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May 2020

Wed
06
May

Ossian restaurants opt to not open

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 12:22

Shooter’s Bar and Grill owner Chris Topel said she doesn’t plan on opening to the public anytime soon despite the Governor’s permission for restaurants to open now in Winneshiek County, with certain stipulations. She still has questions about safety and finds some of the restrictions too prohibitive. (Jack Swanson photo)

 

Ossian restaurants opt to not open

 

By Jack Swanson
jswanson@fayettecountynewspapers.com

 

They have the option to open but they’re not going to risk it.

The restaurants in Ossian are in agreement that it’s too early to open to the public despite the Governor’s consent that restaurants in Winneshiek and 76 other counties across the state could open May 1 with certain restrictions.

The added restrictions and overall safety of their staff and customers were the main reasons given by the restaurants for not wanting to open at this time.

“We are continuing with carry-out only. First of all I am not sure that legally we can open. It says nobody can sit at your bar area and the people dining-in need to be spaced six feet apart unless they are family. Then no more than six to a table. If you are opening, they want you to have disposable menus, no salt and pepper shakers on the tables, and major disinfecting procedures in place, so I am not comfortable with all the stipulations,” said Sue Lienau. She and her husband are the owners of Bambinos Bar and Restaurant.

Wed
06
May

Retiring amid a pandemic, Hart says goodbye to teaching after 31 years

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 11:58

Longtime teacher, Zetta Hart notes that one of her favorite memories of teaching kindergarten at the Valley elementary is being able to teach her granddaughters Zoë and Zaya (pictured).  (submitted photo) 

 

Retiring amid a pandemic, Hart says goodbye to teaching after 31 year

 

By Megan Molseed

mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

“The day Governor Reynolds told all of us that we would not be able to return to school this school year, I just felt numb,” said Valley elementary kindergarten teacher, Zetta Hart.  “The next couple of days were very emotional for me, as I’m sure they were for all of us.” 

For Hart, this announcement came with an extra sense of sadness, as the 31-year teaching veteran is set to retire at the end of this school year.  

“On March 15th, I thought, well maybe just a couple of weeks,” she said quietly as she remembered of the night North Fayette Valley Schools first closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am a positive person.  Always hopeful, yet in my heart I predicted we would not be able to return to school this school year.”

For Hart, it was the swiftness of the changes that made it all a little bit harder.  

“It was so, so hard not to have had a bit of time to talk about our needing to stay home with my sweet kindergarteners,” said Hart.  “I had no idea it would affect our lives as it has.” 

Wed
06
May

Linderbaum celebrates new baby while social distancing

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 11:52

Lenix Linderbaum was born on Friday, April 17.  While he was born into the time of social distancing, Lenix is surrounded by the unwavering love of his parents, sister, grandparents, cousins and many, many friends.  

 

Linderbaum celebrates new baby while social distancing

 

By Megan Molseed

mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

“I think what I worried about the most was that Scott wouldn’t be able to be there. I know at some larger hospitals that only the mother is allowed and not a support person,” said Amber Linderbaum of the day she gave birth to her son, Lenix Richard Linderbaum, on April 17 during the height of COVID-19 related social distancing.  

“Thankfully, that was not the case at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah,” she explained adding that while she was thankful to have her husband present during the birth, it was notably different from her experience with daughter, four-year-old Lenya. 

“It has definitely been a unique experience,” noted the young mother.  “I wouldn’t say I have been scared, but more worried about the unknown; sad that Lenix is missing many of the things that his sister had when she was born.” 

For Amber, daughter of Phil and Deb Kahler of Elgin, these differences began even before her son’s birth just over two weeks ago. 

Wed
06
May

UIU alumnus to deliver virtual commencement address

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 11:43

Neil Wilkinson

 

UIU alumnus to deliver virtual commencemdent address

 

 

An Upper Iowa University (UIU) alumnus will deliver the commencement address during the University’s first virtual graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 9. 

A native of rural Westgate, Neil Wilkinson, ’99, has been in the financial services industry since 2000, where he specializes in business planning, retirement planning, and estate planning strategies for Financial Decisions Group. He has held the president role at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of Iowa, Oelwein Rotary Club, and Oelwein Chamber and Area Development. A current UIU Board of Trustee member, Wilkinson is currently the chairman of Security Mutual Insurance and the Fortunaires Foundation.  He enjoys farming and spending time with his family.

Wed
06
May

Early retirement leaves little time for goodbyes for Vandersee

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 11:38

Denice Vandersee and one of her students, Carter Schlawin.  

 

Early retirement leaves little time for goodbyes for Vandersee

 

By Megan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

“This is truly not how I wanted to end my teaching career,” said Denice Vandersee, a special education instructor at North Fayette Valley high school. “Teaching online is not the same as teaching directly with a student.” 

