Hubert H. Hamilton, 94, of Pleasant Plain, passed away Thursday, April 10, 2025 at Colonial Manor of Amana following a brief illness.
A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2025 at Antioch Cemetery, rural Fairfield. Memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors in care of 1012 Sunny Lane, Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.
Hugh was born April 19, 1930 in Fairfield, to Clarence Wayne and Florence (Welch) Hamilton.
He was a veteran of the US Army and served as a medic in the Korean War.
Hugh held several jobs over his 94+ years, including a Tip-Top bakery delivery truck, a manager of a gas station (Omaha), a dump truck
driver (Dallas), and most of his later years as a long-haul truck driver both privately and for local carriers.
In Dallas is where he met his then to be wife, Mary. They shared a 28-year union until her untimely passing in 1988.
He was a lifetime friend to animals of every kind, and particularly had a love of horses, dogs and cats.
Hugh enjoyed trees, especially apple, pear and the somewhat rare persimmon. Asking Hugh to consider cutting down a tree was a task not for the faint of heart.
Hugh was an avid reader and enjoyed many of the Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey westerns and several periodicals.
He is survived by his daughters, Amy (Jim) Johnson, Fairfield; Martha (Marty) Symmonds, North Liberty, Iowa and Nancy Hamilton, Little Rock, Arkansas; as well as grandchildren, Conner (Kethra) Johnson, Cheyten Johnson, Corey, Kira and Alaina Symmonds and two great-grandchildren, Leta and Calvin McCoy.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary (Clements) Hamilton; brothers, Kenneth Hamilton of Omaha and Dale Hamilton of Chicago. Online condolences may be made to Hugh’s family at www.behnerfh.com.
Mt. Pleasant, IA- The stage was set for history to be made: a conference rival, the home crowd at East Lake, and typical Midwest averse spring weather conditions. On a muddy pitch in Mt. Pleasant, the girls’ soccer team blitzed Fairfield to a 5-1 final and a career moment for Panther senior Charice Auwerda.
Auwerda has been a force for the Panther program since her freshman season where she netted 13 goals and assisted on 20 other goals, helping teammate Elly Manning set the career point mark at 180 for the program.
She entered Thursday night’s contest against the Trojans with 176 career points. A milestone that almost went unnoticed by her,
“It’s been really fun. I haven’t really thought about it until Dad told me about it. Like, you know, last week. And I didn’t realize that I was that close to it. And obviously, like, it’s a really good moment. It feels really nice.”
In terms of the matchup, it was the first Southeast Conference showdown of the year, but Fairfield had a bit of an edge, defeating Mediapolis 2-0 while the Panthers tied the Bulldogs at one apiece to open the season. Nevertheless, Mt. Pleasant owned a 12-game win streak over the Trojans.
Moreover, Fairfield had been shutout by the Panthers since 2019.
Through the first ten minutes of the contest, history was playing out before the crowd’s eyes as Tori Wilson and Auwerda each put two goals in the back of the net to give Mt. Pleasant a quick 4 to 0 lead.
An early evening rainstorm added to the mystique of the game, as the waterlogged field slowed down the offense after Fairfield ended the six-year drought when Haleigh Strickland scored a goal before 20 minutes had passed in the game.
The contest then transformed into a stalemate with aggressive plays resulting in yellow cards and frustration, but the Panthers kept their cool.
“We’ve been working a lot about physicality, wanting to play strong, play tough and always play through the ball,” said Panther head coach Chris Davis. “No backing down, just it’s all about mentality. We got to give it our all.”
Despite owning a 4 to 1 lead at halftime, Mt. Pleasant pressed the issue, and all eyes were on Auwerda, who was tied with Manning at 180 points after her two goals. In a flash, Auwerda, positioned in the slot, glided through the air and notched a hat trick with a header: 182 points, the new record.
Immediately, the senior was swarmed by her teammates on the field; unfortunately, as the moments ticked away realization overtook the Panther fans that the proud father, who recorded everything, had missed the shot in a form of irony usually reserved for Shakespeare.
Yet, the moment will be cherished as Auwerda took photos after the game with her teammates and shared an emotional moment with her father, realizing all the hard work that had led to this moment. One big Panther family for the new record holder,
“You know what? Like, I honestly can’t do it without my teammates. They’ve been really nice to me. It’s just really a big family and I really can’t do it without them.”
Coach Davis talked about his captain after the game,
“I’ve known Charice since she was real little playing club ball. It’s been a pleasure having her with us for the program, I couldn’t ask for a better player.”
The Panthers now sit at 3-0-1 for the season after that tie to start the season, while Fairfield dropped to 1-1. The Trojans will attempt to right the ship on Monday, April 14th, at home against Fort Madison.
For Coach Davis, he’s hoping this early season confidence sets the tone for the season,
“We want to keep going with what we’re what we’ve been doing, you know, moving the ball. And just making positive plays and not and not getting down on ourselves. We’ve been lucky enough so far that we haven’t been behind yet this season. When that happens, we got to be able to make sure we’re mentally prepared.”
While Auwerda is hoping to end her career with a winning record, similar to the 2022 season that saw the Panthers advance to the Regional Semifinals,
“You know what? It’s still like very early in the season and we’ve got a couple of wins under our belt. So that’s really good. That’ll pump us up and we’re still progressing. And I think that, you know, the more that we play together, some more practices that we get into, we’re going to connect more and I’m really, really hoping for a really good record this year.”
Mt. Pleasant is back on the road for a conference matchup against Washington on Monday at 5 pm as Auwerda still has 11 regular season games to add on to her career point tally.
