Area Obituaries

VERA DAUGHTON     Vera Emma Gibson was born April 5, 1915, the oldest of three daughters of Nile Huston Gibson and Edith Esther (Campbell) Gibson. She passed away at the age of 101 years on May 8, 2016 at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa.     Vera attended rural one-room schools until she entered high…

RONALD RAY REYNOLDS     Ronald Ray Reynolds, 74, left his beloved home in Dexter, IA to join his heavenly family on May 4, 2016 following a brief yet courageous battle with cancer. In honor of Ron the family will receive visitors from 2-3 p.m. on May 10, 2016 at the Crossroad Evangelical Free Church in…

LEO HACKER     Leo “Jocko” Hacker, age 102 passed away August 26, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. He was born June 12, 1913 to Roy Hacker and Ida Louise Hosford Hacker on a farm in Ringgold County, Iowa. He was the youngest of five children and the last to join them in the hereafter. He was…

CYNTHIA “CINDY” ELLEN HAROVER     Cynthia “Cindy” Ellen Harover passed April 26, 2016 at her home in Iowa City. Cindy was born October 21, 1951 at UIHC in Iowa City, the daughter of Bill and Kathleen Maharry Harover. After the birth of her sister Anne the family moved from Iowa City to Vinton. In 1954…

RAYMOND LEROY GODDEN     Raymond LeRoy Godden, son of Glen and Viola (Laird) Godden, was born February 17, 1947 at Creston, Iowa.     Raymond grew up in the Kellerton area and attended country school at Grand River before graduating from Grand Valley High School.     Raymond’s lifelong career and love was for trucks: red Peterbuilts…

BETTY JO RUBY     Betty Jo (French) Ruby, daughter of Howard E. and Amy L. Havely French, was born on January 26, 1922 in Monroe Township, Ringgold County. Betty passed away on April 20, 2016 at Mount Ayr Health Care Center at the age of 94.     Betty graduated from high school in 1940 and…

RAYMOND UMBARGER     Raymond “Shorty” Umbarger was born October 15, 1924 to Bishop Walter Umbarger and Letha (Poe) Umbarger in Fairfax, Missouri.  In his younger years he enjoyed spending time with his horses on the farm. Shorty attended and graduated from the Irish Grove Country School in Fairfax, Missouri.  In 1945, Shorty was united in marriage…

NINA RUTH POWELL     Nina Ruth Powell, daughter of Omar and Jenny (Kinder) Holtzman, was born June 14, 1932 at Mount Ayr, Iowa. Nina grew up at Mount Ayr and attended local schools. Nina married Bill Johnson and to this union, one son, Howard, was born. Nina and Bill later divorced. Nina married Rolland D.…

PHILLIP GODDEN     Celebration of Life Graveside Services for Phil Godden, age 72, of Bedford, who entered into peace on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Bedford Nursing and Rehab Center   were held Monday, April 11, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bedford City Cemetery.  Visitation was held Sunday at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Bedford…

ROXIE KAYE FLETCHER     Roxie Kaye Fletcher, daughter of Cecil Joseph & Vesta Maxine (Keller) Smith, was born at home near Diagonal, Iowa on March 8, 1954. Roxie graduated from Diagonal High School in 1972.     Roxie married Charles Phillip Fletcher on July 21, 1976. They made Diagonal their home where they raised their three…