Looking Back – December 21 2023

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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 26, 1923.)
The rural mail carriers will not carry mail on Christmas this year according to word received from the postmaster general.
This is the first time they have had this holiday since the beginning of the service. (1896 first 82 routes; universally implemented in 1902 across the country.*wikipedia)
Prompted by the true spirit of fellowship, 31 men of the Mount Ayr community last week chopped and hauled ten loads of wood from Mrs. Ada Beall’s farm in Poe township for Walter Lamb who recently lost his eye sight.
The wood was donated by Mrs. Beall. The list of participants is as follows: Choppers, Rev. Jay Kirkendall, Joe Irving, J.W. Fender, O.G. Spencer, Lee Walter, H.G. Roberts, J.S. Buck, S.M. Rush, R.M. Buck, Enos Stanley, Harry Bradley, Henry Greenrod, E. S. Downie, Vernon Drake, Andrew Eewing, J.H. Wilson, A.D. Fraser, Frank Kirby, Frank Shidler, Harry Taylor, Frank Warrick, and Stanton Crow. Haulers: Alva Campbell, Charles Defenbaugh, A.L. Spencer, Charles Jacobs, A.E. Swanson, Charles McCreary, O.O. Harrold, Peter Rush and Elan Rodgers.
Marriages: Murial Caywood and Russell Waller…December 6, Margaret Kreimier and LaVerne Fuller.
Births: December 6, a son, Richard, to Rev. and Mrs. Frank Bean…December 13, a daughter, Lillian, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Finley…Tuesday forenoon, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Treichler…last week a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Forest Lane.
Obituary in this edition was, Catherine Isabel Arthurs Liggett.

Seventy-Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 23, 1948.)
John D. Warin of Maloy was elected president of the Ringgold County Fair Assoc. at a postponed annual meeting of the association held Monday in Mount Ayr.
One thousand pounds of candy and nuts to be distributed to children. Santa Claus will arrive in Mount Ayr Friday afternoon, December 24 at 2 o’clock p.m. with his pack full of candy and nuts for all the boys and girls of Ringgold county who come to see him that day.
The second annual Poultry Day and egg contest will be held Wednesday January 5, at the Armour Company plant in Mount Ayr. The event will be sponsored by Armour Co., Prentis Hatchery, and Ringgold County Farm Bureau.
The outstanding feature of the program will be the egg contest. Each poultry raiser will bring in 15 eggs, from which 12 will be selected and judged in the contest.
Marriages: December 21, Irma Lynch and Easterly Nelson…December 11, Phyllis Callison and Walter Lisle…December 17, Colleen Finley and George Moffatt…December 5, Ruth Horton and Virgil Brown.
Birth: November 30, a son, Bradford, to Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Cunning.
Obituaries in this edition were: James W. Sheil, Della June Majors Sottlemeyer, John Sidney Paisley, Charles Albert Drummins, Sarah Wells McClurg Matthews, Mabel Mae Gray Reynolds and Challie Crane Best.

Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 27, 1973.)
A new business is now in operation in Mount Ayr. Mount Ayr Parts Inc. opened Friday morning in the Masonic building on the southwest corner of the square, formerly occupied by Mount Ayr Furniture Company.
Owned by Hank Smith of Mount Ayr, the business will stock and supply auto and tractor parts for garage and repair facilities in the area, as well as individuals.
South central Iowans are interested in developing more adequate supplies of high quality water. Many area citizens rank water as their number 1 priority. Organization of a rural water association is being explored as a possible means of providing the water needed in this area.
Meals for senior citizens are scheduled to begin January 14 in Tingley. The meals will be served on a donation basis to persons 60 years of age and older in the Tingley Community Building.
A1C Teddy Fletchall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Fletchall of Redding, was selected as his squadron’s “Outstanding Airman of the Month” for December. He was so recognized on the basis of his outstanding military learning and exceptional ability as a ground radio maintenance repairman.
Marriage: Esther Blunck and William Bryan.
Births: December 6, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Cheers…December 20, a son, Corey, to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Gordon.
Obituaries in this edition were: Earl Jackson Merritt, Wayne O’Dell, Elizabeth Ellen Richardson Townsley and Eva Lena Lucas Hoff.

Twenty-Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 17, 1998.)
A new program to provide tutors for students needing extra help out of school hours has been approved, calendar issues for 1999-2000 school year discussed when the MACH school board held it’s regular meeting Monday.
More progress was made toward the demolition of the building in the former Grand Valley Community school district when Grand Valley Trust and Agency Committee met at its regular meeting Wednesday December 9.
Two former Ringgold county residents were among 38 Iowa law enforcement officers from departments across the state who graduated in the 166th basic training class from Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Friday.
Graduates included DeAnna Faris, 24, formerly of Mount Ayr, patrol officer for Sioux City police department and Jennifer Grose, 21, formerly from Kellerton, a patrol officer with the Indianola police department.
Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Margaret Horne Foltz, Ruth Annella Roudybush Haley, Glen Edward Hoyt, Sr., Sam A. Taylor and Donald “Pete” Vorhies.

Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 26, 2013.)
A strong storm system hit Ringgold county Saturday with reported snowfall amounts in the county from 7-9 inches.
Emerald Ash Borer has been positively identified in a residential tree in the city of Creston, the county seat of Union county making this the 5th location where the invasive beetle has been found.
Iowa drivers may have a pleasant surprise when they renew a drivers license after January 1st, 2014. New legislation allows the Iowa Department of Transportation to transition from driver’s licenses that are valid for 8 years, saving customers time and money.
No births, marriages or obituaries in this edition.