Wayne E. Johnson

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 11:22 am CDT

Wayne Edward Johnson, 76, of Danville, died Sunday, February 1, 2026, at his daughter’s home in Saint James, Missouri. He was born in Burlington on May 23, 1949 to Cecil R. and Patricia M. Schaefer Johnson. He married Diana “Dee” Ruth McCabe on July 26, 1968 in Middletown, Iowa.  She died February 20, 2025.

His family moved from Burlington to Kahoka, Missouri, then back to Danville when he was a child.  Wayne attended school in Revere, Missouri and Danville.  He was a member of West Burlington Christian Church and New London Christian Church.

He worked at Lehigh Leopold in West Burlington until they closed in 1990. He then got his CDL, and worked for Single Source, CRST-Cedar Rapids, and Ruan-Hon, and was very proud that he achieved a Million-mile safety award. He also worked at Phelps Field Tile Company in New London.  Wayne was an excellent woodworker and proudly built their family dining room table.  He was a member of the Moose and Lions Clubs; in the 1970’s was a TroupMaster for Boy Scouts; volunteered at Old Threshers Main Ground and Campground since he was sixteen years old; enjoyed camping with his wife; being with his family; and Cardinals baseball.  He loved fishing, enjoyed watching the cardinals, grew beautiful roses and since moving to his daughter’s in Missouri, he loved sitting on her front porch watching the cars go by, listening to the windchimes and watching the birds in the birdhouses.  He enjoyed watching Grit TV, reading Louis L’Amour books; very much enjoyed his Danville coffee group and never knew a stranger.

Survivors include his sons Michael Johnson of Austin, Texas and Joshua (Brandi) Johnson of Burlington; daughters Michelle (Troy) Warth of St. James, Missouri and Johanna Hand of Clarksville, Tennessee; nineteen grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; brothers Terry Johnson of Bible Grove, Missouri and Harry Johnson of Downing, Missouri; sister Sharon (Neil) Cornwell of Winfield, Iowa; nieces, nephews and a host of friends.  He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; and brother Van Johnson.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM, Sunday, February 8, 2026 at Elliott Chapel, New London, with the family receiving friends from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.  The Funeral Service will be at 10:00 AM, Monday, February 9, 2026 at New London Christian Church with Pastors Rod and Nathan Cooper officiating.  The family requests that friends wear western or Cardinals baseball attire for the service.  Burial will follow at Prairie Grove Cemetery, rural West Burlington.  Memorials have been established for Be There Ministries in Ethiopia and New London Christian Church.  Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Applications Open Now for Hellman Lee County IMPACT Grants to Support Lee County Nonprofits

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 7:54 am CDT

The Lee County Charitable Fund has officially renamed its annual IMPACT Grant to the Hellman Lee County IMPACT Grant, honoring the legacy of longtime community leader, philanthropist, and North Lee County advocate Merlin Hellman.

The Hellman Lee County IMPACT Grant is open for application now and will award grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to eligible Lee County, Iowa 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and qualified governmental entities. Applications must be submitted by April 6, 2026.

Administered by the Lee County Charitable Fund, a volunteer grant committee made up of board members from the North Lee Community Foundation and the Keokuk Area Community Foundation, the IMPACT Grant is designed to support large-scale projects that create meaningful, long-term benefits for Lee County residents.

The grant’s new name honors Merlin Hellman, whose life reflected a deep commitment to service, stewardship, and community responsibility. A founding member of the North Lee Community Foundation and instrumental in the establishment of the Lee County Charitable Fund, Hellman served on numerous boards and organizations throughout Lee County. His philanthropy helped strengthen schools, libraries, faith communities, and human service organizations across the region.

“As one of the founders of the Lee County Charitable Fund, Merlin Hellman worked alongside community leaders throughout the county to provide critical grants and resources for schools, nonprofit organizations, charities and health care organizations from all corners of Lee County,” said the Foundation’s Executive Director Roger Ricketts, “Merlin’s vision of the Lee County Charitable Fund and the Community Foundations in Lee County enabled generous donors and community leaders to believe that we, all of us working together, would and should make a big impact for all who call Lee County their home. It is with pride that we honor Merlin’s legacy and vision for our county with the Merlin Hellman IMPACT Grant.”

Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to attend the KACF & NLCF Grant Workshop Luncheon on February 25, 2026, to be held at Fort Madison’s Turnwater Reception Room. The workshop will provide an overview of the application process, funding priorities, and tips for submitting a strong proposal.

