Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
Harold M. (Moke) Ouverson, 86, Fertile, Iowa, died Thursday, June 27, 2002 at the Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa. Funeral services were held Monday, July 1, at the Church of Christ, Fertile, Iowa, with the Rev. Dennis Ganz officiating. Interment followed at Brush Point Cemetery, Rural Fertile. Military honors were provided by the Clear Lake V.F.W. Memorials may be given to the Harold Ouverson Memorial Fund.
Harold (Moke) was born Dec. 19, 1915 in Fertile, Iowa, the son of Martin P. and Christina (Erickson) Ouverson. He attended Fertile High School, graduating in 1933. In 1941, Moke enlisted in the U.S. Army. During WWII he served in the Pacific Theatre, Guadalcanal. Following the service he came back to Fertile to work on the family farm. Moke married
Ruth Smidt March 7, 1945, at the Methodist Church, Forest City, Iowa. In 1957 Moke and Ruth started the Ouverson Oil Station & Tank Wagon, operating it for 35 years. They were Cub Scouts and Boy Scout leaders for Pack 96, Fertile, Iowa which met in their home. Moke loved the soil and his country.
Moke was a member of the Church of Christ, Fertile, IA, the Clear Lake V.F.W. and the Mason City DAV. He was a former Brush Point Cemetery board member.
Moke is survived by his wife, Ruth Ouverson, Fertile; three children, Mike Ouverson and his wife, Nancy, Worthington, Iowa, Terry Ouverson, Herndon, Va., and Kris Ouverson, Rochester, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Dixie Harrison, Centreville, Va.; four grandchildren, Jennifer Ouverson and James Ouverson, Centreville, Va., Tim Ouverson, Worthington, Iowa, and John McCormick, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; one sister, Edna Hill, Forest City, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Moke was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Donald and Leonard Ouverson; and one sister, Irene Wolter.
Victor (Mel) Long, 76, of 121 N. 15th St., Clear Lake, Iowa died Friday, June 28, 2002 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa. Funeral services were Tuesday, July 2, at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, with Chaplin Kathy Graves of Hospice of North Iowa officiating. Interment was in the Clear Lake Cemetery. Military Honors were by Mason City Veterans Memorial Association. Family suggests memorials to Hospice of North Iowa.
Mel was born Dec. 3, 1925 in Clear Lake, Iowa the son of Edward Melvin and Sena Violet (Jenson) Long. After attending Clear Lake High School he worked for Miller's Dairy in Clear Lake. He married
Mary Olson on May 19, 1945 in Clear Lake.
Mel served in the U.S. Army during WWII. Following the service he came back to Clear Lake and started working for State Brand Creamery. In 1951 he started working for Cerro Gordo County Road Maintenance and later was foreman retiring in 1988.
Mel enjoyed traveling spending the winters in Texas, woodworking, reading westerns, square dancing and country dancing.
He was a member Mason City V.F.W., Moose Lodge, Eagles Lodge and the Clear Lake I.O.O.F..
Mel is survived by his wife, Mary Long, Clear Lake; a son, Harvey Long and his wife, Judy, Lake Geneva, Wis.; a daughter, Judy Merriss, Bettendorf, Iowa; half sister, Margaret Ann Collins; five grandchildren, Michelle Merriss, Clear Lake, Brian Long and his wife, Connie, Wichita, Ks., Mikal Long and his wife, Dulce, Fredericksburg, Va., Laura Fallon and her husband, Rodney, Newton, Iowa, and Sara Long, Mesa, Az.; and eight great-grandchildren, Jacob Fallon, Hope Long, Victoria Long, Emily Fallon, Hunter Long, Jade Long, Mikal Long and Capitola Long.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Andrew and Lloyd Long.
Paul H. Hefty, 60, of Conrad, Iowa, formerly of Clear Lake, died Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at the Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center, Marshalltown, Iowa. Funeral services were held Saturday, June 29, at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapels Funeral Home, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Derik Yarian, of Zion Lutheran Church, officiating. Interment was held at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. The Clear Lake V.F.W. presented military honors. Memorials may be given to the Paul H. Hefty Memorial Fund.
Paul was born Jan. 4, 1942 in Kearney, Neb., the son of Paul H. and Louise M. (Bintz) Hefty Sr. He graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1960. He then joined the United States Army and Green Berets. He served in Vietnam where he did three tours of duty. He lived on the west coast until 1978, when he came back to Clear Lake. He worked for Best Way in Clear Lake from 1978-88, when they sold to Ritchie Industries, Conrad, Iowa. He moved to Conrad and continued to work for them until 1995, when he retired due to ill health. Paul married
Jeanne M. Wood, July 5, 1980 in Clear Lake. Paul belonged to the Conrad American Legion Post #681, Conrad. Iowa.
