Rachel Irene Kemp

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, September 22nd, 2025 at 5:02 am CDT

Rachel Irene Kemp, 94, of Fairfield, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Jefferson County Health Center.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at First United Methodist Church in Fairfield. A graveside service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Fairfield Community Center or Hospice of Washington County. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Rachel was born on August 22, 1931, in Douds, the daughter of Clarence and Ruth (Humphrey) Wiley. On August 23, 1953, she married Eugene Kemp in Leando. They shared nearly 60 years together before his passing in 2012.

A devoted wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and friend, Rachel spent her life caring for others and pouring herself into her community. She worked in advertising sales at the Town Crier in Fairfield and was a loyal partner to Eugene in his carpentry and handyman business. She was also a steady presence on the family’s Christmas tree farm, where her warm smile and friendly nature made everyone feel welcome.

Rachel had a gift for making friends wherever she went. She loved the simple joys of life—bowling, bingo, and sharing laughter with her many dear friends. She was a proud member of First United Methodist Church, the Heritage Club at First National Bank, and served faithfully on the Fairfield Community Center board.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Alan (Missy) Kemp of Urbandale and June Kemp of Fairfield; daughter-in-law, Sue Kemp; grandchildren, Stephen (Jennifer) Kemp, Jennifer (Anthony) Signore, Nikolas (Dana) Kemp, and Samuel Kemp; three great-grandchildren; nephew Linn (Mary) Vehslage; and niece, Kim Meeker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene; her parents; her son, Neal Kemp; and sisters, JoAnn Wiley and Catherine Kann.

Rachel will be remembered for her kindness, her sense of fun, and her unwavering love for her family and friends.

Online condolences may be shared with Rachel’s family at www.behnerfh.com.

Gifford L. Shanstrom

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, September 22nd, 2025 at 5:01 am CDT

Gifford L. Shanstrom, 81, a resident of Fairfield, passed away Thursday, September 18, 2025 at Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the family and sent to 307 S. 29th St. Unit B, Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Gifford was born March 22, 1944 in Abingdon, Iowa, the son of Richard and Mary (Crawford) Shanstrom.

Gifford worked for Rockwell International in Fairfield and the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown. He enjoyed mushroom hunting, golfing, and watching NASCAR.

Those left to honor his memory include his lifetime partner, Donna Miles of Fairfield; daughters, Tara Dyer of Tennessee and Kimberly Huinker of Marion, Iowa; grandson, Noah Dyer; brother, Gayle (Kathy) Shanstrom of Cedar Rapids; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gary Shanstrom; sister, Shirley Diamond; nephew, Brian Shanstrom; and great-niece, Barbie Shanstrom.

Online condolences may be made to Gifford’s family by viewing his obituary at www.behnerfh.com.

September 22, 2025 – September 28, 2025

By Allison Jacobs · Sunday, September 21st, 2025 at 2:17 pm CDT
09/22/25
Carla Steffensmeier - 60!!
09/23/25
Joe Miller
09/23/25
Jody Olson
09/23/25
Dianna Roth
09/23/25
Mollie Wilson
09/23/25
Jeff & Nancy McGohan *Anniversary
09/23/25
Sandy & Roger Ernst *Anniversary
09/24/25
Steve Dovenspike
09/24/25
Darrel Ridenour
09/24/25
Gabrielle Wilson
09/24/25
Bryan Howell
09/24/25
Cory Westphal
09/24/25
Elizabeth Van Deuren
09/25/25
Rebecca Beavers
09/25/25
Randall Keith
09/25/25
Karley Dawson
09/25/25
Trev White
09/26/25
Ryan & Natalie Duffie *Anniversary
09/26/25
Donal Hill-Ngwapapo (2)
09/26/25
Alissa Schroeder
09/26/25
Becky Keeley
09/27/25
David & Sharon Burk *Anniversary
09/27/25
Deb & Dave Kempker Anniversary (50th!!)
09/28/25
Butch McKay

John Wright

By Hayden Douglas · Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 11:43 am CDT

John Wright, 81, of Mount Pleasant, died Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

John was born October 18, 1943, in Mount Pleasant, the son of Merton and Ruth (Burrows) Wright. He attended Mount Pleasant High School, but felt he was being called to serve his country, driven by a deep love for this great nation. John proudly served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. Upon his return, he received his high school diploma in 1962. John owned and successfully operated Packers Sanitation for many years before his retirement. On November 22, 1980, John was married to Kimberly Anne Heywood, the couple shared a life together until Kim’s death in May of 2017. John married Becky Jerabek on April 21, 2018. Their marriage was built on love and laughter, enriched by their travels, their stories, and the many memories they created together.

He was a member of the Mount Pleasant Golf and Country Club and the Moose Lodge. John loved to play golf and achieved the rare feat of two hole-in-ones. Travel was one of John’s greatest passions. He visited all 50 states and an impressive 81 countries, some of them multiple times. His travels were filled with unforgettable experiences and cherished memories. John enjoyed spending quality time with family and friends.

John is survived by his wife Becky; two daughters Paula (Steve) Cox of Cordova, IL, Angela (Kirby) Booton of Mount Pleasant; mother of his children Karen Wright of Mount Pleasant; grandchildren Natalie (Sam) Taylor, Haley (Thayne) McElhinney, Emily (Tyler) Hill, Madelyn Cox, Jeffery Cox; five great grandchildren; step-sons Louis (Carol) McCaslin, Joseph Jerabek; five step grandchildren; and brother Bradley (Nancy) Wright of Albert Lee, MN.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Kimberly; siblings Mary Russell, Betty Hall, Dorothy Lamm, Richard Wright, and William Wright.

Celebration of Life will be held 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Mount Pleasant Golf and Country Club. The family will be present to greet friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Mount Pleasant Golf and Country Club or the Make A Wish Foundation. The Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory is caring for John and his family. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

MPCSD Special Session Meeting Planned

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 6:36 am CDT

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District School Board will meet in Special Session on Monday, September 22nd at 6pm in the High School Media Center, 2104 S. Grand Avenue.  On the agenda are plans to set a public hearing date for plans, specifications, and cost of the PEO Memorial Building Demolition.  The date of the hearing is planned for October 13th.  Board work session items include 2025-26 district goals and Iowa School performance profile report.  This meeting is open to the public.

Southeast Iowa Drought Conditions

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 6:33 am CDT

The U.S. Drought Monitor for Southeast Iowa shows all of Henry County, Lee, Jefferson, Washington and Van Buren Counties in abnormally dry conditions.  Nearly all of Des Moines County is also abnormally dry.  Low humidity and scarce rainfall have caused things to dry out.

 

SE Iowa Symphony Orchestra Concert Season

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 6:32 am CDT

The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 75th Anniversary with a Masterworks Concert Series! The Masterworks Series features Brahms’ monumental 1st Symphony, Beethoven’s triumphant 9th Symphony, and Tchaikovsky’s passionate Violin Concerto. To make this season even more memorable, complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served after every concert. Meet the musicians and concertgoers.

75th Masterworks Series tickets are transferable to any location – this means you can attend the concert venue and date that works best for you! Physical tickets will be mailed to you prior to the October 11th concert. Each concert is general admission seating.  Concerts are held in Mt. Pleasant on Sundays at 6:30pm in the Chapel Auditorium, at 2pm on Sundays at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, and on Saturday evenings at the Capitol in Burlington at 7pm.  For more information and regular performance updates, please join our email list or follow these events on our Facebook page.

 

Sports, September 20th

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Football

In a clash of two undefeated teams, Central DeWitt’s offense outpaced Mt. Pleasant’s defense in a 49-27 final. The Panthers had a terrific start to the game, recovering the game’s opening kickoff and striking first with a five-yard touchdown run by Griffen Jones; however, after three weeks of no turnovers, Mt. Pleasant threw an interception, lost a fumble, and bobbled the snap of a punt, resulting in a 21-point swing. Panther head coach John Bowlin talked about the mistakes after the game,

“Well, I always preach to them short term memory, mistakes happen. You can’t dwell on them and you gotta get over and get to the next play whether it’s offense or defense, you got to go get that first down or make the next tackle, try for a turnover. You know, if you dwell on the mistakes, it’s going to be a long night for you. So that’s football. It’s a tough game and you know we got ourselves in some tough spots tonight by making mistakes, you know, coaches, players, all of us made mistakes tonight, so the things we can learn from going into district play, obviously it’s a big week starting district next week and we’ll get a lot better from tonight and be ready next week.”

Ramzy Davis led the way on the ground with 122 yards and two touchdowns, while Grayson Walker connected with Brody Clark for a 25-yard touchdown pass for the final score of the game. The Panthers will look to bounce back against Washington on Friday, September 26th, at home at 7:30 pm for their Homecoming. 

Wapello staged a comeback against New London, usurping the Tigers in a 20-12 final. Wapello will host North Cedar on Friday at 7 pm.

WACO fell to Fremont-Mills last night 54-13. The Warriors will hit the road to take on Belle Plaine on Friday at 7 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union had their Homecoming spoiled by Wayne last night in a 55-24 final. The Wolves will square off against Iowa Valley on Friday at 7 pm at home. 

Mediapolis and West Burlington/Notre Dame added another classic to their rivalry history last night after Parker Holsteen rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-21 win for the Bulldogs to start district play. 

Mediapolis will celebrate their Homecoming on Friday at 7 pm against Wilton.

West Burlington/Notre Dame will attempt to bounce back against Central Lee on the road at 7 pm on Friday.

Central Lee was no match for West Liberty as the Hawks lost 45-6 last night. 

Fairfield earned their first win of the season in dominant fashion, crushing Knoxville 55-16. The Trojans will host Solon on Friday at 7:30 pm.

Danville racked up their third straight victory after shutting out Van Buren County last night 42-0. The Bears had their game against Highland canceled on Friday due to forfeit.

Van Buren County will travel to Pekin on Friday at 7 pm.

Columbus was steamrolled by North Linn last night 54-7. The Wildcats will host New London on Friday at 7 pm.

High School Cross Country

Mt. Pleasant will host their invitational on Tuesday, September 23rd, with Fairfield, Central Lee, Columbus, Danville, Mediapolis, Holy Trinity Catholic, New London, WACO, and Winfield-Mt. Union participating. 

High School Volleyball

Mediapolis and #1 Holy Trinity Catholic will travel to the Lisbon Invitational today.

Danville will compete at the West Liberty Tournament today.

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield will participate in the Ottumwa Invitational today.

Van Buren County will host Washington on Monday, September 22nd. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will host their Classic on Monday with Danville, Central Lee, Columbus, Mediapolis, and Wapello making the trip.

High School Girls’ Tennis

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Central DeWitt today for their Team Regionals match.

Fairfield will host Fort Madison today for the Class 1A Team Regionals.

Southeastern Community College

The volleyball team will compete at John Wood Community College today.

The men’s and women’s soccer teams will host Northwest Iowa Community College today with the women playing first at 1 pm.

College Football

In a rare display of offense, Iowa rallied past Rutgers last night 38-28 to open up Big Ten play with a victory. Mark Gronowski ran for 55 yards and three touchdowns in the winning effort. The Hawkeyes will look for an upset against Indiana on Saturday, September 27th, at 2:30 pm at home.

#12 Iowa State is on a bye week.

This Day in Sports History

1973 – Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match.

1987 – Chicago running back Walter Payton scores his then-NFL record 107th rushing touchdown in the Bears’ 20-3 victory over Tampa Bay.

1988 – Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first player of the modern era to reach 200 hits in six consecutive seasons.