Area Obituaries

RUTH NOFTSGER Ruth Noftsger, 80, of rural Kellerton, Iowa, recently residing in Mount Ayr, passed away with her family by her side June 16, 2013 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Ruth was born on November 15, 1932, in rural Monroe county.  She was the oldest of six children born to Morris and Lenna…

GERALD HENRY BAKER Gerald Henry Baker was born May 12, 1926 on a farm two miles north and one mile east of Clearfield. Gerald was the second of three sons born to Ernest and Rosa Beck Baker. He died June 14, 2013 at Clearview Nursing Home in Clearfield. Gerald graduated from Clearfield high school in…

NORMA MARIE SEARLES SMITH On August 24, 1923 Harry Ransome Searles and Ida Marie Simpson Searles welcomed a second daughter, Norma Marie, into their lives. A baby brother would join them a few years later. She grew up on a Blockton area farm where she spent a happy childhood helping her father milk cows, gather…

EVALEE WHITE Evalee was born June 8, 1929 in Allerton, Iowa to Guy and Ina (Owen) Casey. She graduated from Allerton high school in 1947. She married Donald Eugene White of Kellerton at the Leon Chapel on February 28, 1949. They had one daughter, Diana Lee. Evalee and Donald lived in Davenport, Iowa while raising…

GERALD EUGENE LAWRENCE Gerald Eugene Lawrence, son of Kate and Ed Lawrence, was born April 24, 1941 at Blockton, Iowa. He passed away at his home in Perry, Iowa on June 13, 2013 after a lengthy illness. Jerry attended Blockton public school and lived in Blockton most all of his life. He was united in…

MARY AELENE STROBURG Mary Aelene Stroburg, 84, of Blockton, Iowa passed away Monday, June 17, 2013, at her home. Mary was born May 7, 1929 in Casper, Wyoming to Lyman and Vivian Johnston. She was united in marriage to Eldon Stroburg January 18, 1948 in Lamoni, Iowa. He survives of the home. Also surviving are…

DONNA JOYCE MORRISON Donna Joyce Morrison, 79, passed away Saturday, June 8, 2013, at the Ringgold County Hospital. She was born March 24, 1934 in Tingley, Iowa to George and Iola Ferguson. She attended school in Tingley, graduating in 1952, and  played in the state girls basketball tournament her senior year. After high school she…

MABEL LUCILLE (FLOREA) SHIELDS Mabel Lucille (Florea) Shields, daughter of Nancy Marie (Smith) Florea and Barton Allen Florea, was born May 8, 1922 on the Florea family farm south of Blockton, Iowa. At a young age Mabel gave her heart to the Lord and was baptized in the Platte River at Blockton. She graduated from…

LOREN  IVAN ‘BUTCH’ SOBOTKA Loren Ivan ‘Butch’ Sobotka was born October 2, 1938 to Edward and Frances Caberet Sobotka. Butch attended local schools and graduated from Diagonal high school with the class of 1957. After graduation he began farming with his father and brother, David. On June 14, 1959 Butch married Sharon Kay Brown. They…

IRENE MARIE BOHN Irene Marie Bohn was born June 9, 1928 to Homer and Marie Todd near Diagonal, Iowa. In 1938 the family moved to Mount Ayr, Iowa where she finished her education. She taught in rural schools in Ringgold county.  On June 15, 1950 she was united in marriage to Wayne C. Bohn at…

WILLIAM ‘BILL’ EDWIN DUKE William (Bill) Edwin Duke was born on April 2, 1953 to William Ernest Duke and Ruby Marie Duke in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He passed away on May 26, 2013 at his home in Mount Ayr, Iowa. Bill was raised and educated in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He had one year at Creighton Prep in…

DAPHNE MORRISON Daphne Morrison was born on a cold fall Alabama morning on October 11, 1941 to Elma ‘Boonie’ and James Peavy. She is survived by her four children, Meridee (Glen) Steffensmeier of Mesa, Arizona, Tamara (James) Borland of Riverside, Iowa, Kristen Cassidy of Dacula, Georgia and James Morrison of North Liberty, Iowa; nine grandchildren,…