Alabama School Yearbooks by State and County
LeRoy 'Lee' Watson, 79, Keokuk
LeRoy Lyman “Lee” Watson, 79, of Keokuk, passed away on Jan. 9, 2017, after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.
LeRoy was born on Dec. 5, 1937, in Keokuk, the only child of LeRoy Clark and Marion Dutcher Watson.
He graduated from Keokuk High School, Class of 1956, and continued on to receive a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Iowa. LeRoy proudly served in the Iowa Army Reserve when it was activated in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis. After his time in the service, he began his career in the financial industry. He worked for 35 years as a stockbroker and retired from Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Inc., in 2000.
LeRoy was married
to Mary Ellen Ryan on Nov. 27, 1971; they were married
45 years.
LeRoy had an adventurous spirit. He had a private pilot’s license, sailed on the Mississippi River, and enjoyed road trips across the country, traveling to all 50 states. He was “Always a Hawkeye” and attended numerous Iowa Hawkeye sporting events over the years. He enjoyed playing in McNamara’s Band, singing in the All Saints Men’s Schola, and volunteering for Meals on Wheels. He was an active member of the community and served on various community boards, including Keokuk Catholic School Board and Hoerner YMCA. He was a member of All Saints Catholic Church, Rotary Club and Knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his spouse, Mary; five children, Chuck (Gretchen) Watson of Muskego, Wis., Molly Watson of Chicago, Jenny (Mark) Willits of Denver, Colo., Peggy (Brendan) Harris of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Bill (Emily) Watson of Chicago; and grandchildren, Claire, Emma and Madeline Watson, Colin, Alaina and Luke Harris, and Lucy and George Willits.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Centers, 917 Blondeau St., Keokuk, with family meeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
A mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at All Saints Catholic Church, with burial to follow in Keokuk’s Oakland Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be given to Keokuk Catholic Schools or the donor’s choice.
William 'Bill' White Sr., 68, Argyle
ARGYLE – William John “Bill” White Sr., 68, of Argyle, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, as a result of a fishing accident near Montrose.
He was born Nov. 8, 1948, in Mount Pleasant, the son of Ralph and Eva Jean Allen Overhulser White.
On March 15, 1980, he married
Linda Kite in Wayland, Mo.
Survivors include his wife, Linda of Argyle; four children, Bill (Deanna) White Jr. of Argyle, Tammy LeMaster of Argyle, Shellie James of Donnellson and Tessa White of Donnellson; 10 grandchildren, Marshell White, Wridge White, Gannon (Tess) Ruge, Leah (Kaleb) Bawden, Cody LeMaster, Ani James, Izi James, Josh James, Gabi James and Ari James; and a great-grandson, Weston Ruge.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and four brothers.
Bill worked as a farmer, logger, iron worker and fisherman. He enjoyed working, hunting and fishing.
A luncheon to celebrate Bill’s life will be at noon Saturday at Argyle Presbyterian Church.
Burial will be at a later date in Argyle Memorial Gardens, rural Argyle.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in his memory for Argyle Memorial Gardens.
Schmitz Funeral Home in Donnellson is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Alice Martin, 75, Elizabethtown, Ky.
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – Alice Marie Martin, 75, of Elizabeththown, Ky., died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown.
She was born in Keokuk and lived in the Hamilton and Warsaw areas in Illinois.
She was a member of Warsaw Presbyterian Church, attended First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethtown, and was a member of the Kentucky Fillies.
She worked at Casley’s Maid Rite, owned and operated Alice’s Beauty Shop in Hamilton, worked at Hoerner Box Company in Keokuk and Carthage Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Ill., and retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1992, where she was a rural mail carrier for 23 years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Eddie and Ina A. Cooper Richardson; two brothers, Eddie K. Richardson and Norman Richardson; and a sister, Phyllis Connell.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Dwight Martin; a son, Robert Dean (Sherry) Martin of North Glenn, Colo.; two daughters, Kay (Doug) Mesecher of Elizabethtown and Diana (Daniel) Bowen of Hannibal, Mo.; two brothers, Jim (Jean) Richardson of Hamilton and Joe (Linda) Richardson of Kahoka, Mo.; four sisters, Barbara (Kenny) Weller of Hamilton, Kathy (Alan) Rose of Keokuk, Karen (Joe) Hayden of Las Vegas and Sharon (Chuck) Huston of Hannibal; a brother-in-law, Joe Connell of Illinois; two sisters-in-law, Vivian Richardson of Warsaw and Ginger Richardson of Hamilton; nine grandchildren, Jeremy, Dreamma, April, Tiffany, Jennifer, Morgan, Amanda, Jackie and Martina; and six great-grandchildren, AudrieAnna, Kaylee, Dillon, Xander, Kayden and Cole.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Elizabethtown, with the Rev. Skip Dunsford officiating.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, and continue after 9 a.m. Friday at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Warsaw Presbyterian Church.
Wayne DeWitt, 81, Keokuk
Wayne Frederick DeWitt, 81, of Keokuk, passed away at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
He was born June 23, 1935, in Shelby, Mich., the son of Omar LeRoy and Hazel Phillips DeWitt.
