Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
RICHARD B. CROPP
Graveside funeral services for Richard B. Cropp of Fremont, NE, were held at the Villisca Cemetery on Friday, May 28, 2004, with Rev. Sandra Wainwright officiating.
Richard was born on January 13, 1939, in Chicago, IL, to Byron and Dorothy (Courcier) Cropp, and died January 1, 2003 at the Veteran's Hospital in Omaha.
The family lived in Chicago until 1951, when they moved to Elmhurst, IL, where his mother and brother still reside. His parents both grew up in Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School. Mr. Cropp was a heavy equipment operator and was a veteran of the Navy.
He was preceded in death by his father Byron, who is buried in Villisca, along with others of the Cropp family.
He is survived by his mother Dorothy; four sons: Michael, Donald, Timothy, and Paul; a sister, Janet (Charles) Rose; a brother, Robert; and a friend, Geraldine Keeler.
Merrill L. Lantz
Merrill Leland Lantz, the son of Arthur E. and Hazel (Lindquist) Lantz, was born January 4, 1930 at Stanton, Iowa. He died on Sunday, May 23, 2004 at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak, Iowa at the age of 74 years, 4 months and 20 days.
Merrill was raised on a farm south of Stanton and graduated from Stanton High School in l949. He attended Lutheran College in Wahoo, Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan College in Lincoln, Nebraska. Merrill entered the U.S. Amy in l951 during the Korean War, being discharged in 1953. He was united in marriage to Alice Linn on June 17, 1956 in Red Oak, Iowa. Merrill farmed his entire life. He was a member of the Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Stanton, singing in the choir most his life. Merrill was also active in the American Legion Ernie Johnson Post #406 of Stanton. He enjoyed playing the piano.
Merrill was preceded in death by his parents.
Merrill is survived by his wife, Alice Lantz of Stanton, Iowa; two sons, Kirk Lantz and his wife Karla of Stanton, Iowa and Rev. Leland Lantz and his wife Marcia of Laguna Hills, California; 6 grandchildren, Aaron, Joshua, Jessica, Ethan, Emilie and Jonathan; a sister, Helen and husband Dr. Ralph Beasom of Los Angeles, California; two brothers, Clifford Lantz and wife Marjorie of Stanton, Iowa and Donald Lantz and wife Carolyn of Stanton, Iowa, nieces, nephews and other relatives along with a host of friends.
May God bless his memory and give strength to those who mourn.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, May 28, 2004 at 2:00 PM Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Stanton, IA Burial in the Mamre Cemetery Rev. Dr. Eric Kutzli and Rev. Leland Lantz, Officiating
Visitation with the Family on Thursday evening from 7:00 to 8:00 PM at the Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home
Memorials to Mamrelund Lutheran Church or Stanton Fire & Rescue
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.sldfuneralhome.com
Sellergren-Lindell-DeMarce Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Floyd (Irish) Earlywine
Private memorial services for Floyd (Irish) Earlywine of Villisca will be held at a later date. Wolfe Funeral Home in Villisca is in charge of arrangements.
Floyd (Irish) Earlywine was born May 6, 1923 in Rockford, IL, the son of Sylvester and Mary May (Schindl) Earlywine, and died May 19, 2004 at the Villisca Good Samaritan Center.
He married Joan Bern in 1956, she preceded him in death on December 22, 1996. Irish had been a truck driver for a construction company. He had served in the U.S. Navy during WWII from August 21, 1942 until December 24, 1945 and also during the Korean Conflict, from October 6, 1950 until January 19, 1952.
Irish was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brothers: Alfred Earlywine and Tom Earlywine, and a sister, Bertha.
He is survived by two daughters: Sally Earlywine of Villisca and Lisa Dugan and husband Leo of Villisca; three grandchildren: Lyth Marie Earlywine, Dustin Daniel Sperling and Megan Marie Sperling; one sister, Catherine Saxton of Rockford, IL.
Brenda K. Gray
Brenda Kay Gray was born August 20, 1944 near Rockport, MO, the daughter of Albert Lee and Demorah Ruth (Wooten) Webster, and died Thursday, May 20, 2004 at her home in Villisca, IA after a year-long illness. No services were held. Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
She was raised in Rockport and attended Rockport Schools. Brenda was united in marriage to Lenney Gray on July 1, 1962 in Nebraska City, NE. They lived in many different places including Red Oak, California, Missouri, and Wyoming for 24 years before moving back to Montgomery County 13 years ago. Most recently Brenda and Lenney have been living in Villisca. Brenda was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Myrtle.
Survivors include her husband, Lenney Gray of Villisca; children: Teresa Bobo and husband Jeff of Forth Worth, TX; Jack Gray and wife Neva, Tammy Rockafellow and husband Scott, and Kandy Brown, all of Gillette, WY; Sherry Gray of Sioux City, IA; and Sheila Fay and husband Don of Plattsmouth, NE; 23 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; sister, Ellie of Nebraska; and many other relatives and friends.
