Marlene Melcher, 87, of Fairfield, passed away Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Prestige Care Center in Fairfield. 

Funeral services celebrating her life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield, with Pastor John Wilbur officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow at Fell Cemetery in Libertyville. Memorials may be made to Fell Cemetery or Libertyville First Responders and left in care of the family at 2525 Hawthorne Ave., Fairfield, Iowa 52556. 

Marlene was born May 24, 1938, in Des Moines, the daughter of Clayton and Martha (Olmsted) Morgan. She married Dale Melcher on November 2, 1956, in Libertyville, and they were blessed to recently celebrate 69 years of marriage together. 

Over the years, Marlene owned and operated a beauty shop, sold life insurance for Prudential Life Insurance, and was a dedicated, hard-working farm wife. She loved anything pretty – flowers, clothes, jewelry – and she took joy in keeping herself polished, always wearing her hair styled and her nails looking lovely. Just as much, she delighted in noticing beauty in others, never missing a chance to tell you when she liked what you were wearing or when something caught her eye. 

One of her greatest joys was hosting sleepovers for her grandchildren. Her refrigerator and cabinets were always stocked with snacks and treats just for them. She had a gift for making people feel welcome, including her children’s friends, and later those who joined the family, always leaving you with the feeling that you belonged. 

Marlene and Dale enjoyed many family trips to the Lake of the Ozarks, beginning when their children were young. They made lifelong friends there, often hosting gatherings and building memories with people from near and far. As their children grew, the trips expanded to include friends during the high-school years, and the tradition carried on with the grandchildren as they grew. Marlene had her own special seat on the boat, where she’d work on her tan, keep a loving eye on the younger grandchildren, and cheer on whoever was water-skiing at the moment. The couple also enjoyed camping in their camper and RV and spent several winters in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. 

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Dale; her children and their spouses, Allen and Darla Melcher of Fairfield, Shelley Oren of Altoona, Marilee and Brian Caves of Douds, and Renee and Phillip Laux of Richland; her grandchildren and their spouses, Amber and Mark Thornton, Dana and Mitch Anderson, Abby and Thomas Hasley, Tasha Greene and Brody Norton, Joshua Oren, Jacob Oren, Morgan and Bryce VonAhsen, Brock and Paige Caves, Phillip Laux III, and Mackenzie and Trevor Taghon; and her great-grandchildren, Luke, Lauren, Castle, Gabriella, Emerson, Max, Grady, Ty, Levi, Gentry, Weston, Emberly, and Brexley. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Madelyn and Alex Tarkanov of Fayetteville, Arkansas; her lifetime friend, Donna Neil; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother and sister-in-law, Millard and Sharon Morgan; her brother-in-law, Jerry Kennedy; and her son-in-law, Glenn Oren. 

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

Harold “Butch” A. Johnson, 77, of Dickinson, Texas, passed away November 21, 2025.

Graveside services will be held 1:30 p.m. Thursday, December 4, 2025 at Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield, Iowa. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Butch was born July 9, 1948, in Fairfield to Betty and Herbert Johnson. Butch graduated from Fairfield High School in 1966. In 1968, he was drafted into the United States Army, where he served his country with honor.

After returning home, Butch poured his mechanical talents into building his career. He founded Butch’s Trans and Auto, a shop he owned and operated for more than 30 years. Known for his honesty, skill, and commitment to his customers, he built a business – and a reputation – that will not be forgotten.

Butch found joy in the roar of engines and open roads. He loved NASCAR and drag racing, the freedom of motorcycle riding, and the challenge of building transmissions. He had a special place in his heart for all of his tractors – each one a testament to his hands-on spirit and love of machinery.

Butch is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Randy Johnson; and son, Jay Allen.

He is survived by his son, Heath Barrow; and grandchildren, Joseph Barrow, David Barrow, Hannah Barrow, and Elizabeth Barrow.

Shirley L. Belknap, 87, of Mediapolis, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in West Burlington.  Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2nd 2025 at Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Mediapolis.  Funeral Services will follow at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 at the funeral home.  Private family burial will be in Kossuth Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the Des Moines County Fair and Mediapolis Ambulance in Shirley’s name.   Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.sandhfuneralservices.com.

Shirley L. Janssen was born on March 11th, 1938, in Burlington, Iowa, the daughter of Arnold and Inez (Moehle) Janssen.  Shirley attended Mediapolis High School, where she developed a passion for basketball and was a member of the Mediapolis 6-on-6 Girls High School basketball legacy.  She graduated high school in 1956 and on June 24, 1956, Shirley was united in marriage to William “Bill” Belknap in Mediapolis. Together they farmed north of Mediapolis and raised their family.  While raising her family, she was active in the Immanuel Lutheran church and was a 4-H leader for the Mediapolis Busy Bees for many years.  In 1981, she graduated from Southeastern Community College with her LPN degree in nursing.  After her husband, Bill, passed away in 1984, she took on a major role in the family farming operation with day-to-day farm and field work.

In addition to supporting the family farm, she was an accomplished dog breeder, raising “puppies with love” that were sent to hundreds of loving homes across the United States.  Also, Shirley enjoyed toting her own fishing rod and tackle box and fishing with her kids and grandkids at her pond. She hosted the Northfield 4th of July Parade gathering for several years, and also loved going to the casino. However, the highlight of every summer was camping at and attending the Iowa State Fair for over 60 years straight.  The Des Moines County Fair also held a special place in her heart, never once missing a county fair where her children and grandchildren were showing livestock, and even beating the heat to watch her grandkids show this past summer.

Perhaps Shirley’s greatest attribute was the level of support and interest she had for her children’s and grandchildren’s activities.  She was always there with her camera taking pictures and capturing memories. When she couldn’t attend in person, she would tune in online to watch and cheer, then be quick to text with a heartfelt message filled with emojis.  She was also an avid collector of many things.  She especially enjoyed collections that were shared with her kids and grandkids.

Shirley will be deeply missed by her children, Chris (Dean) Mumme of West Burlington, Mike (Annette) Belknap of Mediapolis, Judy (Mike) Marshall of Coralville and Craig (Kelly) Belknap of Mediapolis; grandchildren, Lynn (Nick) Schaul, Travis (Chelsie) Mumme, Cody (Renee) Belknap, Dustin (Madeline) Belknap, Lance Marshall, Austin (Kim) Marshall, Stella Belknap, Scarlett Belknap and Archer Belknap; great-grandchildren, Rhett Mumme, Esme Mumme, Collin Belknap, Savannah Belknap, Georgia Belknap, Todd Belknap, Finn Marshall and Charlie Marshall; siblings, Dolores (Lawrence ) Colton of Colorado and Gerald (Lila) Janssen of Ankeny and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bill; sister, Loretta Kuster and brother, Bill Janssen.