December 2020

Wed
02
Dec

Timothy Heller

Timothy Heller

 

Timothy Walter Heller, 55, of Elgin, Iowa died Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was born October 8, 1965 to Elmer and Nancy (Pape) Heller in Waterloo, Iowa.

Tim attended West High School and later earned his G.E.D.

Tim was united in marriage with Deborah Coxin. One son was born to this union. They later divorced. Throughout the years, Tim worked for Lee Brown Construction. He enjoyed hunting mushrooms, studying herbs and uses of them, bird watching and spending time on the Pape Farm.

Surviving Timothy are his mother, Nancy Heller of Clermont; one son, Tony (special friend, April Martin) Heller of Evansdale, Iowa; special friend, Gwendy Julian of Tama, Iowa; brothers, Pat (Kayla Stevenson) Heller of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Mike (Mary) Heller of Clermont, Iowa; and one brother-in-law, Allan Rosauer of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Wed
02
Dec

Jennie Cushion

Jennie Cushion

 

Jennie L. Cushion, 90, of Maynard, Iowa died Tuesday afternoon, November 24, 2020 at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner, Iowa.

A private family visitation and funeral service will be held at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Maynard with Rev. John Kerr officiating.

Interment: Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein.

Family and friends may view the services Friday, December 4, 2020 on the funeral home website www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com

Memorials may be directed in her name to the Maynard Fire Department.

Wed
02
Dec

David Van Sickle

David Van Sickle

 

David F. VanSickle, 56, of Mt. Pleasant formerly of Elgin passed away on Thursday, November 26, 2020, at his home, surrounded by his family.

  Dave was born on January 31, 1964, in Germany, the son of Donald Doyle & Connie Mae (Canfield) VanSickle.  He was united in marriage to Natalie Smith on October 4, 2008, in Mt. Pleasant.  While he was living in northeast Iowa, he mowed and drove a truck for Baker Concrete and Excavating and worked at Decorah Ford, as a mechanic.  Dave also served on the Clermont Fire Department.  After relocating to southeast Iowa, he worked for Ideal Concrete for a few years as a heavy equipment operator, and at Pizza Ranch of Mt. Pleasant and Burlington as assistant manager.  In his free time away from work, he enjoyed riding motorcycle, watching Andy Griffith and MASH Marathons, camping and traveling to Mexico.

Wed
02
Dec

Audrey and Donald Vagts

Audrey and Donald Vagts

 

Donald (Andy) and Audrey Vagts were married on November 27, 1955 at First Lutheran Church, Ossian, Iowa. 

Helping them celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary are their children: Mark (Joan) Vagts,  Marcia (Hoss) Foadian, and  Marlys (Chuck) Bushman, 13 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

Please help Andy and Audrey celebrate this milestone by sending cards to: 102 Lincoln  Way, West Union, Iowa, 52175.

 

 

Wed
02
Dec

Making the most of a different holiday season in a pandemic

Dirk and Cindy Torkelson have spent much of the pandemic working with their children and babysitting their grandchildren.  Because of this, the local couple was able to celebrate the holiday with many of their family members while staying safe.  (submitted photo) 

 

Making the most of a different hliday season in a pandemic

 

By Megan Molseed
mmolseed@thefayettecountyunion.com

 

 

 

“Our Thanksgiving, like most peoples, was a little different this year,” said Cindy Torkelson. 

“Although, we are probably luckier than many people since our family works together everyday,” the local grandmother continued of her and her husband Dirk’s, tight-knit family.  “I am the ‘Daycare Grandma’ for Jerrod and Royale’s three boys so we are all kind of a package deal right now!” 

During any other year on Thanksgiving, the Torkelson clan would be celebrating with a house full of friends and family.  However, this year, because of COVID-19, the celebrations were a little smaller and a lot quieter. 

Wed
02
Dec

Seeking COVID-19 plasma donors at blood drive in Elgin today

Seeking COVID-19 plasma donors at blood drive in Elgin today

 

By Jack Swanson
jswanson@fayettecountynewspapers.com

 

 

LifeServe Blood Center, the sole provider of blood to more than 120 hospitals across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, is seeking community members who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 antibodies to donate convalescent plasma to meet the dramatically rising plasma needs of local hospitals.

LifeServe is hoping to get some of these donors to come forward at their upcoming blood drive today, Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., at the Elgin Legion Hall, 308 Mill Ave.

Wed
02
Dec

Christmas trees for a cause

Fresh Christmas trees will now be available in West Union. Dick Jensen (center) is teaming up with area merchants Bruce Fink (left) owner of West Union Hardware and Gail Hackman (right) owner of Old Mill Floral, to sell some of the spruce trees he is thinning out near the Memory Forest. All proceeds will go towards improvements and upkeep at the Fayette County Fairgrounds and the Jensen Trails. (Jack Swanson photo)

 

Christmas trees for a cause

 

By Jack Swanson
jswanson@fayettecountynewspapers.com

 

 

When a self-proclaimed “tree-hugger” decides to cut down a tree you know it must be for a good reason. When he decides to cut down several trees, it must be for an even better reason.

Well, that’s exactly what West Union tree-hugger and renowned environmentalist Dick Jensen is doing right now. Jensen, originator of the Jensen Nature Trail that runs into and a few miles beyond Echo Valley Park and the host of the annual classroom conservation field trip for area schools, planted 100 spruce trees near his Forest of Memories, located on the north side of town, behind the Dollar General Store. Recently he found out that 100 trees in that space was just too many.

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