Area Obituaries

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…

Sharon Marie Case, daughter of Vern Kenneth and Marjorie Marie (Waddell) Priest, was born at home in Lamoni, Iowa on September 24, 1943. Sharon was delivered by her grandmother, Bertha Hammond Waddell. Sharon started school in Lamoni; went to country school for one year south of Decatur, Iowa; and attended high school in Shannon City…

Juanita Clouse, 88, of Massena passed away on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at the Heritage House in Atlantic. Funeral services were held on Saturday, February 9, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at the Massena United Methodist Church in Massena. Pastor Karen Patrick officiated the service. A luncheon was held at the church immediately following the services.…

Shirley Irene Johnson, daughter of Wendall Leroy and Alice Pauline (Hansen) McMickle, was born February 24, 1924 at Nora Springs, IA. She was welcomed home by an older brother, Robert L. and the family grew with the addition of siblings, Doris Pauline, John Wesley, James L. and Ronald Dean. Shirley grew up at Milton, IA.…

Brenda Kay Sublett, daughter of Cecil R. and Dolores Kay (Perry) Sublett, was born in Medina, OH on June 16, 1966. She was the oldest of three children being followed by Ralph and then Lodene.     The family moved to Iowa when the children were small and lived on a farm near Diagonal, IA. Brenda…

Dale Larry Conn was born April 16, 1944 in Thayer, IA, at home, to Ivan and Opal (Glazebrook) Conn. He was welcomed home by Doris, Bob, Helen, Dick, Irene, Maurice and Marian. The family moved around the Afton area over the years. He graduated from East Union High School in 1962. He moved to Omaha,…