Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
WILLIAM “BILL” GRAY
Funeral services for William “Bill” Gray of Stanton, IA, were held Friday, November 26, 2004, at the Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Alan Dean officiating.
William Gray died November 22, 2004, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Bill was born September 14, 1925, in Canton, SD, the son of Harold and Claire (Mitchell) Gray.
The family moved to Adams County when Bill was a young boy. He attended grade school in Adams County and high school in Nodaway. After school, he farmed until he entered the U.S. Army during WWII.
Upon return from the war, Bill was united in marriage to Josephine Dolecheck on June 25, 1947 in Troy, KS. They farmed in the Stanton area until 1966. He drove a truck on the farm to market route and later drove a rendering truck, retiring in 1996. He continued to work part time for area farmers. Bill was a member of the Stanton American Legion Post and enjoyed draft horse pulling all over the Midwest.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Marguerite Kehr, and Ruth Perrin and her husband Dallas; two brothers, Paul Charles Gray and Jack Gray; sister-in-law Marilyn Gray; son-in-law Dan Forkner; two nephews, Edwin Dale Powell and Robert Gray; and a niece, Clara Mae Perrin.
Survivors include his wife, Josephine Gray of Stanton; son, Paul Harold Gray of Stanton; daughter, Patricia Forkner of Des Moines; brother Jim Gray of Prescott; two brothers-in-law, David Kehr of Rifle, CO, and Duane Dolecheck and wife Eula of Creston; three sisters-in-law, Joann Gray of Villisca, Carolyn Gray of Prescott, and Pauline Crussell and husband Clemmeth of Clarinda; five grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; two great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
ALMA IMOGENE COOPER
Funeral services for Alma Imogene Cooper of Villisca, IA, were held November 22, 2004, at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Villisca with the Pastor Gordon Scott officiating. Burial was at the Arlington Cemetery, near Villisca.
Alma Cooper Iowa died Thursday, November 18, 2004, at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak. She was born July 20, 1914 in Cheyenne, WY, the daughter of Clyde Lincoln Byers and Cordelia (Webb) Byers.
Alma was eight years old when her family moved from Cheyenne to Chariton, IA. Alma married Fitzgerald (Jerry) Cooper August 7, 1934 in the Presbyterian Church in Red Oak, IA. In 1937, they moved to a farm north east of Villisca where they lived until 1964 when they moved to Tenville, IA, and she moved into Villisca in 1989.
In the early 1930’s Alma ran a chuck wagon for construction workers on H-14. She worked for Union Carbide from 1955 until 1960, the Villisca Laundry Mat from 1960-1970 and she worked in the laundry department at the Villisca Good Samaritan Center from 1970 until 1973.
She was a member of the Belinda Christian Church in Chariton, IA and helped form the Christian Endeavors, a youth kids group that performed plays, musicals and sports. She was also a member of the Social Hour Club. Alma enjoyed family get-together’s crocheting, quilting and other crafts.
Alma was preceded by her parents, husband, brothers Ronald, Floyd, Clinton and Russell and one sister Vivian Louise Morrison.
She is survived by her children: Dwaine Cooper and wife Jody of Villisca, IA, Ron Cooper of Villisca, IA, Terry Cooper and wife Leann of Loveland, CO, and Karen Guffey and husband Dave of Villisca, IA. Eleven grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren, four great great grandchildren, sisters Juanita Brewer and Mabel Butrums both of Chariton, IA, plus other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Memorials may be directed to the Villisca Swimming Pool.
LOIS KENT
Funeral Services for Lois Kent of Peel, AK, were held on October 16, 2004, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Harrison, AK, with the Rev. Jo Ann Barker officiating. Burial was at the columbarium at St. John’s.
Lois Kent was born on April 20, 1926, in Villisca, IA, to Harold and Maud (Weimer) McIntosh. She died October 11, 2004, at the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison, AK.
Lois was a 1944 graduate of Villisca High School. She majored in zoology and English at the University of Iowa. She had taught school in the Rockwell City and Des Moines school districts. Lois married Hugh “Kayo” Kent on August 12, 1949. They moved to Marion County, AK, in 1988, having previously lived in Des Moines, IA.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, a sister, Florence, and brothers Art and Clarence McIntosh.
Lois is survived by a son, Hugh Timothy Kent of Las Vegas, NV; a daughter, Mary Beth and husband Ashley Abdo and their son Addison Kent Abdo of Zurich, Switzerland; and a brother, Donald McIntosh of Newark, DE.
Holt Memorial Chapel in Harrison, AK, was in charge of arrangements.
FERNE E. WHITNEY
Funeral services for Ferne Elizabeth Whitney were held Thursday, November 18, 2004 at the Sellergren-Lindell, DeMarce Funeral Home in Red Oak, IA, with the Pastor Suzanne Hewett officiating. Burial was in the Villisca Cemetery.
