in the Forest Home Cemetery. According to her wishes cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for her arrangements.

MPCHS Pick-up/Drop-off Information

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 10:18 am CDT

This information is for buildings located in Mount Pleasant and does not include Salem Elementary.

All Elementary school buildings will open at 7:45 a.m.

Morning Tardy Bell will ring at 8:25 a.m. for ALL Elementary school buildings.

Bus shuttles will be available for elementary students from these locations to grade-level attendance centers.

Pick-up Locations:

  • Lincoln Elementary Pick-up is on the North side of the building near the flagpole. Supervision will begin at 7:45 a.m. with bus shuttle pick-up at approximately 7:55 a.m.
  • Van Allen Elementary Pick-up is in front of the main doors. Supervision will begin at 7:45 a.m. with bus shuttle pick-up at approximately 7:55 a.m.
  • Harlan Elementary Pick-up is in front on the main doors. Supervision will begin at 7:45 a.m. with bus shuttle pick-up at approximately 7:55 a.m.
  • Wooden Park Pick-up is the 400 block of West Madison Street. This is an unsupervised location with bus shuttle pick-up at approximately 7:40 a.m.
  • Middle School Pick-up is on the South side of the building. Supervision will begin at 7:45 a.m. with bus pick-up at approximately 7:45 a.m.
  • The Town of Salem has two pick-ups. The shuttle bus across from Kramer’s in the Salem Square will be at approximately 7:20 a.m. and the Salem Elementary School pick-up will be at approximately 7:22 a.m.

Car-line pick-up will start at 3:07 p.m. for all elementary school buildings. 

Walkers will be dismissed at 3:07 p.m. as well.

Bus shuttles will be available for elementary students from grade-level attendance centers to these locations:

  • Lincoln Elementary: Drop-off between 3:10 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.
  • Van Allen Elementary: Drop-off between 3:10 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.
  • Harlan Elementary: Drop-off between 3:10 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.
  • Wooden Park: Drop-off at approximately 3:55 p.m.
  • Middle School: Drop-off at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Do you have a student using the bus shuttles to get to or from their grade-level attendance center? Students will need to be “routed” in the transportation system, meaning students will have a specific pick-up location and will need to use a bus badge (card) to get on/off the school bus. For routing information, please email Anna Carlson at anna.carlson@mtpcsd.org.

For questions please call the Transportation Department at 319-385-7784.

The Parent App is active with Student Bus information. Please download https://iamtpleasantcomsd.myridek12.tylerapp.com/ to access your student’s bus information. School name is listed under Mt. Pleasant, IA & you will need your student’s I Infinite Campus ID number.
The school is also able to send out notifications to parents that have the App updated and active.

Joseph W. “Joe” Ireland

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 8:53 am CDT

Joseph W. “Joe” Ireland, 60, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at his home.

Joe Si Ragan was born on October 13, 1963, at Mercer, Missouri.  He was the son of William Pearl and Elsie (Hughes) Ragan.  Joe was later adopted in 1976 by James Willis and Sylvia Aileen (Adams) Ireland.  Joe graduated from the Winnetonka High School, in Kansas City, Missouri in the class of 1983. Following his graduation he went to live with his grandmother, Stella Ireland, who he thought the world of.  He then went on to Longview Community College for a two year Automotive Course and graduated in 1985. Joe was united in marriage to Tammy Jo Quayle in 1991.   Joe worked for Western Auto, in Kansas City and also in Burlington, then started at Expert Tire, in Ottumwa, then Master Muffler in Burlington until his health failed in 2003.

He never gave up.  He enjoyed working on vehicles and lawn mowers all his life.  He enjoyed going to swap meets with his father-in-law, and when his health allowed he enjoyed traveling with his family.  Joe and Tammy were even able to go on a second honeymoon cruise.  His favorite time was spending time with his family no matter what they were doing, as long as they were together.

