Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
Beatrice (Betty) Irwin
Services: 1:30 PM on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 at the Fellowship Brethren Church in Garrison. Visitation will be at Overton-Van Steenhuyse Funeral Home in Vinton on Monday from 3:00-7:00 PM.. Burial will be at the Garrison Cemetery.
Minister: Bro. Glenn Taylor
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Beatrice Elizabeth Irwin was born on August 25, 1913 at Utan, Nebraska; the daughter of Ernest Lewis and Mattie Mary (Noyes) Meredith. She grew up and started school in Nebraska, living in the towns of Ashland and Ogallala. Betty then moved with her family to Shellsburg and later to Marble Rock, where she graduated from high school in the class of 1931. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College and taught northwest of Garrison in Jackson Township. Betty was united in marriage to Gerald George Irwin on June 27, 1936 in Omaha, NE. They have made their home on a farm northwest of Garrison, farming together for many years. Betty was Gerald’s right had woman on the farm. Betty’s health had failed and was more recently a patient at the University of Iowa Hospital’s and Clinic’s, where her death came on Saturday, October 20, 2001, at the age of 88 years. She was a member of the Fellowship Brethren Church in Garrison. Betty was very active in church activities, 65 year member of PEO and the Federated Club. She was also involved with Farm Bureau and worked actively with the American Cancer Society. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Alice C. Meredith. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Gerald, a sister-in-law Eunice Wood of Vinton, 3 nephews; Richard Wood, Gary (Marilyn) Irwin and Dennis (Muriel) Wood and 3 nieces; Kay (Jack) Snow, Marlene (Gene) McMeans and Sharon (Phil) Diaz.
Mearl A. Jones, Jr.
Services: Graveside services 1:00 pm, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001, at Maplewood Cemetery, Vinton with Military Honors. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on Wednesday at the funeral home in Vinton.
Minister: none
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Mearl Arlo Jones Jr. was born May 23, 1950 in Iowa City to Mearl and Lillian Allcot Jones. He grew up in Vinton and attended school there, receiving his high school diploma from Kirkwood Community College. He served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971. Mearl lived and worked in the Vinton and Garrison area and on January 31, 1986, he married Cathie Pokorny in Vinton. In 1988, he and Cathie moved to Tama and he worked at Tama Pack. He enjoyed camping and fishing in his spare time. He is survived by his wife, Cathie, four daughters Teresa (Gerardo) Alvarez, Candy (Omar) Martinez, and Stacie Jones, all of Tama-Toledo, Lori (Corey) Hardy, Brush, CO, seven sisters, Sierra Sue Kerkman, Luetta (Bob) Rider, Nancy (Ron) Gray, all of Vinton, Evelyn (Ronnie) Bland, Shellsburg, Marlene Jones, Cedar Rapids, Mary Jean Fall, Hiawatha, and Marcia (Dan) Peterson, Elliott, IA, and eight grandchildren. Mearl's death came Monday, September 17, 2001, at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Grinnell. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Earl B. Keune
Services: Will be held on Friday, Sept. 28, 2001 at the Mt. Auburn United Methodist Church at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at the Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Overton-Van Steenhuyse Funeral Home, Vinton on Thursday from 4:00-8:00 pm.
Minister: Rev. Galen Peckham
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Earl Burdette Keune was born September 1, 1924, at Cresco, IA, the only child of Herb and Anna Meyers Keune. Earl was raised in Cresco and attended school there. He served his country in the Army during WW II. Earl moved to La Porte City in 1960 and worked as a truck driver for thirteen years. On November 23, 1970, he married Mary Degenstein in East Dubuque, IL. The couple lived in the Mt Auburn area where Earl operated the hog buying station. He was a member of the Mt. Auburn Methodist Church and the Emil H. Dutler American Legion Post #177 in Mt. Auburn. Earl's health had been failing and he died peacefully at his home on Tuesday, September 25, 2001. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Mary, Mt. Auburn, two sons, Kevin Keune and special friend, Maria Damone, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Kenny Keune and his wife, Tami, and granddaughter, Haylee, La Porte City, IA.
Donald Mathias Kisling
Services: Private family services will be held at Evergreen Cemetery.
Minister: Rev. Dennis Van Deventer
Memorial Fund: May be directed to the family
Donald Mathias Kisling was stillborn on Monday, November 12, 2001 at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He is survived by his parents, Donald Kisling and Julie Roster, both of Vinton, paternal grandparents; Marvin and Carol Kisling of Urbana, maternal grandparents, Curtis and Barb Roster and maternal great-grandparents, Wayne and Roxy Roster of Vinton.