Ferne Elizabeth Whitney, the daughter of Robert H. and Kathryn (Sandosky) Devine was born September 10, 1916 in Montgomery County, IA. She died on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 at the Red Oak Rehab and Care Center in Red Oak.
Ferne was raised on a farm east of Red Oak. She was united in marriage to Kenneth B. Whitney on October 6, 1948 in Montgomery County. She and Kenneth moved to Council Bluffs in 1948 and returned to Red Oak in l977. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Red Oak. Ferne loved flowers, gardening and her music.
Ferne was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Kenneth on February 24, 1997, a brother, Robert L. Devine and a sister, Helen M. Kearney.
Ferne is survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Memorials suggested to the Red Oak Presbyterian Church Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
HENRY E. HUMMEL
Funeral services for Henry Earl Hummel, Stanton, IA, were held Saturday, November 6, 2004, at the Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home in Red Oak with the Pastor Mark Wright officiating. Burial was at the Farragut Cemetery in Farragut.
Henry Earl Hummel, the son of Sidney Smith and Eva (Geist) Hummel, was born November 13, 1928 in Tabor, IA. Henry died Wednesday, November 03, 2004 at the Red Oak Good Samaritan Center in Red Oak, IA.
Henry was raised in Riverton, IA, and graduated from Riverton High School in 1946. He was united in marriage to Wynona Magee on October 16, 1950 at Bentonville, AK. He served his country during the Korean Conflict in the United States Army, being discharged in 1952. Henry graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Tarkio College and later obtained his Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1964. He taught at Riverton, Farragut from 1963 to 1968, Hamburg and later at Stanton from 1969 to 1978. He also served as assistant girl’s basketball coach while at the Stanton High School. He also played on the Stanton town baseball team and umpired many high school baseball games.
After leaving the field of teaching he went to work for the Stanton Care Center where he retired in 1990. Henry loved sports of all kinds; he also enjoyed fishing and hunting. He was a member of the American Legion Ernie Johnson Post #406 in Stanton and a member of the Retired Teachers Association.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and three sisters.
Henry is survived by his wife Wynona Hummel of Stanton, IA; children, Steve Hummel and his wife Jane of Jasper, MO, Pam Estes of Stanton, IA, David Hummel and his wife Nancy A. of Kansas City, MO, Jeff Hummel and his wife Nancy L. of Clarinda, IA, and Chad Hummel of Council Bluffs, IA; six grandchildren, Robert and Nathan Estes, Matthew and Megan Hummel, Michael and Bryant Hummel; four step-grandchildren, Nick Dobbs, JoEllen Humphrey, Amy Perkins, Wendy Niimi; seven step-great-grandchildren, A.J., Trinity, Autumn, Dallis, Mason, Evan, and Mika; sister, Mrs. Francis Campbell of Bartlesville, OK; other nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.
Memorials suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association or organization of personal preference.
Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
MELVIN MAURICE GANGESTAD
Funeral services for Melvin Maurice Gangestad of Two Harbors, MN, were held October 16, 2004, at Two Harbors, MN.
Melvin was born December 29, 1921 to Maurice H. and Florence (Ransford) Gangestad in Eagle Grove, IA. He died October 12, 2004, n the Lake View Home in Two Harbors.
Melvin grew up on the family farm with his parents and two brothers, Richard and Kenneth. He graduated from Eagle Grove High School in 1939 and was called into the armed services in April, 1945. He married Phyllis Miller on April 4, 1948. By 1960, he had moved to Two Harbors, purchasing a lumber yard know today as Two Harbors Lumber Company, which grew into a family operation with his son Eugene.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Richard and Kenneth.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis of Two Harbors; son Eugene and wife Sandra of Two Harbors; a daughter Dr. Donna Gangestad of Two Harbors; and grandchildren and great grandchildren.
JOHN A. HOLBROOK
Funeral services for John A. Holbrook of Corning, IA, were held October 19, 2004 at the Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Service in Corning. Burial was at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Corning.
John A. Holbrook died October 16, 2004, at his home in Corning. He was born August 18, 1929 in rural Adams County, IA, to George H. and Ann (Miller) Holbrook. He married Jaris Mae Kretzinger on November 25, 1951, in Virginia Beach, VA. John was a farmer, carpenter, veterinarian’s assistant and a trucker.
John was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Richard and Edward, brothers-in-law Jim King and Gordon Sickler.
He is survived by wife Jaris Holbrook; sons Joseph Holbrook and wife Cheryl of Prescott, IA, John H. Holbrook and wife Amy of Corning, Jerry Holbrook and wife Tracy of Corning; daughters Jeanne Birt and husband Bill of Prescott, Joyce Hoerman and husband George of Corning; sisters Justina King of Villisca, Jody and husband Dick of Tulsa, OK, and Helen Sickler of Sioux City, IA; and grandchildren, a great grandson and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