Grant guidelines, eligibility requirements, and application materials can be found at leecountycharitablefund.org. Additional information is available at northleecf.org and keokukfoundation.org.

Cover Crop and Soil Health Workshop in Mt. Pleasant on February 19, 2026

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 7:48 am CDT

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Lower Skunk River Water Quality Initiative Project and Pathfinders Resource Conservation and Development, will host a cover crop workshop in Mt. Pleasant on Thursday, Feb. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is open to farmers and landowners at no cost and includes a complimentary meal.

The workshop aims to equip attendees with best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops.

“Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners, including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies and increased organic matter in the soil,” said Liz Ripley, conservation and cover crop outreach specialist with Iowa Learning Farms.  “When paired with no-till, additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events.”

The workshop will feature a farmer panel of local cover crop users who will share their recommendations for getting started and sticking with cover crops. The agenda will also include Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service soil health specialist J.D. Hollingsworth and area resource soil scientist Jason Steele. They will share their experiences with cover crops and no-till as farmers and discuss the impacts of cover crops on soil health. Ripley will also share best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops successfully based on research conducted on farms throughout the state.

The field day will be held at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Henry County office, located at 127 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant. The event is open to farmers and landowners, though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu by Feb. 12. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit the Iowa Learning Farms website.

Sports, February 3rd

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 6:34 am CDT

High School Basketball

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team had their five-game win streak snapped last night in a tight 55-51 final against Marion. Isaiah Lange cashed in for 16 points, as he has led the scoring for the past four games. The Panthers will travel to Keokuk on Friday, February 6th, with the girls’ teams playing at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm.

The #9 Mediapolis girls’ team picked up their 20th win of the season in dominating fashion over Fort Madison last night, 56-35. Ella Wagenbach scored 19 points with five threes to lead the charge. The boys’ team needed a dramatic overtime lay-up with 2.7 seconds remaining from Will Luttenegger to escape with a 51-49 victory over the Bloodhounds. Max Griffin led the team with 15 points. 

The New London girls’ team lost to Cardinal last night, 54-24. 

Tonight, the Holy Trinity Catholic boys’ team will take on Fairfield at home with gametime at 7:30 pm, while the girls’ team will travel to New London with the night tipping-off at 6 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union split their doubleheader with Columbus last night with the girls’ team falling 66-56, while the boys’ team picked up the 61-50 victory. Madisen Kellogg logged 25 points and five steals in the effort.

Columbus will take on Pekin at home tonight with game one starting at 6 pm.

WACO will meet up on the road against Winfield-Mt. Union tonight with the girls tipping-off at 6 pm.

The #3 Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team lost their first game of the season last night in a top 10 showdown against Class 2A’s #10 Pella Christian, 70-66. The Nikes were outscored 22 to 9 in the third quarter. 

The Fairfield girls’ team will host Mt. Pleasant tonight at 7:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm.

West Burlington will take on Burlington at home tonight with game one at 6 pm.

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference Shootout is scheduled to start on Thursday, February 5th, with the girls’ teams seeded #3-#8 facing off. The same seeds for the boys’ teams will play on Friday.

Boys Basketball Rankings

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released their sixth edition of the boys’ basketball rankings yesterday and Burlington Notre Dame remained at #3 in Class 1A as the top four kept their positioning.

Despite their loss last night, the Nikes are still ranked within the top 10 of Class 1A in point differential with the 2nd most points per game. Shay Stephens continues to be the focal point of the offense with the third most points per game at 25.2 and assists per game with 7.2 in Class 1A. Notre Dame will look to win the SEISC shootout against Hillcrest Academy on Saturday, February 7th, at Southeastern Community College.

High School Wrestling

Burlington Notre Dame will travel to Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont for the Regional Dual Semifinals tonight to take on Woodward-Granger with the winner facing off against the Rockets. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team will compete in a quad on Thursday, February 5th. 

The boys’ district wrestling meets are scheduled for February 14th.

The 2026 girls’ state tournament will take place on Thursday and Friday, February 6th. KILJ will be providing updates for 17 local wrestlers. For a full look at their first round matches, follow this link: First Round Matchups

High School Bowling

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team traveled to Clinton yesterday for the Class 2A Region 4 state qualifier and one Panther punched their ticket to the state tournament. Mt. Pleasant finished in 4th place with a team score of 2,403 as Shyann Smith registered the 6th highest score of the meet with 568 total pins. 