William (Bill) McKenna
Services: Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Vinton. Visitation will be at the church on Friday from 3:00-8:00 PM. Rosary Service will be at 4:00 PM and Scripture Service at 7:00 PM on Friday at the church. Burial will be at the St. Mary's Catholic Church, Vinton. A luncheon will follow in the parish hall.
Minister: Rev. Joseph McGuire and Monsignor David Wheeler
Memorial Fund: May be directed to the family.
William (Bill) Robert McKenna was born on July 11, 1950 at Waterloo, Iowa; the son of Robert and Patricia (Klein) McKenna. He attended St. Mary’s of Mt. Carmel School at Eagle Center and graduated from Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville in 1968. Bill began farming with his uncle John near Hudson and married Earlene Youngblut on November 20, 1971 at St. Mary’s of Mt. Carmel. They moved to a farm northwest of Vinton in 1974 and Bill has farmed there his entire life. Bill also sold seed for various companies since 1979. He has been fighting a battle with cancer and his death came on Wednesday, November 7, 2001 at Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton at the age of 51 years. Bill was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Vinton and the Knights of Columbus, and served as a past Grand Knight. He served on the board of directors for the Farm Bureau and the Tama-Benton Coop. Bill was also a trustee with the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. He truly enjoyed watching his daughters play volleyball and his sons racing in stock car races. Bill never missed a time to visit with friends and neighbors. Bill’s life-long love of farming was recently topped by the joy brought to him by two little grandsons, Maxwell & Tyler. Max was born on Bill’s birthday and Tyler on Father’s Day. How blessed could a grandpa get. He is survived by his wife Earlene, his children; Charlie (Kim) of Clear Lake, IA, Tracy (Jay) Severtsgaard of La Porte City, Dan of Vinton, Dawn (Karl) Janssen of Vinton, John of Garrison & fiancée Nichole Becker of Shellsburg, and Kate at home, 2 grandchildren Maxwell McKenna and Tyler Severtsgaard, his parents, Robert and Patricia McKenna of La Porte City, 3 brothers; twin brother Joe McKenna of Hudson, Dick McKenna of Garrison and Gary McKenna of Vinton, 4 sisters; Lois Schmitt of Des Moines, Evie Schmit of Jesup, Shirley Roth of Mansfield, Ohio and Peggy Krafka of Solon.
Dorothy McNeal
Services: 10:30 a.m. Tue. February 6, 2001 at Overton-Van Steenhuyse Family Funeral Home in Vinton, Iowa with Rev. Rose Blank of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial at Garrison Cemetery in Garrison. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday.
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Dorothy Carrie Nessler McNeal was born September 25, 1913 to William and Martha Miller Nessler in Homer Township in Benton County. Growing up, she attended school in Garrison, Dysart and Mt. Auburn. On January 9, 1934 she married John H. McNeal in Dysart. The couple farmed in the Mt. Auburn and Garrison area until retiring and moving to Garrison in 1975. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Raymond and Francis, and one sister, Annabelle Wolf. She is survived by her husband of sixty-seven years, John, of Garrison, three daughters, Patty Fox and husband, Jim, of Ft. Myers, FL, Sandra Carlson and husband, Les, of Ozark, MO, and Connie Millard and husband, Gary, of Vinton, one brother, Clifford Nessler and wife, Eleanor, of Garrison, and one sister, Arlene Crowder and husband, Raymond, of Rippey, IA, eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Linda McNeal
Services: 11:00 am on Friday, January 26, 2001 at the Overton - Van Steenhuyse Funeral Home in Vinton with visitation from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, burial will be at the Garrison Cemetery.
Minister: Rev. Jan Ziskovsky
Memorial Fund: Directed to the family.
Linda Berger McNeal was born June 16, 1943 in Vinton to Charles and Ruth Eaton Berger. She was raised and attended school in Garrison. On July 9, 1967 she married Dean "Curly" McNeal in Vinton. The couple lived in Vinton and Garrison all their married life and Linda worked for area businesses, including Rockwell-Collins, the poultry processing plant in Garrison and Green Giant.. In her spare time, she enjoyed bingo, playing cards, gambling, puzzles, painting ceramics, drinking coffee with friends and spending time with her family and her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Jack Berger and one son, David Bray. Survivors include her husband of thirty-three years, "Curly," daughters, Glodeane (Greg) Owings of Afton, IA, Deanna McNeal of Garrison, Shelly Thacker of Tomball, TX, one brother Allan (Kim) Lindsey of Garrison and several nieces and nephews.
