Area Obituaries

Colman Gene Phillips was born on May 7th, 1975, in St. Joseph, Missouri. He spent the first part of his life living in Mount Ayr with his mother and sister, Colleen and Truda Phillips. When Colman was 13, his mom married Tom Kelly and the family moved to Redding, Iowa. Colman continued his education in…

Jeanne (Aylward) Hawley, daughter of Leonard and Jessie (Bell) Aylward, was born September 19, 1937, in Vail, Iowa. She grew up on a farm north of Vail and graduated from Vail High School in 1956. On August 21, 1956, Jeanne was united in marriage with Richard “Ted” Hawley at the Vail Presbyterian Church. After the…

Howard Alan Smith was born on November 14, 1950 in Ames, Iowa. He was the oldest of five children. His parents, Delbert and Mildred (Nelson) Smith, were missionaries for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The faith that his parents demonstrated became a foundation for Alan’s life. Because of their varied…

Angelina Kay Fricke, daughter of Donald Edward and Retha Jean (Middleton) Hiebing, was born November 6, 1965 in Davenport, IA. On March 5, 1971, Nena’s mom married Harold Lorraine Ness, Sr. and Retha and Harold raised her, along with her siblings, in Mount Ayr. As Nena grew up, she was active in basketball, band, choir…

Jessie Mae Woollums, nee Ward, was born in Wiota, IA on October 3, 1932, to Ardis and Merle Ward. She passed away on June 20, 2023 at the Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, IA. She was one of eight children, the third daughter with five brothers following closely behind. Jessie graduated from the Mount Ayr…

Kathryn Wittmann, 76, of Lincoln, NE, passed away Friday, June 9, 2023, surrounded by her loved ones. Kathy grew up in Mount Ayr, IA but lived most of her life in Lincoln. She was a graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in education. Teaching and taking care of others became her lifelong…

Lois Irene Blessman was born to John and Grace Blessman on October 12, 1929, in Ringgold County, North of Clearfield. Lois passed away on June 12, 2023, at the age of 93. Lois was baptized in the Calvary Church and later joined the Clearfield United Methodist Church. Church work was very important to her so…

Harry Stanley Bryan was born April 11, 1947 in Redding, IA, the sixth son of Ruth and Roy Bryan. He passed away April 15, 2023 in Springfield, MO. He went to Mount Ayr Schools graduating in 1965. He joined the Seabees. He served at least two tours in Vietnam and spent some time in Italy.…

John E. Rychnovsky, son of Joe and Ruth (Cabaret) Rychnovsky, was born December 16, 1931 in Creston, IA. John grew up southwest of Diagonal, first living at the ‘Albert Rychnovsky’ place and later moving to the current Lawrence Rychnovsky farm. He attended Harmony Country School with his brother, Lawrence, and other local kids including Barbara…

Doris Anne Weber, 85, of Ankeny, Iowa passed away on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa. Doris was born at home on the family farm in rural Ringold County, Iowa on September 25, 1937 to Virgil and Waitstill Reynolds. She grew up in Thayer, Iowa along with her three…