Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
Terry J. Ott, 57, of Fairbanks, Alaska, formerly of Clear Lake, died Jan. 16, 2007 at his home of natural causes. Private graveside services will be held at a later date in Clear Lake.
Terry was born June 11, 1949 in Mason City, Iowa the son of Donald and Verna (Pringnitz) Ott.
He graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1967, where he enjoyed wrestling and football. Following high school he attended college at Oshkosh, Wis., where he was enrolled in forestry.
Terry served in the United States Army. After his discharge from the Army in 1976 he moved to Alaska and built himself a cabin near Fox, Alaska. He later was diagnosed with diabetes and moved to Fairbanks.
He worked for the University of Alaska in Fairbanks at their power plant.
Nature, wildlife, kayaking, salmon fishing, bicycle riding and the adventures that Alaska had to offer were Terry's love.
He is survived by his mother, Verna Ott, Clear Lake; a sister and two brothers: Vickey Ott, Bland, Mo.; Rick Ott and his wife, Linda, and their two children, Angie and Brady Ott, Clear Lake; and Rock Ott and his wife, Barb, Clear Lake.
He was preceded in death by his father, Donald.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, is in charge of arrangements.
Zelma M. Petersen, 76, of Meservy, Iowa, died Friday, Feb. 9, 2007 at Weslaco, Texas. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake.
Marjorie A. "Marge" Becker, 73, of 111 Orchard Lane, Clear Lake, died Friday, Feb. 16, 2007 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.
Memorial services were Monday, Feb. 19, at Galilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Jeff Ungs officiating. Inurnment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Family suggests memorials to Galilean Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa.
Marge was born April 20, 1933 in Bode, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence L. and Margaret M. (Madsen) Wiuff. She graduated from Bode High School in 1951. She then attended Dana College, Blair, Neb.
Marge moved to Mason City and worked at Bankers Life, Mason City. She married
Richard E. Becker on Nov. 26, 1955 at the Lutheran Church in Rutland, Iowa. They farmed northwest of Forest City, Iowa for 25 years. In 1979 they moved to Clear Lake and she worked for Northern Trails A.E.A. in the business office until she retired in 1995.
She was a very active member of prayer sessions, women's bible study and church council at Galilean. She enjoyed golfing, boating, traveling, getting together with friends and playing cards. The greatest joy of her life was spending time with husband, children and grandchildren. She was a member of Galilean Lutheran Church, Clear Lake and the Progress Club.
Marge will be sadly missed by her husband, Richard E. Becker, Clear Lake; two children, Debra Ann Wieland, Solon, Iowa, and Thomas Lee Becker and his wife, Kimberly, their two children, Clair and Grace Becker, Excelsior, Minn.; her brother, Wilfred Wiuff and his wife, Nancy, Bode, and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Virginia Billings.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.
Donald Simmer, Jr., 68 of Prescott, Iowa died Feb. 19, 2007 at his home. Memorial Services will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 23, at Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Service, 809 West Montgomery, Creston, Iowa. Mary O'Riley will officiate the service. Open visitation will be from 6:30 until 8 p.m. on Thursday at Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Service. Memorials may be directed to the family of Donald Simmer. Online condolences may be left at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.
Donald Simmer, Jr., son of Margaret (Roseander) and Donald L. Simmer, Sr. was born Nov. 26, 1938 in Adel, Iowa.
On July 21, 1979, he was united in marriage to Paula Dinsmore at Lenox, Iowa. Donald was a cook for 20 years, cooking for the Commission for the Blind in Des Moines, Iowa and Tanks Wagon Wheel in Prescott. He then worked for Crest Union Glass and Quality Glass of Creston.
Donald is survived by his wife, Paula Simmer of Prescott; mother, Margaret Simmer of Clear Lake; step-daughter, Wendy McCallister and husband, Owen, of Edwards Air Force Base, California; daughters, Becky Simmer and special friend, Jeremy Klenk, of Prescott; Donna Vanderpluym and husband, Lucas, of Greenfield, Iowa; Margaret Siegwarth and husband, Rob, of Creston; brothers, Larry Simmer, Mason City, Iowa, Richard Simmer, California, Robert Simmer and wife, Colleen, of Clear Lake, Paul Simmer, Clear Lake, Dennis Simmer, Clear Lake, Francis Simmer, Ventura, Iowa, Dale Simmer, Mason City, Tom Simmer, Clear Lake, and Tim Simmer, Clear Lake; sisters, Karen Olinger, Clear Lake, Dixie Haugen and husband, Larry, of Clear Lake, and Sandra Katz and husband, Dale, of Mason City; grandchildren, Dawn Simmer of Prescott, Jenna and Aleigha Vanderpluym of Greenfield, and Kaydence Siegwarth of Creston; step-grandchildren, Lauri McCallister and Scott McCallister of California.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Freddy Simmer; father, Donald Simmer, Sr. and a niece, Grace Simmer.
Ed Thornberg, a former Clear Lake businessman, died Feb. 9, 2007 at the age of 94 in Cambridge, Minn.