Chalmer L. "Bud" Meaker
Services: 2:00 PM on Wednesday, August 1, 2001 at the Overton-Van Steenhuyse Funeral Home in Vinton, with burial at the Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home in Vinton.
Minister: Rev. Rose Blank.
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Chalmer LaVerne "Bud" Meaker was born December 16, 1931 at Cedar Bluffs, IA to Douglas and Ruth Fredericks Meaker. He attended country school in Cedar Bluffs and then moved with his parents to Tipton. On May 22, 1954 he married Lucille Blanchard Lindsey in Waterloo and the couple made their home in Vinton. Bud worked as a folk lift operator for thirty-two years at Wilson & Co in Cedar Rapids, retiring in 1983. He was a member of the Vinton Eagles Club and the Sons of the American Legion. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling, playing cards, dancing and gardening. He enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs and NASCAR races and was an avid Dale Earnhart fan. He loved his family and friends and especially enjoyed being around his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, William. In addition to his wife of forty seven years, Lucille, he is survived by two sons, Marvin Lindsey and his wife, Gerry, and Richard Lindsey and his wife, Judy, all of Vinton, six grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
Leo Meewes
Services: 11:00 am on Saturday, January 27, 2001 at the First Congregational Church in Waterloo by the Rev. Timothy Ensworth. Overton - Van Steenhuyse Funeral Home in Vinton is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial Fund: Directed to the family.
Leo Meewes was born on a farm near Reinbeck, Iowa to George and Mary Storjohann Meewes. Leo attended school in Reinbeck and on December 25, 1923, he married Erna Lauterbach at Reinbeck. The couple farmed near Reinbeck until 1950 when they moved to Waterloo. Leo worked various jobs, retiring from John Deere in 1967. In his spare time, Leo enjoyed bowling, pitching horseshoes and playing cards. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Russell, Clarence and Dale, and four sisters, Edna Gruis, Mildred Rudy, Marion Squires and Margaret Davis. He is survived by his wife of seventy-seven years, Erna,of Shellsburg, two daughters, Barbara Holmes and her husband, Donald, of Vinton and Mary Lee Kuttler, Lakewood, CO, one brother, Warren Meewes and his wife, Betty, of Cedar Falls, one sister, Esther Lauterbach of Waterloo and three grandchildren, Jeff Holmes and wife, Angie, of Leavenworth, KS, Kathy Kuttler, San Diego, CA, and Barbie Hosler and husband, Jim, of Littleton, CO.
Mildred Merchant
Services: 10:30 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2001 at the United Methodist Church in Garrison, with burial at the Big Grove Cemetery, rural Vinton. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday at the funeral home in Vinton.
Minister: Rev. Jan Ziskovsky.
Memorial Fund: A memorial fund has been established.
Mildred Arlene Dicken Merchant was born August 12, 1917 at Dysart, IA, to Adam and Addie Swartout Dicken. She graduated from Dysart High School and on January 21, 1936, she married Willard Ernest Merchant in Vinton. The couple farmed in the Garrison and Vinton area all their married life. Willard preceded Mildred in death on May 30, 1985. Mildred worked for several years at the Case Implement dealership in Vinton and was a member of the Happy Time Senior Citizens. She was also an active member of the Garrison United Methodist Church, where she belonged to the Bethany Circle, the Kensington Club, and United Methodist Women. Coming from a musical family, Mildred sang and played the piano. She also enjoyed playing cards, sewing and was an avid reader. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, an infant daughter, Charlene Mae, a sister, Beryl Hollenbeck, and seven brothers, Gilbert, Dilman, Lawrence, Alvin, Dale, Mahlon and Lloyd. Survivors include daughters, Joan (Harold) Wright, Foristell, MO, Karen (Bill) Satterlee, Brumley, Mo, Amber (John) Jacobsen, Corona, AZ, Cheryl Sutton, Englewood, CO, son, Terry Merchant, Vinton, IA, sister, Betty Barr, Traer, IA, sister-in-law, Roma Dicken, Cedar Rapids, IA, thirteen grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren.
