James Harlan Chapter DAR Celebrates 100 Years

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 at 11:25 am CDT

On Thursday, March 24, 1923, a group of women led by Ella Rosemond Mackin gathered in Mt. Pleasant to form the James Harlan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  Current members of the James Harlan Chapter of DAR invite the community to help commemorate it’s first 100 years.  The celebration will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Ashford Park Clubhouse, 1801 Ashford Avenue, Mt. Pleasant.  The event is free and open to the public.

The celebration will kick off with an open house at 1 p.m.  A program will begin at 1:30.  The Women in American History Award will honor two local women.  Following the awards, Iowa author Cheryl Mullenbach will present on “Mischievous Women of the Progressive Era”.  Cathy Helman, James Harlan DAR member from Salem will add information about local “mischievous” women.

In addition to the anniversary celebration, the chapter is marking it’s anniversary in other ways.  Visitors to the Mt. Pleasant Public Library or the lower level of the Henry County Courthouse can view displays commemorating the James Harlan Chapter’s milestone.  James Harlan Chapter member Becky Wright made the patriotic quilt on display at the library.  Vice Regent Charlene Seggerman assembled items illustrating DAR’s goals and activities to display in the courthouse.

The Daughters of the American Revolution, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization. Each of the women who belong to the DAR can document their ancestry back to at least one patriot who played a role helping to win independence during the Revolutionary War.  The organization is dedicated to three main goals: promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children.

According to James Harlan Chapter Regent Gayle Olson, there are currently 59 members in the local chapter who work to accomplish these goals through a combination of committee work, recognizing community members and continuously learning.  “We are an involved group with many activities and partners.  Each month, we work on a specific service area.  If you have an interest in history, education or patriotism, we always have projects in progress.”

For information on joining DAR, contact Carol Klopfenstein, 319- 257-6987.  For information on the anniversary celebration, contact Gayle Olson, 319-257-6967.

Vera Mae McCabe

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 at 10:56 am CDT

Vera Mae McCabe, 80, of Nashville, Tennessee and formerly of Fairfield passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at her daughter’s home in Tennessee, surrounded by her family.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with Pastor David Forrester officiating.  Burial will follow in the Sugar Creek Cemetery rural Wayland.  The family will receive friends from 9:30 until service time on Saturday at the Murphy Funeral Home.  A memorial has been established in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for her arrangements.

Sports, March 14th

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 at 6:15 am CDT

High School Track and Field

The boys’ will be heading to Central College on Friday to compete in an indoor meet with the girls’ competing on Saturday at Central College.

High School Soccer

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ soccer season will begin on March 28th against Mediapolis on the road.

WACO’s boy soccer team will start their season at home against Fairfield on March 30th.

The Central Lee boys’ soccer team will take on Keokuk on March 27th as the Hawks start their season on the road.

Youth Basketball

March Madness 5 on 5 Basketball Tournament held at Iowa Wesleyan University for 5th – 8th grade girls and boys will take place on March 18th and 19th. Please contact Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jordan Ashton for more details at 319-385-6307 or visit www.infosports.com.

March Madness

With the brackets now set you can head over to ESPN and fill out your brackets for KILJ’s Bracket Challenge brought to you by Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design and The Press Box. The full list of instructions is listed in an article on kilj.com. Prizes include a free cabin rental from Henry County Conservation and a $100 gift certificate for Wiley’s for 1st place and a meal a month from the Press Box for 2nd place. Iowa comes into the tournament as the 8th seed and will take on Auburn in the opening round and Iowa St. will take on either Mississippi St. or Pittsburgh as the 6th seed.

Iowa Wesleyan Athletics

The Tiger baseball team’s home opening doubleheader against Graceland University has been postponed to tomorrow, March 15th, with game one at 1 pm. KILJ will be on the call with pregame at 12:45 pm.

The Tiger softball team had two players earn Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Player of the Week honors. Jordan Lantz took home Hitter of the Week as she went 8 for 10 in a four game stretch. Lantz also added 3 RBIs, a walk, and a run scored to her stat line. Aspyn Harrison was named Pitcher of the Week as she picked up a record of a 3-1 over the 4-game stretch. Harrison pitched a complete game in all of her wins totaling 20 strikeouts and allowing only 4 earned runs on 13 hits. This is the first CAC award of both of their careers. The Tigers will travel to take on Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday, March 18th, at 1 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1962 – Red Wings’ forward Gordie Howe becomes second player in NHL history to score 500 career goals in Detroit’s 3-2 loss to NY Rangers.

1981 – NCAA St Joseph’s upsets top seed DePaul 49-48.

2017 – World’s oldest golf club Muirfield in Scotland, votes to admit women as members for 1st time in 273 years.

 

MP School Board Votes to Move to Grade-Alike Elementary Buildings in Fall of 2024

By Theresa Rose · Monday, March 13th, 2023 at 7:32 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education voted 6 to 1 to move forward with a change to grade alike elementary buildings. Director Angie Blint was the sole “No” vote.  Supt. John Henriksen recommended the change from K thru 5 at Lincoln, Harlan and Van Allen. No plans have been created as to what the configuration will look like.  The plan for implementation in the fall of 2024 is meant to give the District time to work out the logistics and give teachers time to make the necessary changes.

Body Found

By Theresa Rose · Monday, March 13th, 2023 at 4:07 pm CDT

On March 13, 2023 at 11:13 the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a deceased individual being located on the outlying grounds of the  Mediapolis Community School property.  A Des Moines County Sheriff’s Deputy, who is the Mediapolis School Resource Officer, was on the scene immediately.  Deputies and Investigators responded and identified the individual as a middle aged adult male.  The incident is under investigation and there will be a high law enforcement presence in the area, however no direct or active threat to the school, students, or staff is believed to be present.