Mr. Thornberg was a member of the Clear Lake Noon Lions in the 1960's and 70's. He owned and operated "Fun Stuf", a dairy bar, game room and gift shop located on Highway 18.
Mr. Thornberg also developed the area known as Maplewood on the north side of Highway 18. He built several of the houses in that development himself, one of which has a life-sized checkerboard. He and his wife, Bernice, owned a bookstore on that property called The Bookery.
He was active in both the Clear Lake Christian Church and The Evangelical Free Church. He enjoyed teaching Sunday School.
He started the National Hall of Humor and wrote several joke books, such as the "Minnesota-Iowa Joke Feud," and the "U of I vs. Iowa State Joke Feud."
Mr. Thornberg is survived by his brother, Herbert, of Cambridge, Minn.; son, James, of Belize; son, Steven, of Hinckley, Minn., and daughter, Susan, of Carlsbad, N.M.; 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice; daughter, Marlys; sister, Ethel; brother, Robert; grandson, Johnny; and his parents.
A funeral was held Feb. 15 at the Braham Evangelical Free Church, Braham, Minn.
Arlie Gabrielson, 88, Clear Lake and St. Petersburg, Fla., died Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007 at Seminole, Fla. A funeral service was held Friday, Feb. 23, at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess officiating. Interment was held at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Arlie Gabrielson Memorial Fund.
Arlie was born Jan. 13, 1919 in Radcliffe, (Hamilton County) Iowa, to Julius and Josephine (Amundson) Heng. She graduated from Radcliffe High School in 1936. She was married
to Donald Gabrielson on Jan. 16, 1938 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, by the Rev. Mostrom. They farmed in Radcliffe and Mason City and moved to Clear Lake in 1970.
She is survived by one daughter, Jo (E.R.) Lake, Treasure Island, Fla.; one son, David Gabrielson, St. Petersburg; one sister, Doris Merrill, Webster City, Iowa; five grandchildren, Kim (Lonny) Smith Bellefontaine, Ohio, Tim (Lori) Yocum, Story City, Iowa, Paul Gabrielson, Colorado Springs, Colo., Janeice (Bruce) Queen, Parker, Colo., Jodie (Brian) Chute, Parker, Colo.; 14 great-grandchildren, Ashley Smith, Aaron (Lindsay) Smith, Rebekah (Tony) Denning, Kristiana, Rachael, Lauren, Jacob, Jarah and "Bill" Samatha Smith, Shay, Jacob and Rachel Queen and Colby and Brendan Chute.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Donald Gabrielson, on Dec. 7, 1984.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.
Maida Morrison Scott, 90, of Grundy Center, Iowa, formerly of Clear Lake, Iowa, died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007, at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital-Long Term Care Unit in Grundy Center, Iowa, while under the care of Amenity Hospice. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Feb. 27, at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center with Pastor Dave Soldner officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center.
Memorials may be directed to Amenity Hospice, 211 First Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401.
Maida Morrison Scott was born Aug. 26, 1916, the daughter of Ray and Mabel (Nickerson) Morrison. She attended rural school through 8th grade and graduated from Grundy Center High School in 1934 with a normal training school certificate. Maida began teaching in a rural school, attending UNI for 17 summers to receive a certificate to teach junior high English. She taught for 45 years in Iowa before retiring. She then went to Texas and was a substitute teacher.
Maida married
Paul Davis on July 28, 1939. She had two children, Bette Lee (Oliver) Haworth of Humble, Texas and Robert Paul (Karen) Davis of Marshalltown, Iowa. She later married
Richard R. Scott in Clear Lake.
Maida was an avid bowler for many years and played softball for the Watkins Coal Company in her younger years. She loved to read, take care of her plants, play with her cats, and watch the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Maida is survived by her daughter, Bette Lee Haworth and her husband, Oliver; her son, Robert Paul Davis and his wife, Karen; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, Raena Kenyon and her husband, Maynard, of Reinbeck, Iowa, and Ann Rae Billerbeck and her husband, Don, of Reinbeck, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Mabel Morrison; one brother, Vaughn Odell Morrison; one granddaughter, Sue Davis; and two nephews, Larry Saak and Jim Anderson.
Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home of Grundy Center was in charge of arrangements.
John Matteson, 62, of 904 S. 15th St., Clear Lake, died Monday, Feb. 26, 2007 at his home after a year long battle with pancreatic cancer. A funeral service will be held Friday, March 2, 10 a.m., at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 508 2nd Ave N., with the Rev. Diana Hoover officiating. Interment will be held at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Military honors will be by the Clear Lake V.F.W.
Visitation will be Thursday, 5 - 7:30 p.m. at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to Hospice of North Iowa, the American Cancer Society or the Clear Lake United Methodist Church.
John Hendley Matteson was born on Sept. 16, 1944, in Morris, Ill., son of Hendley and Elsie (Johnson) Matteson. He graduated from Morris High School in 1962 and The University of Illinois in 1966. After college he was drafted and served in the Army from 1966-1968, spending a year in Vietnam in the Veterinary Corp.