Over in Ballard, Keokuk claimed the Region 2 championship as they hope to defend their Class 2A state championship. Josie Sapp bowled the fourth highest score amongst the qualifying individuals with 649 total pins. She will be joined by Allison Sapp and Jaelynn Ketterer as an individual qualifier. 

The girls’ state meet is scheduled to start on February 10th in Waterloo. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will travel to Keokuk tonight for a triangular. 

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the state qualifying meet assignments and Central Lee will host West Burlington, while Fairfield will travel to Monticello in Class 1A.

 In Class 2A, Clinton will play host to Burlington, Keokuk, and Mt. Pleasant.

Both meets are scheduled for Monday, February 16th, at 10 am.

Southeastern Community College

The women’s basketball team will host Des Moines Area Community College tomorrow, February 4th, at 5:30 pm.

The men’s basketball team will take on Sauk Valley Community College at 7 pm tomorrow at home. 

SCC has found an interim head coach for the spring 2026 volleyball season in Shavonna Rhodes with the possibility of continuing the role into the Fall 2026 season. Rhodes brings collegiate coaching experience and a player centered approach to the SCC Blackhawks. Before becoming an Assistant Coach at Southeastern, she previously served as an Assistant Volleyball Coach at Andrew College, where she was involved in practice planning, player development, recruiting, and match preparation.

College Basketball

The Iowa State women’s team will travel to Utah on Saturday, February 7th, at 6 pm.

The #10 Iowa women’s team will host Minnesota on Thursday, February 5th, at 6 pm.

The Iowa men’s team will stay on the west coast to play Washington at 10 pm tomorrow, February 4th. 

The #7 Iowa State men’s team will take on Baylor at home at 1 pm on Saturday.

This Day in Sports History

1876 – Albert Spalding invests $800 to start a sporting goods company, manufacturing the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball and football.

2008 – Super Bowl XLII, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ: the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots, 17-14; MVP: Eli Manning, New York, QB. Thus, ending the Patriots bid for a perfect season.

2013 – Super Bowl XLVII, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, New Orleans, LA: the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31; MVP: Joe Flacco, Baltimore, QB. First Super Bowl loss in 49ers history.

Steven M. Pilkington

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 5:53 am CDT

Steven M. Pilkington, Sr., 66, a resident of Fairfield, passed away Sunday, February 1, 2026 at Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield.
There will be no services held at this time. Memorials may be made to Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Steve was born December 31, 1959 in Moberly, Missouri, the son of Marion Jesse and Helen B. (Gravitt) Pilkington. He married Sueanna Mae Wolverton, March 30, 1979 in Moberly. She preceded him in death May 23, 2024.

Steve worked for various factories throughout his life. He enjoyed watching television and spending time with his dog.

Those left to honor his memory include his children, Sheryl Pilkington, Steven Pilkington, Jr. and Juston (Rizza) Pilkington, all of Fairfield, and Willie (Bre) Pilkington of Centerville; many grandchildren; and his sister, Brenda.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Sherri Rich.

Prep Boys’ Wrestling: Burlington Notre Dame Dominates Their Way to Another SEISC Championship

By Slaten Swords · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 11:56 am CDT

Van Buren County, IA- The Southeast Iowa Super Conference boys’ teams met up on Saturday for their conference tournament and for the second consecutive year Burlington Notre Dame locks up the conference crown in dominant fashion.

The Nikes collected 267.5 points with seven conference champions and finished with 115 more points than Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union’s second place squad. Highland, Louisa-Muscatine, and WACO rounded out the top five.

Four of the seven Nikes were repeat conference champions with Kohen Dietzenbach in the 113-pound weight class, Rowan Berdt in the 120-pound weight class, Colt Boyles in the 132-pound weight class, and Kael Cook in the 150-pound weight class.

Ryan Rose in the 126-pound weight class, Tate Sherwood in the 144-pound weight class, and Joey Glendening in the 165-pound weight class each finished atop their respective podiums to round out the gold for the Nikes.

Dietzenbach had one of the more anticipated matchups of the night as he met WACO’s Ian Maize in the championship match. In a hard-fought match, Dietzenbach kept his undefeated season rolling with his 34th win by a 5-2 decision.

Rose defeated Van Buren County’s Leo Jirak in the final moments of the third round. Cook took down Harley Larrimore of WACO by fall in the opening round.