Paul enjoyed fishing, reading western books by Louis Lamour, and watching Nascar races.
Paul is survived by his wife, Jeanne M. Hefty, Conrad, Iowa; his mother, Louise M. Hefty, Clear Lake; three sons, Darin Hefty, Wash., David Hefty and his wife, Dannette, Rapid City, S.D., and Stephen Neff, Des Moines, Iowa; one daughter, Dawn Neff, and her fiancé, Mitch Skellenger, Clear Lake; four grandchildren, Kendahl Hefty, Danae Hefty, Timothy Neff and Brooklyn Neff; one brother, Earl Hefty, and his wife, Jo, Clear Lake.
Paul was preceded in death by his father, Paul H. Hefty Sr.; and one grandson, Dayne Hefty.
Donald E. Blomberg, 73, Clear Lake, died Thursday, June 27, 2002 at Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake. Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 2, at the Anderson-Schmidt-LaCanne Funeral Home in Windom, Minn. with the Rev. Daniel Dettman officiating. Interment followed at the Lakeview Cemetery, Windom, Minn. with military honors by American Legion Post 206. Memorials may be given to Hospice of North Iowa.
Donald was born May 2, 1929 in Hendricks, Minn., the son of Olaf and Julia (Persson) Blomberg. He lived in Astoria, S.D. and then Sioux Falls, S.D. in 1942 where he attended Washington High School. Don enlisted in the Army in 1946 and served during WW II and the Korean Conflict. Following the service he moved back to Sioux Falls. Donald married
Janet (Jan) Peterson March 9, 1957, in Bingham Lake, Minn. They lived in Sioux Falls until 1960, Bingham Lake until 1972, Windom until 1987 when they moved to Clear Lake. While in Minnesota he worked at Toro Manufacturing.
Donald enjoyed reading the newspaper, keeping up on current events, having coffee with his friends, and Polka music. He was a life member of the Clear Lake V.F.W. 4868 Saratoga Post, D.A.V. and the International Association of Machinist Union Local 1956, Windom, Minn.
Donald is survived by three daughters, Darcy Johnson, Mason City, Iowa, Wendy Blomberg, Clear Lake, and Judy Sidebottom and her husband, Jim, Oxford Junction, Iowa; one son, Tory Blomberg and his wife, Debbie, Duluth, Minn.; six grandchildren, Derrick Palmer, Darren Palmer, Jennifer Blomberg-Breckenridge and her husband, Troy, April Blomberg, J.D. Sidebottom and Jani Sidebottom; three great-grandchildren, Jarica Blomberg, Judson Blomberg and Rachel Palmer; two brothers, Norin Blomberg and his wife, Dee, Sioux Falls, S.D. and Elroy Blomberg and his wife, Dee, Woodburn, Or.; one sister, Melba Dettman and her husband, Robert, St. James, Minn.; one sister-in-law, Eleanor Skovborg and her husband, Lawrence, Woodburn, Or. Donald was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Janet on July 29, 1992 and his brother, Vernon Blomberg.
Helen Lattin Chenous died July 1, 2002, five days after her 81st birthday, following a difficult battle with cancer.
She leaves her husband of 63 years, Orville; a son, Lawrence Steven, and his wife, Kathy, and their sons, Bradley and Andrew Chenous, of Argyle, Wis.; and a daughter, Susan, and her husband, F. David Eastman, and their sons, Jeffrey and Chad Eastman, of Clear Lake.
Joseph M. Fritz, 90, of Mason City, died June 30, 2002 at Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa. His funeral Mass was held Wednesday, July 3 at Holy Family Catholic Church, Mason City, with Father Dennis Cahill and Father Kenneth Gehling officiating.
Interment was held in Elmwood Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Joseph M. Fritz Memorial Fund.
Joe was born Oct. 19, 1911 in Brighton, the son of Edward J. and Theresa (Pieffer) Fritz. The family moved to Mason City when Joe was a small boy. He attended Freeman School and later Holy Family High School.
At age 18, he went to work for the Iowa State Highway Commission where he worked 14 years. Joe farmed north of Mason City his entire life, retiring in 1974.