Eugene Arthur Hunold

By Theresa Rose · Monday, March 13th, 2023 at 4:00 pm CDT

Eugene Arthur Hunold, lovingly known as Possum, died Saturday, March 11, 2023.  He was born January 7, 1940 in West Point, IA to Edward and Anna Menke Hunold.  The youngest of seven children, he had many fond memories of living in rural West Point and growing up on a farm.  He attended St. James School in St. Paul and volunteered for the Army reserves, where he met great friends and gathered more stories to tell his kids and grandkids.  He met Shirley Manshiem and married on April 24, 1965.  After farming in rural West Point, they moved to Houghton in 1973 and raised their three daughters.

Gene’s life was full of work, and he pursued many occupations throughout his lifetime.  He was a farmer,  a mechanic, a grocer, a woodworker, cabinet maker and craftsman extraordinaire.  He loved figuring out impossible designs and building the best pieces to his exacting standards.  He enjoyed learning anything new and taught himself carving and making stained glass. If there was a problem that needed solving, his friends knew to ask Possum. He loved telling great stories and showing how to be a great son, brother, uncle, husband, father and grandfather.  He led his family by example and taught his grandkids all the great tricks and tools of life. Every family member remembers his words of wisdom, and they all lived by “man must be smarter than the machine or the machine wins every time”. Gene loved his Catholic faith and his parish, St John’s, and was a long-time member of the Houghton Knights of Columbus. He sang in the church choir with his wife, fixed what needed fixed and served where he was needed.

Gene was dedicated to the community he raised his family in, and served as Mayor of Houghton. He volunteered many years for the local firefighters and quick response service, and went on many ambulance calls.  He was always willing to help his neighbors and friends, and everyone knew him for his great laugh and willingness to get the job done.

Gene is survived by his wife, Shirley; a brother, Ronald Hunold of Warsaw, IL and a sister, Irma Burch of Windsor Heights; his daughters, Pamela (Doug) Nimtz of Oskaloosa, Shari (Dave) Naughton of Des Moines, Amy (Jim) Hunold-Van Gundy of Carlisle; grandchildren Taylor (Katie) Nimtz, Cassie Nimtz, Riley Naughton, Rebecca Naughton, Allison Naughton, Tucker Van Gundy and Sophie Van Gundy; one great-granddaughter, Lillian James; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and friends.

Gene was proceeded in death by his parents, infant daughter, Susan Lynn, his brothers, Harold, Adrian and Bernard, his sister, Doris Duncan, brother-in-laws, Howard Burch and Raymond Duncan, and his grandson, Anthony Nimtz.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. Friday, March 17, 2023, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Houghton, where the family will meet with friends from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. and a Christian Wake service at 6:00 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Houghton with Father John Spiegel as celebrant.

Burial will be in Saint John’s Cemetery in Houghton.

 

The family requests no flowers and memorials can be made to St John’s Parish or Holy Trinity Catholic Schools.

 

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

Vera McCabe

By Theresa Rose · Monday, March 13th, 2023 at 10:51 am CDT

Vera Mae McCabe, 80 of La Vergne, Tennessee and former area resident passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at her daughter’s home in La Vergne, Tennessee.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Darrell “Henry” Moeller,

By Theresa Rose · Monday, March 13th, 2023 at 10:50 am CDT

Darrell “Henry” Moeller, 83, of Salem, IA, passed away Saturday, March 11, 2023 at his home, in his favorite chair, with his wife by his side.

Darrell was born a leap year baby on February 29, 1940, the son of Albert and Mary Scharpman Moeller. He was united in marriage to Joyce Lampe on May 30, 1964. Darrell lived and farmed all his life in the rural Salem and Houghton area. His passion was raising livestock and tilling the soil. Throughout the years, he worked many jobs off the farm to support his family. His biggest joy was his family. He enjoyed going to sale barns and connecting with friends and strangers alike. For many years, he sold seed to countless friends and neighbors. Ears of corn and stalks of beans were often found in his truck during the annual search for the best genetic variety.

Darrell was a member of the Henry County Cattlemen’s Association, and he was the recipient of  Cattleman of the Year in 2016. He was a member of St. John the Baptist Church and the Knights of Columbus in Houghton. He served in the National Guard and was a member of several tractor clubs. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, watching the RFD Ag programs and rooting for the Chicago Cubs.  Darrell loved jigsaw puzzles, visiting coffee shops with friends, and playing euchre.  However, his greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Darrell is survived by his loving wife Joyce of 58 years; children Jeanne (Mark) Owens of Homestead, IA, Steven (Kimberly) Moeller of Reisterstown, MD, Jeffrey (Andrea) Moeller of Salem, IA, and Carrie (Christian) Johnsen of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren Rebecca (Kody) Curtis, Elizabeth Owens, Michelle (Anthony) Mashek, Olivia and Grace Moeller, Lindsey and Kyle Moeller, Emma and Cooper Huckabone, Karoline and Leif Johnsen; great-grandchildren Kolter and Truett Curtis; brothers Marvin, Paul (Sharon Walden) and Greg (Lana) Moeller; sisters Vera (Lonnie) Glasscock, Eileen (Robert) Barnett; and sister-in-law Kay Wesley. He is preceded in death by parents Albert and Mary Moeller; brothers Dennis, Victor, Kevin, and Larry Moeller; sister Marilyn Boecker; sister-in-laws Dorothy Moeller, Jeanne Moeller, Patricia Steffensmeier and Glenda Moeller; brother-in-laws John Arnold and Rodger Boecker.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Houghton, where the family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m.A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Houghton with Father Joseph Phung as celebrant.

Burial will be in Saint John’s Cemetery in Houghton, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to Salem Fire and Rescue and Houghton Fire and Rescue.

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