Barbara Tull

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 2:22 pm CDT

Barbara “Barb” Tull, 75 of Donnellson, Iowa passed away at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 10, 2024, at her home in Donnellson surrounded by her family and loving pets who haven’t left her side for the last few months.

She was born on January 16, 1949, the daughter of Leonard and Dehlia (Ball) Krebill. On May 5, 1968, she married Raymond Tull in Donnellson, Iowa and they were married for fifty-five years.

Survivors include her husband: Raymond; her son: David (Tricia) Tull and her daughter: Julie (Jason) Humes; three grandchildren: Tyler (Rachel) Hoskins, Jonathon Humes and Kaidin Humes; sister Deanna (Richard) Reu; brother and sister-in-law: Kenny and Carol Tull. Also surviving are several nieces, nephews and cousins; her pets: Lilly, Minnie and Melvin.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers and sisters-in-law: Bill and Lela Tull, Dick and Darlene Tull; niece: Cathy Anderson and several very close friends.

Barb was a 1967 graduate of Central High School. She started working at Lee County Bank and Trust three days after graduating from high school and was employed there for forty-one and a half years until her retirement in 2008. She was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, where she taught Sunday School for many years and was also involved with the women’s fellowship group.

She enjoyed camping, especially trips to the Iowa State Fair, Branson and Duluth. Crocheting, she made and donated at least eighty hats for Iowa CLICK for Babies at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids raising awareness for shaken babies. Visiting with the retirees’ group from the bank. In the Fall she enjoyed picking up corn from the family farm to feed the squirrels and birds. She also enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s events.

Per her wishes her body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.

A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Schmitz Funeral Home in Donnellson.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Schmitz Funeral Home in Donnellson with Pastor Tony Keefe officiating. Following the service, a luncheon will be held at the Lee County Fairgrounds Learning Center.

Burial will be held at a later date at Evangelical Cemetery, Donnellson.

A memorial will be established in her memory.

Barb’s family would like to Thank the Lee County Hospice nurses and staff. The services they provided were invaluable and much needed during this difficult time. THANK YOU!

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

Amazon Facility Coming to Burlington

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 8:45 am CDT
The Greater Burlington Partnership is delighted to announce that Amazon is entering into an agreement to open its first facility in Burlington, a site that will support last-mile deliveries in the region. This facility will be approximately 38,600 square feet located in the Flint Ridge Business Park at 715 West Burlington Ave. Launch plans for the facility are in the early stages, with renovations to the existing structure slated to start in the coming weeks.
“This last-mile facility will allow us to better serve customers in the southeast Iowa,” said Jason Vangalis, manager of economic development for Amazon. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the Greater Burlington Partnership, City of Burlington, and Des Moines County to launch Amazon’s first facility in the area, and we look forward to sharing more details about this facility and the good jobs we’ll offer in the future.”
Amazon supports more than one million employees worldwide who are innovating and working to serve customers throughout several global fulfillment centers, retail locations, data centers, corporate offices, tech hubs, and headquarters locations. Hourly employees in customer fulfillment and transportation generally earn between $17 and $28 per hour.
“We look forward to the positive impact this significant development will have on our community and the opportunities it will create for the local workforce,” said Jeremy Hess, Director of Economic Development, Greater Burlington Partnership.
“This is a huge win for the region! We are very thankful Amazon has chosen to invest in our city and region through its capital investment and job creation. The City of Burlington thanks its Economic Development partner, the Greater Burlington Partnership, for its outstanding efforts to continually develop workforce opportunities. Truly we are all partners in success. What a great day!” said John Billups, Mayor Burlington.
Occupying the former Dura Plastics building, the facility will undergo immediate interior and exterior renovations for the last-mile operation. Last-mile facilities are the final stops in Amazon’s transportation network before packages are delivered to customers’ doorsteps. Employees sort packages according to delivery routes who finish the shipping cycle by delivering goods like books, household items and toys.
This location will feature advanced automation technologies, and the wages offered will surpass the regional average.

Shed and Contents Total Loss Following Sunday Evening Fire in Wapello

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 7:59 am CDT

A fire broke out on Sunday evening in rural Wapello. Just before 7:30pm on March 10th, Wapello Fire and Rescue was called to 11682 K Avenue on a report of a structure fire. Grandview Fire Department was also paged. Heavy smoke and flames could be observed from several miles away so assistance was requested from several area fire departments.

Fire crews arrived on scene to find a 32′ x 82′ machine shed fully engulfed in flames. The fire was spreading to the adjacent grass and timber and the heat was damaging a camper that was parked nearby. The fire was quickly brought under control and was eventually extinguished by firefighters. The building and contents were a total loss. The building and some of the contents were insured by the property owner however, the remaining personal property owned by the tenants was not insured. The estimated damage to the structure is $35,000 and the damaged contents are estimated at $25,000.

There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is undetermined but is considered accidental. A total of fifteen Wapello firefighters responded to the incident and were assisted by seven Grandview firefighters, nine Columbus Junction firefighters and nine Morning Sun firefighters. Also assisting was Wapello Community Ambulance and Louisa County Sheriff’s Office.