He was a former Cerro Gordo County Supervisor and a member of Holy Family Catholic Church.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Florence, of Mason City; two children, Joseph Jerry Fritz, Mason City, and Jo Ann Burn and Charles Martens of Clear Lake; five grandchildren, Todd Burns and his wife, Marcie, of Hanlontown, Iowa, Robert Burns, of Iowa City, Julie Olson and her husband, Randy, of Mason City, James Fritz and his wife, Julie, of Plymouth, Iowa, and Jay Fritz, Mason City; one great-granddaughter, Taylor Neuhring, Mason City; one sister, Margaret Healy and her husband, John, Solvang, Calif.; one brother, Elmer Fritz, Mason City; one brother-in-law, Ralph Willier, Leland, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Marie Eggleston, Loretta Stanger, and Edna Fritz; three brothers, Paul, Wilford, and Emmett.
Major Erickson Funeral Home, Mason City, was in charge of arrangements.
Chadd L. Baker, 84, of 18074A Grouse Ave., Clear Lake, passed away at the Muse-Norris Hospice inpatient unit in Mason City, Friday, July 5, 2002. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Evangelical Free Church, Highway 18 West, Clear Lake with the Rev. Dave Wiersbe officiating. Interment followed at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Chadd L. Baker. Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Chadd Lavern Baker was born at home in Clear Lake, Iowa on Sept. 30, 1917 to Ferry Chadd and Esther (Holmes) Baker. He was baptized into the Christian faith in October of 1948 at Ellington Prairie.
He attended Mason City schools and in 1941 enlisted in the Army. Chadd was united in marriage to Jennie Oswald on Nov. 12, 1944 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
As a young man and farmer he learned to love the great outdoors and farming became his greatest passion. This love of the land was shared by his wife and children. They farmed in Cerro Gordo County for approximately 40 years. Chadd had a special interest in dairy cattle.
Upon his retirement in 1981 they moved north of Clear Lake to "Bakers Akers." During his retirement years he enjoyed the beautiful gift of children, grandchildren, and love of family. For 22 years Chadd and Jennie spent the winters in Arizona. Chadd enjoyed hosting games and watching good westerns, simple pleasures, simple faith. He had a delightful sense of humor, which helped in raising five daughters and one son.
Chadd is survived by his wife, Jennie, of Clear Lake; five daughters, Martha Gunderson and her husband, Jim, of Ham Lake, Minn., Mary Sawin and her husband, Bob, of Kensett, Iowa, Julie Azeltine and her husband, Pat, of Clear Lake, Jane Suby and her husband, Richard, of Garner, Iowa, Joann Kroneman and her husband, Allan, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, and one son, Alan Chadd Baker and his wife, Shirley of Ventura; eleven grandchildren, Melinda, Tina, Eric, Molly, Chadd, Kelly, Andy, Susie, Jennie, Ashley and Angie; three great- grandchildren, Brianna, Alley and Nathan; one nephew, Art Olsen and his wife, Juanita.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Marie Olsen, and one great-grandson.
William "Bill" Robert Beehner, 85, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, July 7, 2002, at the Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.
Graveside inurnment service with military honors by the Clear Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2002, at Memorial Park Cemetery, Highway 122, Mason City, with the Rev. Dennis Ganz officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time on Thursday at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 North 4th Street, Clear Lake.
William "Bill" Robert Beehner was born on Aug. 20, 1916, in Dunkerton, Iowa, the son of Otto and Ana (Schmidt) Beehner. He attended and received his education in the Dunkerton School system. Bill was inducted into the U.S. Navy serving aboard the USS Kuhha Gulf in World War II. He was united in marriage to Mary Carter on Dec. 12, 1944, in Telemuck, Ore. Bill worked for Borden's Ice Cream in Waterloo and Mason City for 42 years until his retirement.
He enjoyed golf, fishing, and woodworking, but his great love and enjoyment was his family and friends. He was loved by many, and will be sadly missed. His physical presence is gone, but his spirit lives on.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Clear Lake.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 57 years, Mary Beehner of Clear Lake; a daughter, Terri Daniels and her husband, Ron, of Clear Lake; a son, Doug Marston and his wife, Sandy, of Spring Lake, Minn.; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two brothers, Pete Beehner and his wife, Flora, of Montana, and Mike Beehner of Waterloo; one sister, Betty Heines and her husband, Bill, of Waterloo; as well as other relatives and friends.
His parents, four sisters, and two brothers preceded him in death.
After a short illness we lost our dear friend, Glenn Elmer Sexauer, on July 10, 2002.
Glenn was born in 1953 in Saint Louis, Mo. He graduated from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis and later earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Indiana University.
Glenn was teaching at the American School of Kuwait in the 1970's when he met his wife, Sheryl Evenrud, who was also a teacher there. They were married
in Des Moines, Iowa in 1981 then continued their overseas odyssey for 16 years as teachers of the Saudi Arabian International School in Riyadh, which was highlighted by their presence there during the Gulf War.