John was employed by Hormel Foods as a consultant in the Feed Division. Prior to that he owned and operated Northwood Feed and Farm Supply in Northwood, Iowa. In his free time, John enjoyed golfing, building and flying model airplanes and vegetable gardening. He also spent countless hours watching sports and placed many a friendly wager on the Cubs, Bears and Fighting Illini. John enjoyed cooking, grilling, and was well known for his rhubarb pie.
John was an active member of River City Radio Control for over 20 years. He was a member of the Clear Lake V.F.W. and the Clear Lake United Methodist Church.
John is survived by his wife of 23 years, Merri (Edgar) Matteson; daughter, Julia Hill, and her husband, Jon, of Fort Worth, Texas; his son, Joel Matteson, and Erin Thompson of Baltimore, Md.; two brothers, Jim Matteson and his wife, Ginny, of Mazon, Ill., and Dave Matteson and his wife, Candy also of Mazon.
John was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters.
Phyllis Lucile Duey Fight Cottingham, 94, passed away of natural causes on Sunday, Feb. 25, at Clear Lake. No public services will be held. A family memorial will take place at a later date. Inurnment will be at the Derby Cemetery, Derby, Iowa. Memorials may be made to the Clear Lake United Methodist Church of the Clear Lake Public Library.
Phyllis was born Sept. 21, 1912, in REpublic County, Kansas. She was the oldest of 12 children of Clarence Martin Duey and Edna Myrtle Howard.
Phyllis spent much of her youth on the family dairy farm near Chester, Neb. After graduating from high school with honors, she took the Normal Training courses and taught in rural schools beginning in Nebraska at age 17. Later, while teaching in Iowa, she met Rollie Verl Fight, also a teacher. They were married
in Bloomfield, Iowa on May 28, 1938. She assumed the role of mother to her new stepson and was a successful homemaker and mother to their four children. Phyllis and rollie farmed mostly near Derby, Humeston, and LeRoy, Iowa. Rollie passed away on Oct. 31, 1980, at the age of 79.
Phyllis served as a 4-H Club leader for many years, was active in Yorel Study Club, Leroy Presbyterian Church, Leon Presbyterian Church, Velda Rose United Methodist Church in Mesa, Az, and the United Methodist Church in Clear Lake. She had a great love for reading and enjoyed music.
Following several government jobs in Decatur County, Iowa, Phyllis was honored by the Leon Business and Professional Women's Organization as Woman of the Year in 1984. Later that year Phyllis moved to Mesa and married
Lloyd Cottingham on Dec. 12, 1984. He passed away in 1994. Phyllis returned to Iowa in 2002 and lived at Courtyard Assisted Living in Clear Lake until her death.
Phyllis is survived by her stepson, Gerald Eugene Fight of Fallbrook, Calif.; sons, Larry Verl (Erma) Fight of Davenport, Iowa, Roger Dean (Kristi) Fight of Sequim, Wash.; daughters, Kathleen Edna (John) Eft, Clive, Iowa, and Norma Lee (Roger) Walston, Clear Lake. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two brother; two sisters; and by her special friend, Newell Hamilton of Mesa.
She was preceded in death by husbands Rollie Verl Fight and Lloyd Cottingham; grandson, Timothy Jay Fight; four sisters and three brothers.
Ward-Van Slyke Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Betty C. Secory, 82, of 1810 N. 8th St., Clear Lake, died Saturday, March 3, 2007 at her home.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess and the Rev. Jeff Ungs of Galilean Lutheran Church officiating. Interment will be in Clear Lake Cemetery. Family suggests memorials to the Betty Secory memorial fund.
Betty was born Jan. 21, 1925 in Clear Lake, the daughter of Harold and Laura (Hansen) Foster. She graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1943.
Betty married
her high school sweet heart, Lawrence "Larry" Secory, on Sept. 14, 1946 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake.
She enjoyed her monthly class reunion meetings, attending prayer groups at Galilean, antiquing, eating out, her dogs, but most of all spending time with her grandkids and great-grandkids. She was well known for her Texas Sheet Cake and her potato salad.
She was a lifetime member of Zion Lutheran Church.
Betty is survived by her three children: Joel Secory and his wife, Julie, Jon Secory and his wife, Sue, and Sue Dwyer and her husband, Kim, all of Clear Lake; nine grandchildren: Joel Secory II and his wife, Amanda, Clear Lake, Dr. Adam Secory and his wife, Jaime, Waukee, Iowa, Allison Secory, West Des Moines, Iowa, Ted Secory, West Des Moines, Michael Dwyer and his wife, Shelby, Clear Lake, Tim Secory, West Des Moines, Scott Dwyer, West Des Moines, Andrew "Rip" Secory, Iowa City, Iowa and Cory Dwyer, Iowa City; two great-grandchildren, Quintin Masteller and Elle Ryan Secory; brother-in-law, Don Secory and his wife, Marge, Hemet, Calif. and sister-in-law, Karen Secory, Clear Lake.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Larry, on June 24, 2006 and an infant daughter.
Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.