For Vandersee, as with many of her teacher colleagues, these unprecedented times of COVID-19 and social distancing are causing a certain amount of sadness and difficulty as she adjusts to knowing she will not be returning to her students and her classroom to complete the 2019-2020 school year in person.  

However, for Vandersee, the grief is a little more palpable as she has been set to take early retirement at the end of the school year.  

“It was a very tough decision as to whether I should take early retirement,” the long-time teacher said thoughtfully.   “I kept thinking I would like to see this group of students graduate, or see next year’s students graduate.  I was thinking about how I would like to work with these students in the next play, or work with the current FCS (Family Consumer Science) group.  Coach another year of our Special Olympics.” 

Wed
06
May

Four decades of care for Deb Kelly

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 09:51

Ever since she was young, Deb (Schott) Kelly knew she wanted to be a nurse.  Inspired by her mother, Joyce (in photo), who had dreamed of becoming a nurse, Deb went on to study nursing at St. Luke's Methodist Hospital School of Nursing.  In 1979 Kelly accepted a job at the hospital in West Union where she has been ever since.  (submitted photos) 

 

Four decades of care for Deb Kelly

 

By Megan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

“When I was growing up, it still was pretty much a limited field for women who wanted a professional career, you either became a teacher or a nurse,” said 41-year nursing veteran Debra (Deb) Kelly.  

“I always wanted to be a nurse from the time I was in grade school, and my mother had wanted to be a nurse too, so I think it rubbed off on me,” she continued with a smile.  “While she didn't get to fulfill her dream until she had pretty much raised her family, she got her degree in 1986 and ended her career working as a home health nurse for Palmer!” 

Born in the 1950’s Deb attended nursing school at St. Luke's Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1978.  It was there that the 1974 Valley graduate encountered at least eight classmates with some variation of the same name.  

“I was born in the 1950's, so Debbie Reynolds and Deborah Kerr were popular film stars,” she laughed.  

While she did make friends during her time at St. Lukes, Deb knew pretty early on that she wanted to return home to begin her career in nursing. 

“I was so homesick the first few months, I almost quit and came home to go to Calmar,” she recalled.  However, the daughter of Sandy and Joyce Schott, credits her father for convincing her to keep going.  

“My dad told me I had to stick it out until Christmas, then if I wanted to come home and switch I could,” she recalled.  

“By Christmas, we were actually taking care of patients and you couldn't have got me home,” she laughed.  “That is why I chose St. Luke's for school over Iowa, you got to take care of patient's right away.” 

During her time in nursing school, Deb married her high school sweetheart, Jerry Kelly.   The couple moved back to the area in 1978, after Deb completed nursing school.

Wed
06
May

Jim Daniels

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 09:45

Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels, 83, of West Union, died Friday evening, May 1, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society in West Union. 

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control and Governor Kim Reynolds, gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Becker-Milnes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Wed
06
May

Lois Underdahl

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 09:45

Lois Underdahl

 

Lois M. Underdahl, 94, of West Union, Iowa died on Friday, May 1, 2020 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette, Iowa.

Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is assisting the family.

 

 

Wed
06
May

Ruth Traeger

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 09:43

Ruth Traeger

 

Ruth Elouise Traeger, 91, of West Union, Iowa died Sunday, April 26, 2020 at Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union, Iowa. She was born June 4, 1928 to Anson and Kathryn (Craft) Quackenbush in West Union, Iowa. 

In 1940, at 12 years of age, Ruth started her first job selling ice cream and then subscriptions for the Fayette County Union. In addition, she worked at the Avalon Theater. In her senior year, Ruth worked as an operator at Bell Telephone.

Ruth was united in marriage with Bob Traeger, Sr. on June 22, 1947 at Presbyterian Church in West Union, Iowa. Together they opened the Eldorado, Iowa Country Grocery Store. They then moved to West Union, Iowa and opened Big Value grocery, later renamed Jack and Jill. Robert and Ruth retired from store business in 1986. Ruth then worked part time at Kum and Go, Spirts and Such and the Town House. Ruth was proud of working over 70 years in the West Union community.

Wed
06
May

Brenda Zurcher

Submitted by Clauer on Wed, 2020-05-06 09:39

Brenda Zurcher

 

Brenda Mae Zuercher, 76, of West Union, formerly of Strawberry Point, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2020, at the Gunderson Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union, Iowa. She was born on September 15, 1943, in Fayette County, Iowa, the daughter of Otis and Vera (Frederick) Zuercher.  Brenda was raised in the Strawberry Point area and was a graduate of Strawberry Point High School.  

Brenda resided in Wadena for many years. She worked as a caregiver of elderly people in their homes for her entire working years. Brenda enjoyed collecting stamps and spoons, listening to music, and she loved all types of animals.  For the past several years Brenda resided in West Union. 

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