Area Obituaries

CALEB M. COUTS     Caleb M. Couts, 42, of Keosauqua, until recently of Oskaloosa, died at 7:52 A.M. Monday November 3, 2014 at Van Buren County Hospital, Keosauqua. He was bom July 26, 1972 at Maryville, MO to George and Lesa Perry Couts and married Katherine McElroy November 12, 2005 in Jubilee Family Church, Oskaloosa.…

MICHAEL “MIKE” MORADO     Michael “Mike” Morado, Jr., 67, of Kansas City, Mo passed away October 21, 2014 after a brave year and a half long battle with cancer. He entered the heavenly gates surrounded by his loving family at Kansas City Hospice House. Mass of Christian Burial was on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at…

JAMES EDWARD JOBE     James (Jim) Jobe passed away peacefully on November 7, 2014 in Chandler, Arizona surrounded by his family. Jim was born to Genevieve and David Jobe on February 21, 1939 in Tingley, Iowa.  He married Glenda Wood on June 7, in 1957 and spent the next 56 years by her side. He…

IVAN L. DENNIS     Ivan L. Dennis, 88 of Independence, Missouri passed away Friday, November 7, 2014. Funeral service were Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at Liberty Church of Christ, 1401 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Missouri. Burial followed in Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Liberty…

DEAN MARK MERRILL     Dean Mark Merrill was born September 30, 1924 at the ranch his parents, Forrest R. and Millie “Lucile” (McCreary) Merrill, owned near Wray, Colorado. He grew up and was educated at Wray, Colorado. Dean was drafted into World War II in 1942. He served in the European Theater, England, Germany, France,…

BLANCHIE FERN SMITH SCHIPPER     Blanchie Fern Smith Schipper was the eighth child born to Francis Emory and Effie Ollie Belle (Dye) Smith. She was born at 11 p.m. on June 20, 1924 in Athelstan, Iowa. She grew up in Athelstan where she attended school there until 10th grade. At that time, she met and…

JAMES WALKER ROBERTSON     James Walker (J.W.) Robertson was born the 20th of February, 1931, the second of ten children born to Claude Lee Robertson and Ollie Edith Robertson, near Denver, Missouri.     On June 27, 1949, he was united in marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Betty Jane Roach, in Grant City, Missouri, before a…

WILLIAM JOHN CLARK     William “Willie” John Clark, 49, of Collins, passed away Wednesday, October 22, 2014.     Willie was born March 8, 1965, in Keosauqua, Iowa to William Clyde Sr. and Sherry (Lee) Clark. He graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1983 and was united in marriage to Sherridee Richardson on August 12,…

MONA MARY DWIGHT     Mona Mary Dwight, 91, of Burlington, died at 7:55 p.m. Monday, October 27, 2014, at her home surrounded by her loving family.     Born September 14, 1923, in Burlington, she was the daughter of Albert Frederick and Clara Alvina Jackson Gerdom.  She married John R. Dwight on February 14, 1946, in Burlington. …

ESTHER R. ALLEN     Esther R. Allen, daughter of Forrest and Millie “Lucile” (McCleary) Merrill, was born December 9, 1917 at Kellerton, Iowa. In the 1920’s, the family moved to Colorado where her dad raised cattle and wheat. Esther graduated high school in 1935 at Wray, Colorado. Esther returned to Kellerton to care for her…

   JUDITH ELAINE CUNNING     Judith Elaine Cunning, daughter of James and Arlene (Ripkey) Shuey, was born September 5, 1942 in Ames, Iowa. Judy grew up in Gilbert, Iowa and was active in basketball, band, and choir, including performing as an All-State soloist. While growing up, Judy and her parents would vacation in Canada; camping,…