Jared Glendening finished as a runner-up in the 138-pound weight class after earning the conference title last year. He fell by major decision to Rocky Hamilton of Highland.

The Wildcats finished in second as a team despite touting zero conference champions. Nevertheless, Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union did have four runner-ups.

Justin Knipfer was pinned by Landon Sweeting of Highland in the 106-pound championship match. For the second year in a row, Bowen Thomson fell to Boyles in the championship match of the 132-pound weight division.

Mediapolis was the reason for the other two runner-up stories, as Kyler Crow handed Trevor Phillips the loss by fall in the 175-pound weight class, while Peyton Jones won by major decision over Kason Dopler.

Cohen Wolford, 157-pound weight class, and Grayson Nagle, 215-pound weight class, led the charge for Wapello as they each claimed the conference crown for their respective weight class. Wolford’s win made it back-to-back conference crowns. Nagle defeated Van Buren County’s Alex Scott by fall.

New London’s Liam Garvey claimed 4th place, while Killian Kelly earned 6th place to lead the Tigers.

Up Next

Burlington Notre Dame will compete in the Regional Dual meets tomorrow, February 3rd. The boys’ district wrestling meets are scheduled for February 14th with state scheduled for February 18th through the 21st as the Nikes look to repeat as Class 2A champions. KILJ will be providing live updates throughout the day and end-of-day recaps.

Prep Girls’ Wrestling: First Round Matches for KILJ’s Local Wrestlers

By Slaten Swords · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 11:10 am CDT

Coralville, IA- The third annual sanctioned Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s (IGHSAU) State Wrestling tournament is returning to Xtreme Arena in Coralville on Thursday, February 5th, and wrapping up on Friday, February 6th, with 17 local southeast Iowa wrestlers vying for a spot atop the podium.

Here’s the first-round matchups for our local wrestlers broken down by class and school.

Class 1A

Van Buren County

After a successful team season that resulted in the Warriors winning the Southeast Iowa Super Conference title in its second season of existence, two wrestlers found their way to the state tournament.

In the 100-pound weight class, Brystol Wiley earned the #6 seed after winning her regional and entering the tournament with a 29-5 record. The freshman will take on Rylin Casey of Ogden, who sports a 39-11 record for the season. The winner will compete against either undefeated #3 Abigail Peterson of Denver or #14 Sawyer Rushton of Weber.

#12 Armoney Adams will have an uphill battle in the 105-pound weight class after finishing as the runner-up at regionals. Still, the sophomore enters with a 27-4 record for the season and will face off against #5 Sophia Hazen of ATU. The junior dislocated her elbow last season, missing out on the state tournament after qualifying as a freshman.

The winner will tackle either #4 Sophia Calpito of Charles City or Weber’s #13 Finley Rushton.

Wapello

The Arrows were able to qualify three for the state tournament, which includes a #1 and a #2 seed for their respective weight classes.

Three-time state qualifier, #2 Kenadee Helscher, who also collected her 100th career win earlier this year, will have her target set on #1 Ainsley Hemann of Osage after the sophomore defeated her by fall in the championship match and ruined a perfect season for the Arrow.

Helscher will again enter the tournament undefeated at 42-0 in the 105-pound weight class, as the senior attempts to end the season with a 45-0 record. She will be tasked with #15 Kayda Freeman of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont for her first-round match. The winner will take on either #7 Dani Curiel of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley or #10 Brielle Starkweather of North Fayette Valley.

In the 115-pound weight class, Clara Ball earned the #1-seed after going 47-3 for the season. As a freshman last year, Ball finished in 6th place in the 110-pound weight class and with no one from the top eight returning from the weight class last year, it is all hers for the taking.

Ball will wrestle #16 Khloe Neal of SH-BCLUW in the first round. The winner will face off against either #8 Cadence Kinzie of Atlantic or #9 Taryn Moore of Alburnett.

Lastly, despite winning the regional, Reese Connolly was granted the #15 seed of the 235-pound weight class. The freshman is the only one of the weight class to enter with a losing record for the season at 15-19.

She will compete against #2 Haley Armstrong of Atlantic, who is looking for an undefeated senior season. The winner will compete against either #7 Kendra Allison of Fairfield or #10 Aliyah Payne of Clarinda.

