Author: Hayden Douglas

Lori Ann Poock Goerdt, passed away August 2, 2024, at her home outside of Cathlamet, Washington, at the age of 61. She was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on July 27, 1963, the daughter of Gary and Mary Jacobs Poock. At that time, Gary was in the U.S. Navy.

At the age of 2, Lori moved back to Iowa along with her family.  She was baptized and later confirmed at Faith Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.   Lori graduated from public school in Mt. Pleasant, and then attended Western State College near Gunnison, Colorado, for a few semesters.  She loved to ski using her telemark skis!  Lori later returned to Iowa and completed her B.A. in botany and geology and a Master’s degree in teaching from the University of Iowa in 1991. Lori taught for several years in the Cedar Rapids Public school system.

During that time, Lori met a neighbor who a year later moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, and entered the real estate business at a Century 21 brokerage, selling property around Lake Pend Oreille.  On her summer break, Lori went to Idaho with her mother, Mary, for a visit to her former neighbor and fell in love with the lake, the ski slopes at Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort AND the former neighbor, Alan Goerdt.

Lori stayed in the Sandpoint area and joined Alan in his real estate ventures and became very active in the Lake Pond Oreille Idaho Club.  After a good development fell into place, they had the opportunity to plan for their wedding on a cruise ship vacation through the Caribbean during the Christmas holidays.  The wedding took place at a port in Jamaica on December 26, 2000.  Lori was a stunningly beautiful bride!  Lori’s entire family was able to be there.

Upon their return, Alan and Lori would become caretakers for a private island in the San Juan islands off the northwest coast of Washington State.  They stayed there for 3 ½ years until Lori saw the opportunity to fulfill one of her dreams: owning her own restaurant!!  She loved cooking.  Lori watched many TV cooking shows, bought many of the chef’s books and experimented with many of the recipes.  When Lori saw an ad selling a historic house with an attached diner, she wanted to go see it!  It was located up in the mountains near the North Cascade National Park.  After the trip up there and a good ‘look around’, they put in an offer and became the owners.

At the diner, Lori was the star that made it happen!  They ran it for 7 very successful years.  To this day, the local folks rave about her cooking skills and wish she was still there running The Marblemount Diner!!

Upon retirement, Lori and her husband retired to the southwest corner of Washington State.  They first moved to Vancouver, Washington, and then six years later, 70 miles north and west to Cathlamet, Washington, to build their new house along the Elochoman River, which drains into the Columbia River about 35 miles before it goes into the Pacific Ocean.

Lori was an inspiration in the lives of everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.  She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people.  Her boundless compassion and genuine love for helping others left a lasting impact on countless lives.  She found her greatest joy in the simple yet profound moments in life from making a special sauce and connecting with friends or enjoying the timeless tunes of the 70’s and 80’s music. She knew how to make every moment memorable.  Her presence was a source of comfort and happiness, and her love will continue to echo in the hearts of those she touched.

Preceding her in death were her grandparents Ed and Jo Poock of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Her mother Mary Longanecker of Mt. Pleasant and Edwin and Mary Longanecker of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

She is survived by her husband, Alan Goerdt of Cathlamet, Washington, adopted father Edwin Longanecker of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, brother Lance Poock and Joe of Poinciana, Florida, uncle Craig Poock, wife Sue and nieces Allison and Delaney of Omaha, Nebraska, and brother Edwin Longanecker III., wife Heather along with their children Jack and Katie of Austin, Texas.

Memorial service will be held 10:00, Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory. Burial will follow in the Forest Home Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory is caring for Lori and her family. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

Dennis Aloysious Menke, 81, of West Point, Iowa, passed away at 9:31 p.m. Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospital in Fort Madison.

Dennis graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in 1961. He married the love of his life, Kate Geers, in 1963. They started their life together moving to Chicago so that Dennis could take a job as a diesel mechanic with the Santa Fe Railroad. No stranger to work, he also took a job with American Asphalt Paving Company while in Chicago. After starting their family, a move back to West Point was in order.  In 1967, Dennis continued his work as a diesel mechanic with J.J. Nichting Co. until he purchased a tank wagon business from his father-in-law, Ed Geers, in 1971. Menke Oil merged with Bentler Oil in 1976 to form Jet Gas.

With Kate at his side, they started another business – Crystal Ice – in 1978. Little did they know this was the start of something big. Over the course of his 35 years in the ice industry, Dennis had national influence in improving production and delivery efficiencies. His innovative methods were widely recognized and duplicated resulting in his induction to the International Packaged Ice Association Hall of Fame in 2006. After the sale of the Arctic Glacier ice plant in 2013, Dennis continued to be a mentor to both the ice industry and leaders in his local community.

Besides his family, whom he fiercely loved, Dennis was passionate about his Catholic faith, Catholic education, and his community. This passion was evident throughout his life. In 1970, along with Jim Bendlage, he was instrumental in organizing the first St. Mary’s Fall Festival. Dennis was a member of the Marquette School Board in the late-80’s, serving several years as president. Generosity was taught around the kitchen table. This was never more evident than when it became obvious that Holy Trinity Catholic School needed a new grade school building. Dennis and Kate personally funded the marketing efforts for the capital campaign. His daily job through every phase of the project was seeing to every detail. Seeing those children, the future of our Catholic faith, enter that building, always made him smile. His final dream, still in the planning process, was to see the completion of the second phase of construction of the Holy Trinity Catholic grade school in West Point. His efforts to this end continued with his involvement in the Holy Trinity Education Foundation.

Dennis also left his fingerprints on St. Marys of the Assumption parish – raising funds necessary to build the gathering space, continuously working in the cemetery, and serving on the cemetery board.

To say Dennis enjoyed life is an understatement. When the work was finished, it was time for fun. No bottle of Crown was safe when Dennis was around. Hours and hours on the boat and at the cabin – raising his family on the river. Skiing, tubing, or just going for a boat ride. Watching the next generation grow to love the river as he did was one of the greatest joys of his life. Also an avid rodeo fan, he joined two of the things he loved most by hosting the Tr-State Rodeo cowboys and committee at an annual “river day” each year during rodeo week.

Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, regardless of the “busy”, there was always time for a drink with a friend.

Dennis is survived by his loving wife: Kate; daughters: Ann Menke, Shelly (Craig) Pieper, and Deina (Dale) Merschbrock, and son: Doug (Cindy Lawson) Menke; sisters: Kathy (Mo) Jham and Nancy Franklin and brother: Keith (Cheryl) Menke. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents: Linus and Mary Bentler Menke; in-laws: Edward and Babe Schroeder Geers; daughter-in-law: Lori Wust Menke; sisters: Diane Menke and Janice Driscoll; brothers: Martin Menke and Tommy Menke; sisters-in-law: Mary, Martha, and Edwarda Geers and Jo Farrington and brothers-in-law: Jim Franklin, Paul Walker and Keith Klemmt.

His body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.

A memorial Mass will be held Friday, September 19, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in West Point. A celebration of Dennis’ life will be held immediately following Mass at the American Legion in West Point.

Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 20, 2025. All are welcome to attend either service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you continue Dennis’ legacy by considering a memorial to Holy Trinity Catholic Schools.

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost: that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.”  Henry David Thoreau

Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.