Area Obituaries

Randy Gene Vanderflught was born on June 29th, 1952, in Leon, Iowa to Donald and Alta Hazel (Ward) Vanderflught. He was the oldest of 6 children. He left this world on May 9th, 2024, after a 3-year battle with rectal cancer. Randy attended and graduated from Grand Valley. Growing up he helped on the farm…

Virginia L. Smith (Hunt) was born on May 21, 1942, and passed on April 27, 2024. She is survived by her husband Ernest V. Smith, daughters Sherri Roe, Dianna Raymond, and son James Smith. Also survived by sister Julie Raymond Peppmeier and brother Bob Hunt. She had ten grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.…

Frankie Duane Carson was born on February 16, 1948, at the Hale Ranch in Jefferson Township, Ringgold County, Diagonal Iowa to Leo Frank Carson and Dorothy Marie Ruby. Frank gained his wings on May 10, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines after a short, but hard-fought battle with lymphoma. Frank grew up and lived…

Leona “Onie” Brown, 94, of Nevada passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa. Onie was born April 15, 1930, in Wolbach, Nebraska; the daughter of LeRoy Bucy and Anna Mae (Kinney) Bucy. She married Marvin Eugene Brown in Benton, Iowa, on December 24, 1949. They raised…

Bessie Ann Overholser was born December 24, 1931, in Knowlton, IA to Stanley and Helen Fredricksen-Overholser. Bessie departed her life at her home north of Diagonal on Monday, April 29, 2024, at the age of 92 years, 4 months, and 7 days. Bessie lived her whole life right in this area starting in Knowlton and…

Services for Jeff Shields, 41, formerly of Diagonal, will be 11 a.m. Saturday, May 4 at the United Church of Diagonal with visitation Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements. Jeffrey Lee Shields, known to his closest friends as…

Verd was born to Claron Everett Bailey and Ellen Virginia “Sue” Rarden on August 3,1949 in Moab, Utah. He was the youngest of seven children. Verd graduated from high school in Richfield, Utah in 1967. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1968. He furthered his education at the University of Utah and…

Lloyd Ray Johnson, son of Wayne Ray and Bessie Emmaline (Stanley) Johnson, was born March 20, 1933, at home in the Salem Community, Ringgold County, Iowa. He was raised on a farm located in Caledonia, Iowa. Lloyd attended Mount Ayr High School and graduated with the Class of 1952. Lloyd served his country overseas in the…

Phyllis (Smith) Cregeen, 78, peacefully departed this world on April 12, 2024, in Rockford, Il. Phyllis was born at home on February 8, 1946, to Cecil and Vesta Smith in Knowlton, Iowa. Phyllis married Dale Cregeen on June 19, 1966. In 1968, Phyllis and Dale Moved to Rockford. In July of that year, their son…

John Henry Barber was born November 7, 1947, to Manlea and Pearl (Senior) Barber in rural Bedford, Iowa. He attended school in Redding, Maloy and Mount Ayr and graduated in the US Army with his GED. John was a construction worker in the Army in Vietnam and Alaska. He worked for local construction companies building…

Derik Allen Estes, son of David Allen & Deborah Jean Estes, was born September 8, 1986, at Atchison, Kansas. While in school, Derik was the class clown. Derik married Megan Lynn Rapson and was dad to Chloe, Aden, Gage, and Cyrus. Derik was excited to be a grandpa to Oakleigh when she will be born…