Fairfield

The Trojans will have two battling it out on the mats in the Xtreme Arena, as Samantha Lyons attempts to build upon her 4th place finish last year in the 170-pound weight class. This year, she will enter as the #2 seed with a 28-1 record, competing against the #15 seed freshman from GTRA, Harper Manwarren.

The winner will face off against #7 Afton Dean of Lamoni or #10 Sophia Stephan of Cascade.

#7 Allison needed the wrestle back to earn the runner-up position at the regional championship, but whatever it takes to earn a trip to the dance is all that is needed. She will look to improve upon her 1-2 record at state last year.

Pekin

The Panthers will also be sending three to Coralville with #6 Lexa Nelson expected to finish in the same spot she finished last year in the 105-pound weight class. The senior, who is 34-4 on the year, will tangle with #11 Kierstan McRoberts of Osage for the opening round. The winner will take on either #3 Macy Rasmussen of Audubon or #14 Brandi Houston of Davis County.

Another senior will get her shot for Pekin, as #11 Lila Miller will wrestle #6 Makenna Kurth of Waukee in the 120-pound weight class. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals against either #3 Kate Krause of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont or #14 Amiah Lint of BGM.

In the 145-pound weight class, #4 Hailey Pedrick, who went 35-3 in her senior year regular season, will meet #13 Cara Schuette of Kuemper Catholic. The winner will compete against either #5 Paytn Haack of Emmetsburg or #12 Taya Metzger of Central Lyon-George Little Rock.

Highland

Highland will have three wrestlers at the state tournament. #2 Adley Sweeting will be looking to win the 120-pound weight class as a freshman. She enters with a 35-1 record and will compete against #15 Gracyn Stone of Louisa-Muscatine. The winner will face off against either #7 Remington Wadsworth of South Winneshiek or #10 Kiley Collins of West Liberty, the program’s second career 100 match winner.

In the 140-pound weight class, #11 Maiya Singbell will have a showdown with #6 Alexa Heffin of Garner-Hayfield in the opening round. The winner will take on either #3 Lucy Konechne of Central Lyon-George Little Rock or #14 Kimora Owens of Williamsburg.

Lastly, #12 Chloe Sexton will look to upset #5 Maren Subbert of Hampton-Dumont-CAL in the first round of the 190-pound weight class. The winner will compete against #13 Claire Schumacher of MVAOCOU/Western Iowa or #4 Ava Trende of New Hampton/Turkey Valley.

Class 2A

Fort Madison

In her senior season, Mara Smith will look to finish on the podium against after taking 4th place in the 130-pound weight class last year. Now, Smith is the #3 seed in the 140-pound weight class with a showdown against #13 Khloee Schimdt of Western Dubuque. The winner will advance to wrestle either #6 Lauryn Metcalf of Ames or Lindsay Trotter of Lewis Central.

In the 145-pound weight class, #8 Kat Diprima will compete against #9 Kerene Panya of Le Mars. Diprima went 33-5 in her junior campaign and will look to move on to the quarterfinals to take on either #1 Lizzy Wolf of Benton Community, who finished in 3rd place last year, or #16 Emma Smith of Pella.

Burlington

The Grayhounds return two top eight performers from last year’s state tournament in Amaziah Twillie and Macy Peterson, who both finished in 6th place for their respective weight classes.

Twillie will have to work to earn that position back in the 155-pound weight class, as she enters as the #7 seed. Her first-round matchup will be against #10 Halle Mosaquites of Hinton, who has more wins, 32 versus 28, and less losses, 6 versus 10, than Twillie.

The winner will wrestle either #2 Regan Jensen of Algona or #15 Jolyssa Rodes Perez of Sioux City West in the quarterfinals.

In the 170-pound weight class, Peterson is also not expected to return to her same place as last year; the junior claimed the #9 seed and will face off against #8 Aurora Lloyd of Linn-Mar in the first round. The winner will either take on last year’s 155-pound champion #1 Amalia Djoumesssi of Waverly-Shell Rock or #16 Sakina Aruna of Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

More Information

Stay tuned to KILJ for live updates for our local wrestlers throughout the day and end-of-day reviews from the two-day event. The first session will begin at 10 am on Thursday. KILJ would like to thank all of our sponsors for allowing us to cover the 2026 IGHSAU State Wrestling Tournament!

