Gayle Trede, 75, of Mt. Pleasant, retired Head Librarian of the Mt. Pleasant Public Library, died Sunday, October 19, 2025 at Bickford Cottage in Burlington, IA.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant.

Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com

On Thursday, October 16, 2025, Laura Lee Ward, 76, of New London, passed from this earthly life to her real and eternal home with the Lord.  She was born January 14, 1949 in Sigourney, Iowa to Roy and Neta Sarver Snakenberg.  On July 26, 1969 she married William Westfall Ward, Jr. in Deep River, Iowa.

She was a graduate of Tri-County High School, Thornburg, Iowa; attended Faith Bible College in Ankeny for two years; and took a short course in caring for baby pigs at the University of Missouri.  She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.  Laura was a homemaker and worked as a secretary at Iowa Wesleyan College and as the secretary for the Southeast Iowa Symphony.  She taught children’s Sunday School for more than twenty years and was a member of Gideon’s Auxiliary.

She loved animals, especially horses; music; and going on mission trips; Laura enjoyed sewing clothes for her children and sewed many square dance dresses for Helen’s Variety.  But most of all, she loved time with her family, her children and grandchildren.  Laura had a very sweet and peaceful spirit and showed extreme grace and courage throughout her battle with Alzheimers.

Laura is survived by her husband; daughter Dr. Denise (Roy) Thagard of West Africa; sons William “Bill” (Mindy) W. Ward III of Huxley, Iowa and Steven (Tia) of Nocona, Texas; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters Phyllis Peterson, Loretta (Steve) Pope, and Carol (Donald) Ensor; brothers Lyle (Rose) Snakenberg and Dick (Bev) Snakenberg; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Margaret George and Rosemary Stevens; and brother Max Snakenberg.

Visitation will begin at noon on Friday, October 24^th at Elliott Chapel, New London, with the family receiving friends from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.  The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, October 25, 2025 at Calvary Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant, with Pastor David Strope officiating.  According to her wishes, her body will be cremated following the service and inurnment will be at a later date.

Memorials have been established for Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice and EveryStep Hospice.  Elliott Chapel, New London, is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Laura’s family would like to thank the many people who stayed with Laura Lee, the ones who provided food, those who visited, those who prayed; and thank you to the God who watches over us.  Many thanks to the wonderful care received from Care at Home, EveryStep Hospice, Henry County Health, Des Moines County Health and Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice.

Norma Rodgers, 93 years old, passed away on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Park Place, Mount Pleasant Iowa. She was born on June 19, 1932, in rural Henry County, Iowa, on a farm near Swedesburg to Guy and Wilma Eubank. She attended school for seven years at Crawford Country School west of Olds, and graduated from Olds High School in 1950. On September 9, 1951, she married Cleo Rodgers at Finley Chapel. They made their home on the family farm between Olds and Winfield where they raised their children together until Cleo’s death in 1969 when she moved into Olds. Norma kept busy helping to run their dairy farm where she had a large garden. She would can and freeze much of her garden produce. She also made crab apple jelly every year. One of her specialties was making homemade fudge and divinity at Christmas time. She taught Sunday school, led youth group, coached her daughter’s softball teams, and supported her family in the many sports and activities they participated in. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends and did missions work in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kentucky.

She was a member of Finley Chapel where she belonged to UMW, their women’s group.

Norma was an excellent seamstress, making most of her children’s clothes when they were younger and assisted her nieces in sewing their wedding attire. Most recently, until she was no longer able, she sewed hundreds of school bags for Missions Ingathering. Those bags may still be in use today in another part of the world.

She was a talented artist, mostly doing sketches, but she was also successful when she tried her hand at painting.

She was also a skilled typist assisting her nephews with term papers, typing them on an old standard typewriter. Her typing skills were put to good use following Cleo’s death as she worked as a secretary in the Alumni Office at IWC and later as a transcriptionist at HCHC. Following her retirement, she lived with her sister, Alice Hawbaker in Tucson, Arizona, for a few years before returning to Iowa and living in Swedesburg and more recently Mount Pleasant.

She is survived by her son Dave (Joan) Rodgers rural Mount Pleasant, and daughters Kathy (Randy) Seberg, Mount Pleasant, Carol (Dennis) Hulseberg, Wellman, Robin (Scott) Fisher, New London and Tracy Rodgers, Des Moines. Also, her grandchildren Tyler (Angie) Rodgers, Craig (Jess) Rodgers, Aimee (Greg) Shepherd, Kim Seberg, Nathan (Jenny) Seberg, Emma (Brett) Dwyer, Ada Hulseberg, Andres (Andrea) Alvarez, Normita (Ty) Watson, and Mateo Alvarez and 18 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, grandson Justin Rodgers, great grandson Christian Seberg and her sisters Mary Boal and Alice Hawbaker.

Funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 20, 2025, at Finley United Methodist Church. Pastor Lindsey Ford will officiate. Burial will be in the Finley Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Olson-Yoder-Funeral Home and Crematory where the family will greet friends from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. A memorial fund has been established for the Finley Cemetery. Condolences may be made at www.olsonyoderfh.com