Area Obituaries

Dale Haight, 81, of Mount Ayr, formerly of Arispe, died Monday, March 18, 2019 at the Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr. Celebration of life memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at the Powers Funeral Home 612 N. Dodge in Afton. Pastor Joel Sutton will officiate. Burial will be at Cornwall-Haight…

Norman “Norm” Burl Jennings went to be with his Savior on March 4, 2019. Norm, son of Clark and Mary (Young) Jennings, was born in a house constructed by his Grandfather Jennings on the family farm near Beaconsfield, Iowa, on August 13, 1929. Norm was the fourth child born into this family: sisters, Ione and…

Laurie Ann McGilvrey was born on November 17, 1963 in Mount Ayr, Iowa, to John Bennett and Lois Maxine Jones McGilvrey and died on March 6, 2019. She attended Woodward-Granger school where she graduated in 1982. In 1985 Laurie began serving in the military and received an honorable discharge from the Army in 1987. She…

Sweet, smart, spiritual, silly and clever, stubborn and unwavering in her commitments to her faith, to her Paul and to all her family and to her friends…that was Frances Smith. Frances’ father, Ezra Smith, passed away as the result of an accident with a team of horses when Frances was six. The early loss of…

Shirley A. Henry, 89, of Creston passed away Wednesday February 27, 2019, at Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. Mass of Christian burial was at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Creston with Father Kenneth Halbur, Jr.,  Celebrant.  Interment will be at a later date in Calvary Cemetery in…

Mark Irwin Watson, the son of E.M. (Doc) and Geneva Alberta (Miller) Watson, was born August 28, 1954 in Mount Ayr, Iowa. Mark passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on February 25, 2019. Mark attended school in Diagonal and graduated with the class of 1972. Mark worked as an ambulance driver for the Creston…

Margaret Ellen (Sullivan) Ford was born August 3, 1920 on a farm south of Afton to Charles and Sarah (Scherer) Sullivan. As the oldest of four children, she had many chores both inside and outside the house. She much preferred being outdoors, working as a “tomboy” alongside her father. During one of those outside jobs…

I was born Margaret (Peggy) Louise Mohr on May 14, 1928 in a house by the side of the road in Cromwell, Iowa. I lived there a short time with my parents, Griffith and Edith Mohr; three brothers, Dwight Eugene, Hollis Griffith, Alfred Loren; and one sister, Doris Leah. We moved shortly to Prescott, Iowa…

Joan Marie (Haley) Stringham was born November 3, 1943, in Creston, Iowa, to James Calvin Haley and Dorotha Olive (Lane) Haley. Joan grew up her brother, Robert, and sisters, Julia and Mary Jane. She went to school in Benton and then graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1962. Joan was united in marriage to…

     Clair Leroy Willey, 82, of Marion, passed away peacefully Sunday, January 27, 2019, after a courageous one and half year battle with cancer. A visitation will be held on February 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Red Cedar Lodge, Squaw Creek Park, 4305 Squaw Lane, Marion, Iowa. Leroy’s memorial service will be held March…

Gerold Leroy Willey, youngest child of Willard and Maude E. (Rusk) Willey, was born at the family home in Mount Ayr on January 5, 1928. Gerold attended and graduated from Mount Ayr Community School in 1947. Football was his passion and he lived and breathed the sport. Gerold worked for his oldest brother, Clair, at…