Ronald James Lamansky

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 10:42 am CDT

Ronald James Lamansky was born September 12th, 1956, with a hanky in his back pocket, a pair of vise grips in another pocket, and a hat with the logo of the company whose seed corn he was going to plant the following spring. Ron passed in his sleep on January 29th, 2026 with Westerns on the TV – like he was used to watching when he was at home. Most people knew him as Ron, but we knew him as Dad, and that is how we will refer to him from this point on. His grandson, Lincoln, would tell you that “Paca” would also be acceptable.

Dad was one of seven children born to H. Roy and Beverly (Dory) Lamansky. Dad grew up on the family farm near the sprawling metropolis of Pleasant Plain, Iowa. Dad learned young to wake up early, work hard, fix about anything with a piece of wire from the back of his truck, and predict the weather… most of the time. Later in life, he continued the hard work of farming and also construction but found enough time to raise a family, spoil grandchildren, and hone the fine art of taking a nap in his favorite chair. These naps were always aided by an old, worn-out, dilapidated pillow over his head to drown out whatever was going on in the living room at the time, including a family Christmas one year. Dad continued to farm, enjoy his family, and nap until a sudden recent illness stopped him from playing in the dirt and forced him to lie in it.

Dad participated in 4-H and FFA and somehow found time to be an outstanding athlete in football and wrestling at Fairfield High School. His dedication both on the field and on the mat earned him recognition and numerous awards. One of his three daughters was talented enough to carry on the family tradition of being an outstanding athlete, while his other children were satisfied with their collection of participation awards, lack of athletic ability, and one science fair win.

Dad married Christe Olson on May 25th,1985, in Fairfield, Iowa. They celebrated their 40th year together last year. His children are still trying to figure out how they put up with each other for that long. During the time(s) they were able to put up with each other, they became the proud owners/parents of three new daughters and one pre-owned son with, at that time, low mileage.

Dad contributed to proper child-rearing by ensuring his daughters knew how to eat ice cream from a spoon before other age-appropriate solid foods. This is probably why all his daughters have digestive issues, lactose intolerance, and probably the reason that one of them had to have their gall bladder removed.

Dad didn’t buy the grandchildren a horse, he WAS their horse. There were times Dad couldn’t assume the horsey position fast enough, and one of the kiddo’s would have their arms around his neck, already hanging on for dear life. Dad would then flail his arms, like a stallion in the wild, giving the full experience. Come to find out, Dad was receiving the full experience of being choked out by a three-year-old, and it wasn’t part of the act. We also found out that if you close your eyes while Dad was giving his ride, the sound of his knees popping on the floor sounded almost like a shod horse on concrete.

Dad didn’t know a stranger. If you took him somewhere and he wandered off, he could usually be found talking about just about anything with someone he had just befriended five minutes earlier. Dad was always willing to help someone in need or loan them anything they needed… if he could find it or remember who he had loaned it to several years ago. He was once even seen offering his hanky to someone in need. We really hope it was clean.

Dad was not a fancy dresser. His Sunday best (which he wore every day) almost always consisted of a T-shirt and any pair of denim pants with a thigh pocket for his vise grips and a back pocket for his hanky. And if it was cold out, Dad added to his wardrobe by wearing a long-sleeved shirt under his short-sleeved T-shirt, not over it, as most people would. Then there were the occasions when he would deviate from his everyday wardrobe and wear shorts, accented by knee-high white tube socks that matched his white legs and, wait for it, brown open-toe sandals. He usually wore this ensemble, yup, you guessed it, when we took him somewhere, and he wandered off and found a new friend to talk to.

Left to honor and cherish Dad’s life and memory are his wife Christe (yes this how it is spelled), his children and spouses: Cady (athlete) and Richard McCarty of Richland, Iowa; Cara (participation award recipient) and Josh Beck of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Cala (participation award recipient) and Jerred Leonard of Fairfield, Iowa; Cody (science fair winner) and Kim McCoy of Ottumwa, Iowa and his grandchildren; Madilyn and Eleanora “Rabbit” McCarty; Owen and June Beck; Lincoln and Lyla Leonard; and Quinn, Kaelin, and Kinnick McCoy. And of course we can’t forget Dad’s loyal varmint locating dog, Turbo. It is hard to believe the loyalty that Turbo continued to give after Dad accidentally grazed Turbo’s ear with an errant round during an impromptu varmint removal party at 2 AM.
Dad, thanks for being ours…we will love you forever!

Visitation for family and friends will be from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield. A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, February 5th 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at The Elks Lodge in Fairfield. Memorials may be made to the family and sent to 2565-122nd St. Fairfield, Iowa 52556.