Survivors include his three children, including locally, Sharon Marie (Dan) Kraus of Keokuk.
His body has been entrusted to Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.
A graveside service with full military rites by the Keokuk American Legion Post No. 41 and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron No. 41 will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Keokuk National Cemetery.
Gerald "Bud" Troutman, 80, Bonaparte
BONAPARTE – Gerald Lee “Bud” Troutman, 80, of Bonaparte, passed away at 4:31 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, 2016, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
He was born Sept. 8, 1936, in Bonaparte, the son of Elmer George and Gladys Irene Cummings Troutman.
Survivors include his wife, Barb of Bonaparte; two sons, Robert Alan (Deb) Troutman of Keosauqua and Dennis Lee (Peggy) Troutman of Bonaparte; and a daughter, Sherri Kay (Armando) Hernandez of Fort Madison.
Friends may call after 1 p.m. Tuesday at Schmitz Funeral Home in Farmington. The family will meet with friends from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Richard Eis officiating. Burial will be in Bonaparte Cemetery.
Scott Russell, 60, Keokuk
Scott Noelke Russell, 60, of Keokuk, passed away on Dec. 19, 2016, at his home in Keokuk.
Scott was born on Nov. 12, 1956, in Burlington, the son of Ned and Carolyn Noelke Russell. A resident of Burlington, he lived in Keokuk the last eight years.
Scott was a graduate of Southeastern Iowa Community College.
He served in the U.S. Navy with the Seabees.
He was raised in First Congregational Church in Burlington, and was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Scott is survived by his parents, Ned and Carolyn Russell of Burlington; two brothers, Craig Russell of Norman, Okla., and Tod Russell of Dallas; and a sister, Laura Russell of Chicago.
Scott donated his body to University of Iowa, Deeded Body Program.
DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Centers is in charge of arrangements.
Wesley Hulsebus, 88, Donnellson
DONNELLSON – Wesley August Hulsebus, 88, of Donnellson, passed away at 7:12 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, at The Madison in Fort Madison.
He was born May 30, 1928, at home in southeast Lee County, the son of Lawrence and Nora Hotop Hulsebus.
Survivors include two daughters, Lori (Butch) Welch of Donnellson and Lee (Karl) Stuekerjuergen of West Point; and a son, Marshall (Marilyn) Hulsebus of Donnellson.
Cremation has been entrusted to Schmitz Funeral Home.
A memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Schmitz Funeral Home in Donnellson, with the Rev. Bob Molsberry officiating.
Following a luncheon at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, a private family graveside service will be held at the Evangelical Cemetery in Donnellson.
Mark 'Dewey' Washburn, 59, Keokuk
Mark “Dewey” Washburn, 59, of Keokuk, passed away on Dec. 19, 2016, at Keokuk Area Hospital.
Dewey was born Dec. 11, 1957, in Keokuk, the son of Donald D and Pearl Solter Washburn.
He was united in marriage to Tracy Varner on Sept. 23, 1989, at United Presbyterian Church in Keokuk. She survives.
Additional survivors include his two daughters, Hannah Washburn (special friend Cody Payne) and Marlee Washburn (special friend Rex Shinneman); mother, Pearl Washburn; brother, Mike Washburn (Lisa and son Seth); sister, Debbie McPherson (Mike); nephew, Scott McPherson (Amy) and family; niece, Kristin Vinson (DeRon) and family; nephew, J.D. McPherson (Susan) and family; in-laws, Ron and Sally Varner, Leslie Lemon (Mark) and family, Rhonda Zetterlund (Ross) and family; and numerous other relatives.
He was a lifelong resident of Keokuk. Shortly out of Keokuk High School, he went to work at Hubinger Company, following in his father’s footsteps. He was employed as a grain miller for 38 years. He was a member of United Presbyterian Church and the local Grain Millers union.
Dewey developed a love of sports in high school, participating in track, basketball and baseball, and continued his baseball career at SCC for a year. He was on the softball field at Tumelty Park when he caught the eye of his wife, Tracy, who used every excuse to be at all of his games.
It was no surprise that both his girls developed the same love of softball. He coached numerous teams where he spread his love and knowledge of the game along with being instrumental in resurrecting the ASA program in Keokuk. His daughter, Hannah, credited him with her pitching success because of the endless hours sitting “on the bucket” catching for her. His other daughter, Marlee, was his official fishing buddy. No matter where they went, but especially to the Ozarks, their fishing equipment went with them.
Because of his generous spirit, he helped tirelessly and generously for other union brothers, during the recent lockout.
Services to celebrate his life will be at 11 a.m. Friday at United Presbyterian Church, with Pastor Dan Davis officiating.
Visitation will be after 3 p.m. today (Thursday) at DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Center, 917 Blondeau St., Keokuk, with family meeting friends from 5 to 8 p.m. An Elks memorial service will be at 8 p.m. directly following the visitation.
Memorials may be made to Keokuk Community Foundation, notation to the hitting building.
