On June 22 at 1:15 PM Search and Rescue personnel located the missing individual deceased amongst the debris of the collapsed grain silo.
The scene of the collapsed grain silo remains volatile and access will be restricted until the area can be made safe. We request that the public avoid this area.
The identity of the victim will be released at a later time.
Elizabeth “Beth” Ann Briggs, 75, of Winfield, died Saturday, May 21, 2022 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospital, West Burlington.
Her body has been cremated. Services will be held Saturday, June 25 at 2 pm at the Mt. Union United Methodist Church.
Beth was born on January 2, 1947 in Mt. Pleasant, the daughter of Robert Horace and Mary Elizabeth Eckey Stevens. On July 25, 1965, she married Donald E. Briggs in Winfield. She was a 1965 graduate of Winfield/Mt. Union High School.
Beth, a loving farm wife and mother, was a pastor at Kingston United Methodist Church for a number of years. She was an avid reader and thoroughly enjoyed driving the combine in the fall. She also volunteered as a hospice volunteer with Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice.
She is survived by husband, Donald; two sons: Steve Briggs of Davenport, IA and Scott (Gretchen) Briggs of Lafayette, IN; three granddaughters: Amanda, Rachel and Leah Briggs; two brothers: Paul (Sheila) Stevens of Pace, FL and Mark (Dawn) Stevens of New Market, AL; sisters-in-law: Karen Stevens of New London, IA and Mary Stevens of Denver, IA; aunt, Wilhelmina Terry of CT; one brother-in-law, Keith (Barb) Briggs of Grinnell, IA; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Sue Ann; and brothers: David, Tom and Michael (in infancy).
Emergency responders continued to search thru the night in the rain in the effort to find that missing Yarmouth Elevator employee after two grain bins collapsed Tuesday morning. Report of the collapse came into the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office just after 8 am. Iowa Task Force One, a search and rescue united was called in to assist. A structural assessment of the area had to be done before emergency responders could safely go in. Apparently there was also a building in the way that had to be taken down. Des Moines County EMA said K-9s also assisted in the search. Investigators are working to determine what caused the collapse. The bins were older cement silos.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene in Yarmouth on Tuesday. The fire departments from Mt. Union, Winfield, Olds, Wayland and Mount Pleasant joined Des Moines County units. Mt. Pleasant Fire Chief Drew Schumacher said his department received the call Tuesday at about 1:30 pm and sent four firefighters. They assisted until about 8 pm. Then at 11:30 Mt. Pleasant received another call requesting an engine and five firefighters. They worked all night and were still on scene at 7:30 Wednesday morning. The local department remains available to swap out the crew.
About half the community of Yarmouth lost power when the accident occurred and still don’t have electricity this morning.
The search continues for an individual missing since the Tuesday morning collapse of two grain storage units at the Yarmouth Elevator. A collapse specialist team was called in from Cedar Rapids and multiple emergency responders remain on the scene. The storage units were two older cement silos.
Jean Van Syoc, 97, of Mt. Pleasant, died Sunday, June 19, 2022 at her residence.
The funeral service for Mrs. Van Syoc will be 1:30 PM Saturday, July 2, 2022 at the First Baptist Church, 100 East Webster Street, Mount Pleasant. The Reverends Steve English and Charles Comfort will officiate. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant. Friends may call from 12 Noon to 7 PM on Friday, July 1 at the church. The family will be present to receive friends from 4-7 PM. Family and friends are invited to a luncheon prior to the funeral service beginning at 12 Noon in the church’s Fellowship Hall. The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant, is assisting Jean’s family with the arrangements.
In the interest of keeping Henry County residents informed, the Henry County Sheriff’s office has requested KILJ post the daily jail count. During the jail referendum campaign it was publicized that the jail would be able to house additional inmates from surrounding counties and this would generate revenue for Henry County
Date: ____06-20-2022_____
20__ Henry County Inmates
48 __ Out of County Contract Inmates
68__ TOTAL