EVERETT OSTER
Funeral services for Everett Oster of Elliott, IA were held Wednesday, May 19, 2004 at the Elliott Church of Christ with Rev. Michael Hamilton officiating. Burial was in the Waveland Cemetery near Elliott. Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Everett Lloyd Oster was born July 3, 1921 in rural Villisca, the son of Ernest LeRoy and Jennie Marie (Copelin) Oster, and died Sunday, May 16, 2004 at the Stanton Care Center after an extended illness.
Everett grew up on several different farms in Montgomery County. He attended country school and later graduated from Grant High School at the age of 16 years old in 1938. Everett was united in marriage to Lucile Vannorstrand on February 26, 1946 near Elliott on the Vannorstrand family farm where Everett and Lucile lived most of their married life.
Everett was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Adrian Redinger.
Survivors include his wife Lucile Oster of Elliott; 2 sons: Evan Oster and wife JoAnn of West Des Moines, IA, and Edward Oster and wife Donna of Stanton; daughter: Eileen Redinger and husband Randy of Lake Mills, IA; 11 grandchildren: Eugenie Maybanks and husband Nick of Coralville, IA; Elizabeth Kinsinger and husband Tim of Rockford, IL; Chris Van Meeteren of Hull, IA; Amy Rodriguez of Des Moines, IA; Shaun Van Meeteren and wife Deanna of Urbandale, IA; Aaron Redinger and wife Shanan of Hanlantown, IA; Eric Redinger and wife Jennifer of Cape Girardeau, MO; Graham Redinger of Lake Mills, IA; Edward Lucas Oster, Emily Oster, and Ellen Oster all of Stanton; 7 great-grandchildren: Sydney Kinsinger, Damon Rodriguez, Dante Rodriguez, Samuel Redinger, Isabel Redinger, Brennan Redinger, and Peyton Redinger; and many other relatives and friends.
Memorials are suggested to the Elliott Church of Christ.
Kenneth R. Gridley 82, of Villisca, Iowa, died Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at the Good Samaritan Center in Villisca, IA. Kenneth was born March 8, 1922, 3 miles southwest of Grant, IA the son of Ralph Godfrey Gridley and Carrie Albertina (Johnson) Gridley.
Kenneth graduated from Grant High School in 1940. He was married to Dorothy Vetter January 2, 1943, in Maryville, MO. To this union two children were born: Sharon and Alan.
Kenneth became an Auctioneer in 1957 and a Real Estate Agent in 1963 and has been a farmer all of his life. His auctioneering skills were used for many occasions, such as the church auction, auctions at the school and using his equipment for announcing parades. Kenneth had a love for people and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. His hobbies were golfing and traveling. He also would include farming and auctioneering as a hobby or passion. Kenneth served in the Army Air Corps during WWII in Guam.
Kenneth is survived by his loving wife Dorothy of Villisca, IA, a daughter; Sharon Andrews and husband Ed of Grant City, MO and a son Alan Gridley and wife Marilyn of Villisca, IA. Four grandchildren: Jodi Ravenscraft and husband Brent of Parkville, MO, Trudy Swenson and husband Steve of Villisca, IA, Todd Andrews and wife Amy of Parkville, MO and Mindy Gridley of Des Moines, IA. Six great grandchildren: Jamie and Luke Ravenscraft, Mara and Grant Andrews, Cole Swenson and Jackson Gridley.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister: Helen Smith.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 14, 2004 at the United Methodist Church in Villisca, with Pastor Gordon Scott officiating. Burial will be in the Villisca Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Villisca.
The family has suggested memorials be given to the United Methodist Church or the Villisca E.M.T.'s. Wolfe Funeral Home in Villisca, Iowa are in charge of arrangements.
JACK CONFER
A celebration of life service for Jack Confer of Emerson, IA was held Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at the First United Methodist Church in Red Oak, IA, with Pastor Steve McKinney and Pastor Janice Carlton officiating. Burial of remains was in the Emerson Cemetery. Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Jack Edmund Confer was born September 8, 1935 in Red Oak, IA, the son of Glen LeRoy and Marcel Lucille (Ballain) Confer, and died Friday, May 7, 2004, at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak.
He was raised on the family farm between Red Oak and Emerson and graduated from Red Oak High School in 1953. Jack was stationed in Alaska while serving his country in the military during the Korean War. Jack lived in Texas for a short time before moving back to Iowa. He was united in marriage to Betty Andersen on February 9, 1958 in Red Oak. They lived on the family farm all of their married life. Jack was a member of the Hawthorne United Methodist Church where he was a trustee for many years. He was also a member of the Farm Bureau and the Red Oak Elks Lodge. Jack's favorite pastimes were spending time with his family, deer hunting, and trucking.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Confer of Emerson; children: Kerry Confer and wife Amy of Red Oak; Keith Confer and wife Colleen of Glenwood, IA; Ken Confer and wife Wendy of Stanton; and Kelli Confer of Red Oak; grandchildren: Matt, Mark, and Liz Confer, all of Red Oak; Katelyn and Kiersten Confer of Glenwood; and Cassie Gilliland, Cade and Marcel Confer, all of Stanton; brother, Glen Confer and wife Carolyn of Essex, IA; many nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.
Memorials are suggested to the Hawthorne United Methodist Church or the Heartland Hospice of Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.