Glenn and Sheryl traveled the world together and experienced many adventures including trekking in Kashmir, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, and island hopping in Papua New Guinea and Greece.
Glenn and Sheryl later retired to Clear Lake, Iowa, where Glenn loved the people. He enjoyed biking, fishing, walking along the lakeside and spending time with family and friends.
Glenn was an eternal optimist, believing that, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing." His easy going sense of humor and considerate way kept our lives light and helped us all roll with the changes. Adults and children alike were drawn to his presence and comforted by his patience and ability to spin a good yarn. To Glenn, there was no such thing as a stranger, and he made us feel good about ourselves.
One of the things Glenn enjoyed most was sharing sunsets with his loved ones. His worldly ways, enjoyment of life and genuine interest in people helped make life an adventure for all those who knew him. While this sunset for his life with us has saddened us deeply and his adventure of life here on Earth has ended, we know that for Glenn another adventure has begun.
Glenn is survived by his wife Sheryl, of Clear Lake; parents Marilyn and Elmer Sexauer of Tampa, Fla.; a sister, Sally Logan and family, of Atlanta, Ga.; and a brother, Matt Sexauer and family, of Franklin, Tenn.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Lucille Wessels, 77, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, July 14, 2002 at the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City.
Her funeral will be held at the First Congregational Church, 205 W. 10th Ave. N., in Clear Lake at 11 a.m., Friday, July 19, with the Rev. Thomas Healey officiating. A luncheon will follow. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. in the Graceland Cemetery, Buffalo Center, Iowa. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 -8 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, Iowa. Family suggest memorials to First Congregational Church, Clear Lake.
Lucille was born July 1,1925, at Kensett, Iowa, the daughter of Henry and Nora (Taylor) Mandt. She attended school at Northwood and graduated from Northwood High School in 1943. She married
Glen Yerhot in 1946, later marrying Glen Lytle in 1948.
She was united in marriage to Roger P. Wessels on June 3, 1957 in Sioux Falls, S.D. They made their first home in Mason City, but moved to Clear Lake in 1958. Early in their marriage Lucille did alterations, laundry and assisted Roger in managing the Lake Theatre. They started X-Size Ladies Fashions in 1967 in Clear Lake, later expanding the business into six stores in Iowa, four in Minnesota and two in Missouri. They gradually closed the X-Size stores in the 80's; the final being the Clear Lake shop in 1985. Lucille then operated her L & R Ceramics business, which she had started in 1982, full-time, retiring in 1993. She then assisted her husband with a vending machine and trailer sign rental business. She was a member of First Congregational Church, Clear Lake.
She is survived by her loving husband, Roger P. Wessels, of Clear Lake; three daughters, Diana Silverstein, of Aurora, Colo., Linda Rausch and her husband, Larry, of Omaha, Neb. and their children, Eugene and Jerry, and Trudy Thomas and her husband, Wesley, of Lakewood, Colo. and their children, Rena and Zach; two sons, Gene Lytle and his wife, Jeannie, of Lakewood, Colo. and their son Jamie, and Roger G. Wessels, of Omaha, Neb. and one brother, Norris (Bud) Mandt and his wife, Kathy of Albert Lea, Minn. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Pansy S. Jones, 82, of 110 Main, Fertile, Iowa died Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at the Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa. Funeral services were held Friday, July 19, at the Fertile Lutheran Church, Fertile, Iowa with the Rev. Dennis Ganz officiating. Graveside services were at the Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa. Family suggests memorials to Pansy Jones Memorial Fund.
Pansy was born June 17, 1920 in Reeve Township, Franklin Co., Iowa, the daughter of Charles R. and Lizzie (Mutzel) Savage. She graduated from Garner High School.
Pansy married
Donald Jones on Dec. 23, 1941 in Albert Lea, Minn. They lived in Clear Lake where she was the first meter maid in Clear Lake in the late 1950's. She and her husband owned and operated Jones Standard Station in Clear Lake until their retirement in the early 70's.
She enjoyed spending their winters in Apache Jct., Az. area and the summers visiting their children in Iowa. She moved back to Fertile in June of 1993.
Pansy was a member of Fertile Lutheran Church.
Pansy will be sadly missed by her four children, Connie Barlow and her husband, Kaye, Tempe, Az., Donna Simpson and her husband, John, Clear Lake, Susan Reineke and her husband, Ed, Forest City, Iowa and Bob Jones and his wife, Brenda, Fertile, Iowa; thirteen grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and one sister, Donna Axelsen, Clear Lake.
Her parents; husband, Donald; two grandsons, Dale Simpson and Joel Haugen; and one brother, Devere Savage, preceded her in death.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.