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.
To showcase small business, the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance is pleased to announce that Small Business Week will be celebrated May 5-9. In conjunction, we are pleased to announce the five finalists for the 2025 Small Business of the Year award.
Congratulations to American Hair Academy, Capstone Pharmacy, CrossFit Teo, Family Medicine of Mount Pleasant P.C. and Quality Equipment Inc.
The 2025 Small Business of the Year will be announced at the Small Business Breakfast on May 9.
“Serving as your governor has been the greatest honor of my life—an opportunity that, not so long ago, I never could have imagined.
When I first entered public service in the Clarke County treasurer’s office, I never expected that one day I would have the privilege of leading this great state.
And I never would have imagined the things we would accomplish together.
But Iowa is a place where anything is possible, and I am forever grateful for the trust you have placed in me.
Today, I want to share a personal decision with you; one that was not made lightly, but comes with a full heart and a deep sense of gratitude.
After a lot of thought, prayer, and conversations with my family, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in 2026.
This wasn’t an easy decision, because I love this state and I love serving you. But, when my term ends, I will have had the privilege of serving as your governor for almost 10 years. And before that, as lieutenant governor and state senator.
This public service has been an incredible journey—one I wouldn’t trade for anything, but as Iowans know family is everything.
Through the years, my parents and my husband Kevin, our daughters, and our grandchildren have stood by my side, supporting me through every challenge and every victory.
Now, it’s time for me to be there for them. To help them through the next stage of life. To watch every track meet and basketball game; to see them grow before they’re all grown.
That doesn’t mean I’m slowing down just yet. I’ll be working hard for you every single day until my term ends.
We have important work ahead—keeping our economy strong, supporting our families and farmers, defending our freedoms, and ensuring every Iowan has the opportunity to succeed.
I’m more energized than ever to finish what we started and to leave Iowa in the strongest possible position for the future.
And speaking of the future, I have no doubt that Iowa and our Republican Party will remain in great hands.
Together, we have built a foundation of strong conservative leadership that will continue to serve this state well. I’ve seen firsthand the passion and dedication of so many leaders, and I am confident that the next generation will continue to build on our success.
Iowa is a special place and it’s because of our people and values. The hard work, resilience, and the sense of community that define us—that is what makes Iowa exceptional.
To all of you who have supported me, pushed me, and worked alongside me— a heartfelt thank you.
I could not have done this without you. Iowans have placed their trust in me, and I have done my best to honor that trust every day.
The road ahead is bright, and I will always be cheering for this state and its people.
Thank you, Iowa. God bless you, and God bless the great state of Iowa.”
Brien Kelly, age 71, of Washington, Iowa, died Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospital.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, 3079 Henry Des Moines Avenue, Danville, Iowa, with Pastor Joseph Brown officiating.
Online condolences may be sent for O. Brien’s family at www.jonesfh.com.
Larry M. McDaniel, 81, of Farmington, Iowa, passed away at 7:20 a.m. Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the Clark County Nursing Home in Kahoka.
He was born on June 9, 1943, in Davis City, Iowa, the son of Jehu Franklin and Dorothy Mae (Still) McDaniel.
He is survived by several cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents and cat: Fuzz Butt.
Larry was a bronze star recipient while he served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He earned his bachelor’s degree and worked for the Iowa Department of Corrections. He also owned and operated Black Hawk Antiques. Larry enjoyed antiquing, shooting, collecting military and Native American items.
Per his wishes, his body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
A memorial has been established in his memory and can be mailed to the family at: Schmitz Funeral Home, P.O. Box 56, Donnellson, Iowa 52625.
Schmitz Funeral Home of Farmington is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.
Jack L. Whitten, 88, a resident of Fairfield, passed away, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City due to complications with diabetes.
Graveside services celebrating his life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 14, 2025 at Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield with Pastor Frosty Van Voorst officiating. Memorials may be made to the family in care of 1708-C Linden Dr. Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.
Jack was born March 18, 1937 in Packwood, the son of Marion and Mabel (Nordeen) Whitten. He graduated from Packwood High School in 1954. Jack married Patricia McGuire, April 4, 1959 at Sacred Heart Church in Ottumwa. They recently celebrated their 66th anniversary.
Jack worked for the Iowa D.O.T. from 1954-1964 and then owned and operated Jack’s market in Packwood from 1964-1967. He then worked for Jefferson County as an assistant engineer until his retirement in 1999. Jack and Pat were foster parents for 33 years.
Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife of 66 years, Pat Whitten; daughter, Lynn (Dan) Kane of Fairfield; grandchildren, Travis (Reesa) Starr of Fairfield, Taylor (Amber) Starr of Riverside, Iowa, and Dalton (Jess) Kane of Coralville; great-grandchildren, Axl and Corbin Starr, Bentley and Winston Starr, and Baby Girl Kane on the way; step-grandchildren, Kadie (Mike) Archer of Griffin, Georgia, and David (Alex) Kane of Libertyville; and step-great-grandchildren, Alizabeth and Jaycie Archer.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Laura Starr; son, Timothy Whitten; brothers, Chick, Bob, Ev, and Gib Whitten; and sisters, Dorothy Hahn and Alberta Condon.
Online condolences may be made to Jack’s family by viewing his obituary at www.behnerfh.com.
Brien Kelly, age 71, of Washington, Iowa, died Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospital.
Jack L. Whitten, 88, a resident of Fairfield, passed away, Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City due to complications with diabetes.