Bruce Crandall

Bruce J. Crandall, 83, entered heaven’s gate on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. He passed peacefully surrounded by family.  

A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, at United Methodist Church in West Union, Iowa. 

Burial with military rites will follow at West Union Cemetery, West Union, Iowa. 

  Visitation will be held Friday, Dec. 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at United Methodist Church, West Union, Iowa, and for one hour before services at the church on Saturday.  

Bruce was born on Oct. 4, 1934, at home in Fayette, Iowa, to Grace (Swale) and Theodore Crandall. He was the middle child of seven children.

Bruce graduated from West Union High School in 1953. He enjoyed playing football and basketball during high school.  

Marian Harford

Marian Harford, 62, of West Union died Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, at Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital, West Union.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at United Methodist Church, West Union.

Burial will be at a later date.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today (Wednesday, Dec. 13) at United Methodist Church, West Union, and for one hour before services at the church on Thursday.

Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, West Union, is helping the family with the arrangements.  

A complete obituary will appear in next week’s paper.

Linda Bright

Linda​ ​Lou​ ​(Luchsinger)​ ​Bright​ ​of​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​Iowa​ ​passed​ ​away​ ​on​ ​Dec.​ ​5,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​home​ ​surrounded​ ​by her​ ​loving​ ​family. 

She​ ​was​ ​born​ ​on​ ​March​ ​21,​ ​1947​ ​in​ ​West​ ​Union,​ ​Iowa,​ ​​ ​eldest​ ​child​ ​of​ ​Lester​ ​and​ ​Lois​ ​(Yauslin)​ ​Luchsinger’s​ ​​ ​three children.​ ​

She​ ​was​ ​baptized​ ​and​ ​confirmed​ ​at​ ​Union​ ​Sunday​ ​School​ ​(United​ ​Methodist,​ ​Clermont).​ ​​ ​

She graduated​ ​from​ ​Valley​ ​School​ ​District​ ​(Clermont)​ ​in​ ​1965.​ ​​After​ ​graduation​ ​she​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​Cedar​ ​Rapids​ ​for employment​ ​at​ ​Square-D. 

Linda​ ​married​ ​Don​ ​Bright​ ​on​ ​Oct. ​22,​ ​1966​ ​at​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church​ ​in​ ​Elgin,​ ​Iowa.​ ​To​ ​this​ ​union​ ​two children​ ​were​ ​born,​ ​Devin​ ​Lee​ ​and​ ​6​ ​years​ ​later​ ​to​ ​the​ ​day,​ ​Alesha​ ​Ann.​ ​They​ ​made​ ​their​ ​family​ ​home​ ​in​ ​the Denver, Iowa community.

Earl Aanes

Earl L. Aanes, 91, of Fayette died Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Memorial Services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, at First United Methodist Church in Fayette with Rev. Hyeunmee Kang officiating. 

Inurnment will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, at God’s Acres Cemetery in Clermont. 

Visitation will precede the memorial service at the church on Wednesday from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. 

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Earl’s name to First United Methodist Church in Fayette. 

Online condolences may be left at www.beckermilnesrettig.com. 

Earl Leonard, son of Lloyd and Clara (Erikson) Aanes was born March 3, 1926, in Clermont. 

He was baptized and confirmed at the Norwegian Lutheran Church in Clermont. 

He received his education in the Clermont Schools graduating from Clermont High School in 1943. 

Lafonda Meyer

Lafonda Marie Meyer, 97, of Fayette, Iowa, formerly of West Union, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, at Maple Crest Manor, Fayette. 

Honoring Lafonda's request, there are no services planned at this time. 

A private family inurnment, at the West Union Cemetery will be held at a later date. 

Lafonda Marie Meyer was born on Dec. 17, 1919, in Wadena, Iowa, to Alden and Lola (Whittenbaugh) Gell.

She graduated from West Union High School. 

In 1940, Lafonda was united in marriage with Merlin "Dutch" Meyer.  The couple made West Union their home for many years.

Lafonda moved to Maple Crest Manor, Fayette, Iowa, in 2005. 

Lafonda was the Deputy County Treasurer in Fayette County for 30 years, retiring in 1985. 

She was a member of DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), Royal Neighbors and Republican Women. 

Gerald Schrandt

Gerald “Jerry” Dean Schrandt, 76, of Ossian, Iowa died Sunday, November 19, 2017 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He was born December 12, 1940 to Herbert and Florence (Torkelson) Schrandt and graduated from St. Francis De Sales with the Class of 1958.

He was united in marriage with Beverly Green on May 28, 1967 at St. Paul Lutheran Church- Postville. Together they farmed and milked registered Brown Swiss and Holsteins.

Sports were important to Jerry. In his early years, he bowled on a Monday night league, played slow pitch softball, and later coached his daughters and grandchildren from the sidelines. He enjoyed betting on his Packers with neighbor Dakota and playing pinnacle with friends.

He could be found drinking coffee in Castalia at “the office”, attending auctions, and antiquing. Jerry also served on the Castalia Fire Department for over 50 years.

Nancy Hruska

Nancy Lou Hruska, 65 of Cresco, Iowa, died Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at home. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco with Father Dennis Cain officiating.

Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco.  

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the time of service Thursday at the church.

  Nancy Lou Mary was born on Dec. 5, 1951 in Winneshiek County to Wilfred and Victoria (Hageman) Lansing. 

She was baptized and confirmed in her faith at St. Francis de Sales Church in Ossian. She was a member of the Notre Dame Catholic Church in Cresco. 

Corinne Schoien

Corinne Elizabeth Schoien, 91, of Elkader, Iowa, formerly of rural Elgin, Iowa, died Friday, November 17, 2017, at the Elkader Care Center.  Corinne was born on August 13, 1926, in Monona, Iowa, to Herman and Alma (Torkelson) Schoien.  She was baptized and confirmed at the Highland Lutheran Church, rural Elkader where she was a faithful lifelong member.

Corinne graduated from Elkader High School and Junior College.  Following this she graduated from Iowa State with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics.  Corinne then worked at St Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids and St Mary’s in Rochester MN. She then decided to obtain her teaching degree from Upper Iowa University, following that she began her career at Valley Community High School in the fall of 1958 as the home economics teacher for the next 30 years.

Mark Whitver

Mark Christian Whitver, 61, of Las Vegas, Nev., passed away Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. 

Mark Christian Whitver, son of Loren "Buck" Whitver and Alice Mona (Jensen) Whitver, was born Oct. 16, 1956, in Jefferson, Iowa. 

He grew up in West Union, Iowa, and graduated from North High School in 1975. Mark continued his education on a football scholarship at the University of Northern Iowa, where he was a punter and place kicker. 

Mark was very athletic and after football, his many interests included golfing, tennis, racquetball, fishing, and skiing. Mark was also an excellent cook and frequently prepared meals at family gatherings. One of Mark's favorite things to prepare for the family was morel mushrooms, which were so delicious, they would melt in your mouth.

Karl Zweibahmer

Karl John Zweibahmer, 73, of Ossian, Iowa passed Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017 due to an automobile accident. 

Karl John was born Nov. 20, 1944 to Theodore and Lillie (Svendson) Zweibahmer in Ossian, Iowa. 

He graduated from St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, Ossian, Iowa in 1963.

Karl was united in marriage with Jean Holtey on Oct. 7, 1967 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Ossian Iowa. Together they farmed Southwest of Ossian.

After farming Karl did construction and repair work until retirement. 

Karl was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.