Area Obituaries

Wim Banoe was born on April 4, 1935, in Peniwen – East Java, Indonesia to Inswihardjo and Suprasti. He was the sixth child of seven children. He grew up during World War II when the Dutch, then Japan colonialized Indonesia. He was such a storyteller and enjoyed an audience attentively listening to his many, many…

Dillon Jason Drake was born on September 23, 1992, in Creston, Iowa, to Barb (Saxton) and Deric Drake. He graduated from Mount Ayr Community High School with the Class of 2011. After high school, Dillon worked a variety of jobs before finding his place at Mercer Motor Repair, where he worked alongside his friend Mason,…

Douglas Lynn Virden was born January 19, 1954, to Francis and Fornola (Higday) Virden in Leon, Iowa. As the only boy in a family with five sisters, Doug grew up surrounded by plenty of adventures and family life. Doug attended Grand Valley School, where he stayed busy and active. He played basketball, baseball, ran track,…

Mildred Lucille Main was born at home on May 27, 1925, near Kellerton, Ringgold County, Iowa, the daughter of Carroll and Mary Merritt. She passed away on February 25, 2026, at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa. Lucille attended country schools until high school when she attended two years at Kellerton and two years in…

Larry Joe Sackett, son of Lyle & Ramona (Smith) Sackett, was born August 6, 1941, at Mount Ayr, Iowa. Larry grew up at Mount Ayr and graduated from Mount Ayr High School. Larry entered service for his country on July 4, 1959, in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged with the rank of…

Lester (Les) Leroy Hickman, age 86 of Mt. Ayr, Iowa, passed away Thursday, February 26,2026 at the Mount Ayr Health Care Center. Les was born on August 17, 1939, in Indianola, Iowa, the son of Murrel and Mary (Hamilton) Hickman. He graduated from Indianola in 1955 and received a BS of pharmacy at Drake University…

Sharon “Gayle” Giles, age 85, passed away peacefully on February 3 in Littleton, Colorado. She was born April 30, 1940, in Denver (Worth County), Missouri, to Claude and Deloris Geraldine Stephenson and was raised in Ellston, Iowa. During her childhood on the family farm, Gayle developed exceptional skill as a seamstress. She created clothing for…

Phillip James Richmond (Phil) of Kansas City, MO passed away peacefully at his home Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with his wife and son at his side following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Phil was born November 22,1940 in Leon, IA to James B.W. Richmond & Florence Irene (Jarvis) Richmond. Phil grew up in Ringgold…

Ruth “Joan” Rinehart, daughter of Glenn and Mabel (Butler) Lesan, was born October 13, 1929, in a beautiful farm home in the area that is known as “Lesanville”, near Mount Ayr, Iowa. She was welcomed home by two doting brothers, Robert “Bob” and Rex Lesan. Joan died on Monday, February 23 at Clearview Home at…

Nancy Ellen Stephens was born April 2, 1946, in Creston, Iowa to Roy and Helen Reece Blunck. She was one of nine children raised in their home in Benton, Iowa. Nancy was an avid 6 on 6 basketball player, earning four years of letters, while attending Mt. Ayr Community Schools. She was an Iowa All-State…

Shelby Duaine Bullock was born in Carthage, Missouri on March 21, 1943, to Gaylen and Shelby Marie (Floyd) Bullock. He grew up with his brothers Gene and Douglas and sister Carol. Shelby served in the US Army from 1964 to 1966, with time spent in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged and went to work for…

Geraldine Beth Caldwell was born May 17, 1947, to Jack Keith Caldwell and Rebecca Beth Montgomery Caldwell in Independence, Missouri. At one year of age, Jack, Becky and Gerri moved to Houston, Texas and then relocated to Pasadena, Texas. Gerri eventually became the big sister with the birth of Steven Keith in 1949, Mary Lynn…