Joe is survived by his wife, Tammy, his daughters, Megan and Erin, his foster mother, Gloria Gladstone, his mother-in-law, Jackie Quayle, his brothers and sisters, Merri (Charlie) Moore, Jackie (Mike) Brown, Jim (Mary) Ireland, Darlene Burns, Carol Coskey, Sarah (Tony) Sanders, Mary (Greg) Graham, Dorothy (Jim) Replogle, his sister-in-law, Janet Ragan, numerous friends, cousins, nieces and nephews and his beloved dog, Peanut.  

He is preceded in death by both sets of parents, his grandma, Stella Ireland, his father-in-law, Herb Quayle, his foster father, Carl Gladstone and his brothers and sisters, Maynard (Nina) Ragan, Charlie Ragan, Jeannie (Doug) Ferguson and a beloved dog, Brandy.

Joe’s family will host a celebration of his life on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Green Mound Church of God, 1275 Merrimac Rd. According to his wishes cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant. A memorial has been established in his memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for his arrangements.

Ferne M. Lawson

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 6:18 am CDT

Ferne M. Lawson, 102, of Fairfield, passed away Friday, August 16, 2024 at Sunrise Terrace in Winfield.

Visitation for family and friends will be held 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield. Funeral services celebrating her life will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 21st at Behner Funeral Home with Rev. Al Coffin officiating. Burial will be at Columbus City Cemetery in Columbus City, Iowa. Memorials may be made to the family or an organization of the donor’s choice.

Ferne was born October 22, 1921 in Iowa City, the daughter of Gay T. and Allie L. (George) Berkshire. Her education began in Cotter, Iowa and later in Crawfordsville. At the age of eleven, her family moved to a farm in Jefferson County and she attended Liberty No. 7 school. Ferne then attended Birmingham High School, riding her horse four miles one way for two years, before transferring to Fairfield High School where she graduated in 1939. This was the only class to graduate from around the square.

Ferne worked as a bookkeeper at Fairfield Laundry & Cleaners and later for the Jefferson County Auditor’s office. In 1959, Ferne was approached to develop a new department at the Jefferson County Hospital. After seven weeks of training at Ottumwa Hospital medical records department, she began to organize and develop a medical records department for Jefferson County Hospital, where she was the director of that department for 28 years. Ferne completed a correspondence course and in 1964 became an accredited record technician. She retired in December 1988.

Ferne was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, the Jefferson County Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, and the Heritage Club. She was a member of the Fairfield Business and Professional Women for over 56 years until they disbanded due to lack of membership. Ferne held an amateur radio license. She was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, and watched the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones. Ferne loved to read and enjoyed traveling in her retirement. She also collected cardinal (bird) ornaments.

Those left to honor her memory include her son and daughter-in-law, Gayle and Vallentina Lawson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa as well as many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins.

Online condolences may be made to Ferne’s family by viewing her obituary at www.behnerfh.com.

August 19, 2024 – August 25, 2024

By Allison Jacobs · Sunday, August 18th, 2024 at 2:42 pm CDT
08/19/24
Kelli Larson
08/20/24
Jim DePriest
08/21/24
Eric Martin
08/21/24
Jan Roth
08/21/24
Mike Reynolds
08/22/24
Jim Arnold
08/22/24
Greg Hill
08/22/24
William Allender
08/22/24
Haleigh & Mikayla Cowan *Anniversary
08/23/24
Silver Calloway (18th)
08/24/24
Layla Fischer
08/24/24
Shannon Van Nyhuis
08/24/24
Terri Miller
08/24/24
Joe & Tammy Ireland *Anniversary
08/24/24
John & Ingi McDowell *45th Anniversary*
08/25/24
Joyce Dennison
08/25/24
Janet Roth
08/25/24
Chuck Sutter

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst in Mt. Pleasant

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, August 17th, 2024 at 6:35 am CDT

United States Senator Joni Ernst will be in Henry County next week.  Senator Ernst will be serving lunch at the Fellowship Cup in Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday, August 21, at 11:45am.  The event is open to the public.  The Fellowship Cup is located at 203 N. Jefferson St. in Mt. Pleasant.