Author: Theresa Rose

Dennis J. Fitzpatrick, 79, longtime Mt. Pleasant Pharmacist, died Sunday, February 12, 2023 at the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant.

The Funeral Mass for Dennis will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 17 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 607 S. Jackson Street, Mt. Pleasant. Fathers Edward Fitzpatrick, Nick Adam and Paul Connolly will concelebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the St. Alphonsus Cemetery with a military flag presentation conducted by the Iowa Military Funeral Honors Detail. Friends may call at the church from 2-7 PM on Thursday. The family will be present to receive friends from 4-7 PM. Visitation will conclude with a Scriptural Wake Service at 7PM. The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant, is caring for Dennis and his family. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.

Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to Midwest Old Threshers, Holy Trinity Catholic Schools or the Fellowship Cup.

Dennis John Fitzpatrick was born August 20, 1943 in Burlington, IA, the son of Matthias John and Dorothy Anne (Pryor) Fitzpatrick Schwertley. He moved with his family to Mt. Pleasant at age 2 and graduated from Mt. Pleasant Community High School in 1961. He entered the University of Iowa School of Pharmacy and graduated in 1966.  On August 4, 1980 in Mt. Pleasant, Dennis was united in marriage to Alice Louise Donald McWilliams.

Dennis began his pharmacist career at Sutter Drug Store in Burlington. Dennis was called to the service of his country. He entered the United States Army on Sept. 24, 1968 at Ft. Des Moines, IA and was assigned as a pharmacist to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. His duties there were attached to the Pentagon. He was honorably discharged as an SP5 on September 23, 1970.. He remained in the North Virginia area to be a manager over several Dart Drug Stores in the area. Dennis returned to Mt. Pleasant in 1978 to manage the Panther Rexall Drug Store. Dennis opened Fitzpatrick Pharmacy in Dick’s Super Valu in 1983. He incorporated Brau Pharmacy into his own in 1987 and in 1989, formed a partnership with Linn Hunsaker. They opened a second pharmacy, Park Pharmacy at Family Medicine of Mt. Pleasant in 1990. For 10 consecutive years, Dennis was proud of being voted the Favorite Pharmacist by readers of the Mt. Pleasant News. Dennis sold the pharmacy to Hy-Vee in 2003 and retired in 2013.

Dennis was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.  For 25 years, Dennis served on the Board of Directors for the Pilot Grove Savings bank. Fishing was his biggest pastime, most notably fishing in ponds. He loved to landscape, so much so that in addition to the landscaping he did for enjoyment in his backyard,  he was put in charge of the landscaping when St. Alphonsus built their new church. Dennis was a gifted painter. He painted a toybox for each grandchild, decorating each one uniquely with a favorite childhood theme. In addition, he created numerous paintings on walls and portraits.

Those thankful for sharing in Dennis’s life include his wife Alice of Mt. Pleasant; 3 children – Terry (Cyndi) McWilliams of Mt. Pleasant, Tracy (John) Dingman of St. Paul, IA and Ty (Lindsey) Fitzpatrick of Kansas City, MO; 8 grandchildren – Bri, Nathan and Rachel McWilliams, Emily, Abby and Alexa Dingman and Sydney and Ben Fitzpatrick; a sister – Patricia Miller of Cedar Rapids and 2 brothers – Bill (Donna) Schwertley of Ames and Dwight T. (Jeannie) Schwertley of Rock Island, IL.

Dennis’s parents and brother Mike Fitzpatrick precede him in death.

Jean Steele, 68, of Mount Pleasant died Friday, February 10, 2023, at the University of Iowa Hospital.

Jean was born May 2, 1954, in McGregor, Iowa, the daughter of Bud and Christine (Reagan) Nordhus. She graduated from MarMac High School. On May 17, 1975, she was united in marriage to Mike Steele at the Methodist Church in McGregor. The couple has made Mount Pleasant their home since 1976. Jean worked for Motorola for 27 years. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Jean enjoyed cross stitch, and making all types of crafts, especially wreaths. She loved cats, they were very near and dear to her heart. Jean was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan. She and Mike had season tickets for more than 25 years, they included football, basketball, and for Jean especially wrestling.

Jean is survived by her husband Mike; nephew Chris Steele of Scottsdale, AZ; and close family friends Jen Schwartz of New London, Ted and Debbie Simmering of Rockford, IL, Jacob and Katherine Simmering and their daughter Charlie of Iowa City, Jordan Kasymov and her daughter Melina Simmering and Jack Simmering of Rockford, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral Service will be held 1:30 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church with Pastor Trey Hegar officiating. Burial will follow in the Forest Home Cemetery. Visitation will be held 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Thursday, February 16, 2023, at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel where the family will be present to greet friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. A memorial fund has been established for Henry County EMS and Kitty Haven. The Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel is caring for Jean and her family. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

James D. Conaway, 91 years, of Fort Madison, Iowa died Friday, February 10, 2023 at the West Point Care Center, West Point, Iowa.  He was born April 13, 1931 in Des Moines, Iowa, a son of John R. and Winifred M. (Murray) Conaway. He married Norma Jeanne Hyde, they had three children: Diane, Jim and Joy.  They later divorced.  Jim married Carol Jean (Powell) Burris on August 1, 1973.  She preceded him in death on May 17, 2003.  On April 20, 2007, he married Joyce (Keller) Burton.  She survives.

Jim’s father worked for AT&T, so his family lived in many places as he grew up.  He graduated from Hamburg High School, Hamburg, Iowa in 1948.  He attended Drake University on a football scholarship.  Jim worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, starting in 1950, and retired as Road Foreman of Engines in 1986.  He was a member of Holy Family Parish, Knights of Columbus, Elks and an endowment member of the National Rifle Association.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was a pilot and flew float planes in Canada for fishing trips.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce Burton of Fort Madison; three children: Diane Saar (Danny Lasswell) of Fort Madison, James (Debbie) Conaway of Carolina Beach, North Carolina; Joy Calvert of High Springs, Florida; four step-children: Kenneth Burris of Cold Water, Mississippi, Connie (Russell) Boeding of Waterloo, Iowa; Cindy (Miles) Wellman of West Point, Iowa and Tony Burton of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; one sister, Virginia Scott of Missouri; eleven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol, and one sister Judith Schwery.

The family will meet with friends from 5:00 – 6:30 pm Thursday, February 16, 2023 at the Barr Memorial Chapel, Fort Madison, with a Christian Vigil Service to follow at  6:30 pm.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Friday, February 17, 2023 at Holy Family Parish, Ss. Mary and Joseph Church, Fort Madison, with Father Joseph Phung as Celebrant.  Following Mass his body will be cremated. Burial will be at Bucklin Masonic Cemetery, Bucklin, Missouri at a later date.

A memorial has been established for Holy Family Parish and Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice, contributions may be left at Barr Memorial Chapel.  Barr Memorial Chapel is honored to serve the Conaway/Burton family and an online guest book may be found at www.barrmemorialchapel.com.

Cletus Samuel Miller, 93, of Mt. Pleasant, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at Park Place Elder Living in Mt. Pleasant. Services are pending at the Beatty Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona.

Services are pending at the Beatty Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona.