Robert David “Dave” Stevens, 74, of New London, died Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House, West Burlington.

Dave was born on November 25, 1947 in Mt. Pleasant, the son of Robert Horace and Mary Elizabeth Eckey Stevens.  On November 15, 1975, he married Karen Stuekerjuergen in West Point.  He was a 1966 graduate of Winfield/Mt. Union High School; a 1968 graduate of SCC in Electronics; and a graduate of Western Iowa Technical School in Sioux City.  He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Rowan from 1969-1971.    He was a partner in Dave and Chuck’s Refrigeration, and then moved back to the family farm in Mt. Union.  Dave worked at Good Year Hose and Rubber in Mt. Pleasant until suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on June 1, 1988.  Being paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, he helped raise his girls and see his grandsons grow up.  His grandsons were his pride and joy.  His likes also consisted of reading, crossword puzzles, candy and cookies, bird watching, and of course, his cigars.  He was a Past Master of Masonic Good Faith Lodge #235.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; two daughters, Barbara (Chris Forst) Puffinbarger of Knoxville, and Angie (Glen) Woodsmall of Wapello; four grandsons, Dalton Puffinbarger, Daymon, Devon, and Colton Woodsmall; one sister, Beth (Don) Briggs, Winfield; two brothers, Paul (Sheila) Stevens, Pace, FL, and Mark (Dawn) Stevens, New Market, AL; sister- in-law, Mary Steven, Denver, Iowa; aunt, Wilhelmina Terry of Connecticut; many nieces, nephews and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Tom, and Michael in infancy.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 11, at 10:00 AM, at the Mt. Union United Methodist Church.  Pastor Nancy Sutherland will officiate.  Interment with Military Rites by the Henry County Honor Guard will be held in Trinity Cemetery, rural Mt. Union.  Visitation will begin at noon on Friday, December 10 at Elliott Chapel; with the family greeting friends from 5:00 to 7:00.  Masonic Rites will be held at 7:00 PM.

Memorials have been established to the New London Fire and Rescue, Masonic Good Faith Lodge #235, and Trinity Cemetery. Online condolences may be left www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Luella Menke, 92, of Sartell, Minnesota, formerly of West Point and Carroll, Iowa, passed away Friday, December 3, 2021, at 11:30 p.m. in Sartell, Minnesota.

She was born on February 21, 1929, the fourth child of William and Christina (Pomberg) Steffensmeier. On May 3, 1952, she married Cecil Menke at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in West Point, Iowa.

Survivors include her husband: Cecil; four children: Bernard Menke of Sartell, Minnesota, Kris Menke of Sartell, Minnesota, Greg (Mardelle) Menke of Urbandale, Iowa and Marlene (Eric) Grindland of Sartell, Minnesota; three grandchildren: Joel Menke, Trevor (Taylor) Grindland, and Kia (fiancé Tanner Bechtold) Grindland. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: Leroy and Adrian; three sisters: Mary Kruse-Chatham, Rita Sporkman, and Jane Menke.

Luella and Cecil, along with their four children moved to Carroll, Iowa in May of 1966 and started a hardware store. They sold the hardware business in 1985.

Luella was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll, Iowa and St. Francis  Catholic Church in Sartell, Minnesota. She loved knitting, crocheting, playing cards and baking cookies.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 10, 2021, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in West Point, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 10, 2021, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Point with Father Dennis Hoffman as celebrant.

Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery, West Point, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in her memory to Holy Trinity Catholic Schools in West Point.

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