Obituary: Barbara Swank
A memorial Service for Barb Swank, 74, of Lenox, Iowa will be held Friday, December 19, 2025 at the Lenox Presbyterian Church, at 11 a.m.. The visitation will be held Friday, December 19, 2025 at the Lenox Presbyterian Church from 10 a.m. until service time. Inurnment will be held at North Fairview Cemetery in Lenox.…
Read MoreObituary: Lois Ann Sobotka
Lois Anne Sobotka, was born July 27, 1935, to Cecil and Lois Allen. She passed away at the age of 90 on Monday, December 8, 2025, at the Clearview Nursing Home in Mount Ayr Iowa. Lois Anne grew up on a farm near Knowlton northwest of Diagonal. She attended the Knowlton School and the Jefferson…
Read MoreObituary: Pauline Murphy
Pauline Leveta Murphy passed away at her home in Inspirations of Mesa senior living in Mesa, Arizona, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Pauline was born on July 16, 1925, in Osage City, Kansas, to Joshua “Joker” and Merzetta (Fender) Hillebran. The family, including Pauline’s two older sisters, moved to Iowa, where the girls grew up…
Read MoreObituary: Jo Ann Maguire
Jo Ann Maguire, age 97, passed away on December 11, 2025. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. Born on April 5, 1928, Jo Ann was a lifelong resident of Rockwell City, IA. She married Delmar Erin Maguire on February 28, 1948. In her early adult years she was a secretary, first for…
Read MoreObituary: Preston Hayse
Preston Loring Hayse was born February 7, 1942, to John Robert Hayse and Virginia Estella LaShier Hayse in Mitchell, South Dakota. He was named after his two uncles on either side. The family moved back to Sioux City, Iowa to be closer to other family before Preston started kindergarten. He grew up hunting with his…
Read MoreObituary: Joyce England
Joyce Elaine England, born November 26th, 1942, in Ringgold County, IA to Paul and Veneta Dukes. Joyce departed this life on December 11, 2025, at the Clearview Nursing Home with family by her side. Joyce was welcomed home by her older brother John Philip Dukes on their family farm near Diagonal, Iowa. She attended country…
Read MoreMount Ayr boys drop a pair
By DALTON SHADLE MOUNT AYR, Iowa — The Raiders dropped a pair of close games last week, falling to both Bedford and Southeast Warren. In Last Friday’s game, the Raiders dropped a tightly contested game against Southeast Warren 69-63. Mount Ayr started the game strong by jumping out to a double-digit lead after the first…
Read MoreRaiderettes continue their winning ways
By Dalton Shadle MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Mount Ayr won a pair of games on back-to-back nights late last week to remain perfect on the young season. The Raiderettes nearly doubled up visiting Southeast Warren 81-47 last Friday in Mount Ayr to improve to 6-0 on the season. The Raiderettes came out explosive in the…
Read MoreLOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull
One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, December 23, 1925.) Iowa leads the U.S. and the world in the amount of sweet corn canned. The past season broke all records, the Iowa canneries turning out 24,000,000 cans or about five for every man, woman and child in the U.S. Mr. and Mrs.…
Read MoreSnapshots of History by Mike Avitt
This week’s postcard has no information on the back, but the photo appears on page 85 of the Mount Ayr Centennial Book and the names appear in the book. Before I give you the names, let’s look at what the picture tells us. The band members are wearing uniforms. Uniforms cost money. But bands were…
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