Author: Theresa Rose

Kathy Fraise, 59, of Mount Pleasant died suddenly Monday, August 2, 2021 at Henry County Health Center.

Kathy was born January 7, 1962 in Mount Pleasant, the daughter of Victor and Jean (Peterman) Fraise. She graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1980. Kathy worked at Buff’s Truck Stop as a waitress, the Mount Pleasant Community Schools as a custodian and most recently worked as a cashier at Wal-Mart. She was very kind-hearted and loved spending time with family and friends. Kathy enjoyed watching scary movies, Law and Order, and enjoyed doing hide and seek puzzles. She was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

Kathy is survived by her son Bryan (fiancé Jessica Fischer) McCabe of Mount Pleasant; four grandchildren ShaeLynn, JaiDen, Austen, Kendrick; two brothers, Dennis Edward Fraise of Mount Pleasant, Michael (Becky) Fraise of Mount Pleasant; two sisters Ann Griffin of Fairfield, Joan Panos of Mount Pleasant and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Tom and Mark and an infant sister Veronica Fraise.

A funeral mass will be held 10:00 am Saturday, August 7, 2021 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, with Rev Paul Connolly as celebrant. Inurnment will be in the St. Alphonsus Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 1:00-7:00 pm at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel where family will greet friends from 4:00-7:00 pm. A memorial fund has been established to assist with funeral expenses. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

Theodore Lawrence “Larry” Moravec, 77, of New London, died Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at his home. Arrangements are pending at Elliott Chapel, New London.

Mary Lynn Mathiason Helscher left this life to be with the Lord on August 2, 2021, at the Palliative Care Unit of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. A funeral service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, August 7, 2021, at Kalona Mennonite Church (902 6th Street Kalona, IA, 52247). The service will be available via the Beatty Peterseim Facebook page. Private family burial will be at the Keota Cemetery. Visitation will be 2-7:00 PM Friday, August 6th, 2021, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington. Family will receive friends from 5-7:00 PM. Memorials may be designated to Women‘s Bible Study Fellowship .

Mary Lynn was born on December 15, 1942, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She was the second born of Milton Orlando (Mit) and Avis Hoy Mathiason. She was a graduate of Redfield, South Dakota High School, Northern Colorado University in Greeley, Colorado where she received a B.S. degree in Library Science and Western Michigan University where she received a M.S. degree in the same field.

In the early years after school, she lived in and taught in Junior High schools in Homestead, Florida, Charlestown, South Carolina and Stamford, Connecticut. She later moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she was the Director of Advertising for Dakon Farm Implement Manufacturing and Sales.

In 1984 she met and later married John W. Helscher and moved to Washington, Iowa where she raised three daughters (from another mother): Jennifer (Tim) Redd of Creston, Iowa; Heather (Terry) Runge of Rhinelander, Wisconsin and Wendy (Wilson) Paiva of North Liberty, Iowa.

After moving to Iowa, she held the position of Senior Project Director at National Computer Systems (NCS) in Iowa City where she developed and administered all public-school achievement tests for the State of Louisiana, a position she held for fourteen years.

She retired in or around 2006 and then devoted her life to her daughters, flower gardening, Leadership in Bible Study Fellowship in Iowa City and Mt. Pleasant, Teaching Bible Study groups in Halcyon House and women’s prison, did some traveling and spent an inordinate amount of time spoiling her granddaughters.

She is survived by her husband and daughters; one brother, Taunce (Mary) Mathiason of Sun City West, Arizona; one sister Jean (Don) Hertzel of Puyallup, Washington and many granddaughters and nieces (14). one grandson and one great-grandson.

Mary Lynn was a very special lady. She never knew a stranger; could look at most people and see the good; take any situation and make it fun; make people feel at ease in difficult situations or look into a flower and see God. She was a friend to all and a “guiding light” to many. She will be greatly missed.

Sharon Kay Phillips, 73, of New London, died Monday, August 2, 2021 at her home.  Arrangements are pending at Elliott Chapel, New London.

Vickie D. Riis, 63, of Donnellson, Iowa, passed away at 1:44 a.m. Monday, August 2, 2021, at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in West Burlington, Iowa.

She was born on October 7, 1957, the daughter of Roy and Phyllis (White) Lay. On July 21, 1979, she married John Peter Riis in Donnellson. He preceded her in death on July 4, 2021.

She is survived by her son: Carl (Amanda) Riis; two daughters: Angie Brown and Carrie (Kurt) Wagner; three granddaughters: Lacy Vaughn, Bailey Vaughn, Addyson Riis and one grandson: Zachery (Emily Hagmeier) Vaughn.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband: John

Vickie was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Donnellson. She enjoyed the farm, her family and most of all spending time with her grandchildren.

Her body has been entrusted to Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

A memorial has been established in her memory and can be mailed to the family at: Schmitz Funeral Home, P.O. Box 56, Donnellson, Iowa 52625.

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