Mount Pleasant RAGBRAI Theme

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 6:12 am CDT

The Ragbrai theme for Mount Pleasant was announced over the weekend. On Friday, July 26th* cyclists from all over the country will ride into Mount Pleasant, looking for great food, drink, entertainment, and a place to lay their head. Fittingly, the theme this year is “Make Yourself at Home.”

Don’t Fall for Scams!

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 6:11 am CDT

Police Departments in our area have heard of recent calls relating to bitcoin ATM scams. Typically, a victim is contacted through their phone or malware on their computer. They are then told that they owe money, and if they do not pay it immediately, there will be a consequence. Many times, the consequence threatened is in the form of an arrest or higher fees.

The suspect often legitimizes the claim by providing the victim with personal information that has been collected through public information or personal information that has been compromised on the internet. The suspect then instructs the victim to withdraw money from their bank account and take that money to an ATM and deposit it into a bitcoin “digital wallet” owned by the suspect.

Please review the tips at the link below to avoid falling victim to a scam similar to this.

https://www.fdic.gov/…/consumer…/cybersecurity.html…

Carolyn Dorothy – Pending

By Yorke Prough · Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 5:11 am CDT

Carolyn J. (Mrs. Vern) Dorothy, 91, of Mt. Pleasant, died Sunday, March 10, 2024 at Arbor Court in Mt. Pleasant.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.

Virginia Oberman

By Yorke Prough · Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 8:26 am CDT

Virginia Lois Oberman, 88, of Yarmouth, died Friday, March 8, 2024, at The Klein Center, West Burlington.  She was born April 5, 1935 in Burlington to Charles and Florine June Gabeline Michaels; the third of four girls.  On July 31, 1955 she married Carroll I. Oberman in Pleasant Grove.  Together they had two children, Mike and Patti Jo.  She was a dedicated farm wife to Carroll for sixty-eight years.

Lois was a 1953 graduate of Yarmouth High School.  She then graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College with a degree in elementary education and taught thirty-nine years for the Mediapolis school district; most of those years in the Yarmouth building.  She thoroughly enjoyed teaching and made a huge impact on all of her elementary students, continuing to follow her students through high school activities and even college.  She was a faithful “fan in the stands” for many years supporting the Bulldogs and Bullettes.  One cannot forget her dedication to the Iowa Hawkeyes and her beloved Tom Brady.

She was a member of the E.C. Blackman Chapter, No. 306 Eastern Star.  She and Carroll ran the caucus for Washington Township for many years and she was asked to work the elections as well.

Lois is survived by her husband Carroll; son Mike (Sonia) Oberman of Mediapolis; daughter Patti Jo (Duane) Patton of Burlington, and their families; sister Mary (Don) Beckman of Burlington; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Marilyn Japsen and Laurel Lukens.

Visitation for Mrs. Oberman will begin at noon on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at Elliott Chapel, New London with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.  The funeral service will be held at 10:00 Friday, March 15, at the Yarmouth School, Yarmouth, Iowa.  Friends are invited back to the school for a luncheon following the burial at Pleasant Grove Cemetery. The family requests casual attire be worn representing the black and orange Mediapolis Bulldogs or black and gold Iowa Hawkeyes.

Memorials have been established for the Yarmouth Fire Department and Mediapolis Ambulance Services.  Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Tracy Krogmeier

By Yorke Prough · Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 8:24 am CDT

Tracy Lynne (Woodley) Krogmeier, 61, of rural West Point, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home at 2:40 a.m. Saturday, March 9, 2024.

She was born on January 17, 1963, in Lee County Iowa, raised by Larry and Carolyn (Hawes) Fuger. On September 25, 1998, she married Orville Krogmeier at the Des Moines County Court House.

 

Tracy was a 1981 graduate of Central Lee High School. She went on to work for Huffman Welding, Silgan Containers, Heatilator and Lee County Salvation Army. She enjoyed DIY projects, fishing, mushrooming, playing euchre, riding horses, traveling, drawing and painting. She was game for anything, with few exceptions.

 

She is survived by her husband: Orville Krogmeier; foster mother: Carolyn Pundt of Argyle, Iowa; foster father: Larry Fuger of Florida; son: Dakota (Marissa) Krogmeier of Dubuque, Iowa; step-children: Jamie Parker and Luke Krogmeier, both of Ottumwa, Iowa; siblings: Rick Woodley of West Point, Iowa, Toni Farmer of St. Louis, Missouri, Robin Ashton of Topeka, Kansas, John (Michelle) Fuger of Waupaka, Wisconsin, Matt (Heather) Fuger of Donnellson, Iowa; several nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren. Also surviving are special long time friends: Cindy Arnaman, Pam Hodge, Denise Ramsey, Diane Gasaway, Gina McKeehan, Mary Taylor, Seleda Franklin and Jan Beach.

 

She was preceded in death by her brother: Don Woodley, Jr.

 

A visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 14, 2024, at Argyle Presbyterian Church in Argyle, Iowa.

 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 14, 2024, at Argyle Presbyterian Church with Pastors Tony Keefe and Donna Palmeter officiating.

 

Following the memorial service, a luncheon will be held at the church.

 

The family request memorials be made to the Keokuk Dimond Center – Social Services Fund (domiciled in Fort Madison Salvation Army building) or the Denmark Fire and Rescue.

 

Tracy’s family would like to express their appreciation for all the thoughtfulness extended to them during Tracy’s illness.

 

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