Paul Sawvell

Paul Sawvell, 83, of Fayette, Iowa passed away Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society in West Union, Iowa of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.  Paul Raymond, the son of Dorthy Douglass, was born July 20, 1932 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Postville, Iowa.  He was baptized February 27, 1937 at the Methodist Church in McGregor, Iowa and confirmed on April 25, 1968 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Iowa.  Paul graduated from Dubuque Senior High School on June 2, 1949. 

Marie Thies

Marie Lucille Thies, 98, of West Union, formerly of Clermont, Iowa died October 22, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society in West Union, Iowa.

Marie was born June 9, 1917 to George and Ruth (Carney) Seitz in McGregor, Iowa.

She was raised in Allamakee County. Marie graduated from Waukon High School with a degree in Normal Training.

Marie was united in marriage with Louis H. Thies on August 7, 1938 in Waukon, Iowa. Together they farmed in Allamakee County. 

In 1948 they moved to Colorado and farmed until 1951 and then moved back to Iowa to farm in Fayette County. During 1968 they moved to an acreage near West Union, where they remained until they sold out and retired back to Colorado in 1982.

After Louis’s death, she returned to Postville and enjoyed her garden and making quilts.

In 2009 she moved into the Good Sam Home in West Union.

June Clinton Rutt

Services for June Clinton Rutt, 92, of Golden, Colorado, formerly of Des Moines, Iowa will be held at 11:00 a.m on Saturday, November 7^th, at Grace United Methodist Church, 3700 Cottage Grove Ave. in Des Moines, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service with the family inviting all friends to a luncheon to follow. Private family burial will be at a later date at Grandview Cemetery in Fayette, Iowa.  She was released from the loving embrace of her family to return to her home in heaven on October 12, 2015. 

Raymond Senner

Raymond “Ray” Carl Senner was born to William and Mille (Pries) Senner on May 11, 1918 in Hawkeye, Iowa.

He was baptized and confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church, Hawkeye, Iowa.

On October 13, 1945, he was united in marriage to Donna Brockway at the Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa. Three sons were born to this union, Dennis, Kenneth and Randy.

Ray farmed near Hawkeye and West Union. Ray and Donna moved to West Union in 1966 where Ray began carpentry work.

They joined Zion Lutheran Church.

Ray enjoyed farming, gardening, building homes and traveling.

He passed away on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society in West Union.

Those left to cherish his memory are his sons, Kenneth (Janice) Senner and Randy (Virginia) Senner; daughter-in-law, Cindy Senner; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary Alice Gaffney

Mary Alice Gaffney, 68, of Fayette, Iowa passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at the S.K. Roger & Burnham-Wood Funeral Home in West Union with an hour visitation prior to the service.

Burial will follow in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Winthrop, Iowa.

Mary was born on May 18, 1947, in Independence, Iowa to Peter M. and Lily Mae (Leatherman) Gaffney.

Mary lived at Prairie View in Fayette for 24 years, where she worked in the laundry department.

She liked to watch game shows and loved the holidays. She also enjoyed reading books and playing games.

Mary is survived by three nieces, Cathy (Cary) Boleyn of Elgin, Colleen (Dale Sachtschale) Hilgerson of West Union, and Angela Nagel of West Union; 8 great-nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Lynn Cannon of Fayette.

Henry Fels

Henry Fels, age 99, of West Union passed away on Friday, October 23, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society of West Union.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church in West Union with a visitation one hour prior to the service.

A private family burial will be held at a later date.

Henry Ray Fels was born April 29, 1916 to Carl and Rosie (Wolf) Fels, on the family farm in Auburn.

He attended schools in Auburn and West Union.

On February 16, 1938, he was united in marriage to Virgie Pape at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Eldorado, where he had also been confirmed and baptized. To this union, three children were born.

Henry farmed for a few years on the home farm before moving to West Union where he drove a truck for Carpenter and Kraft. He also worked part-time for the Fayette County Assessor’s Office for many years.

Kyle Oyloe

Kyle Dean Oyloe, 46, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Friday, October 23, 2015, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Visitation: 4-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2015, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion, Iowa.

Memorial Service: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at Bethany Lutheran Church, located at 29746 Iris Road Ossian, Iowa 52161.

Burial: West Union Cemetery, West Union, Iowa.

Survivors include his parents, Carmen and Linda Oyloe; brother, Ryan Oyloe (Becky Dewing); best friend, Julie Gordon; several uncles, aunts and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Orvel and Stella Oyloe; Morton and Maythel Stee.

     Kyle was born August 21, 1969, in Cedar Rapids to Carmen and Linda (Stee) Oyloe.

After graduating from Urbana High School he attended Kirkwood Community College.

Gerald Heller

Gerald “Gary” Heller, 69, of rural Sumner, died Saturday, October 17, 2015, at his home near Sumner.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. George Volkert officiating.  Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Sumner with military rites conducted by Thomas E. Woods Post #223, American Legion of Sumner.  Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 20^th  at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the church on Wednesday. Online condolences may be left at www.beckermilnesrettig.com.

Art Amundson

Art Amundson, lifetime resident of Clermont, passed away at Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, at the age of 92. 

A celebration of his life will be held at the Clermont Opera House on Friday, Oct. 23, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a special music emphasis from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Memorial services will be held at West Clermont Lutheran Church at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. 

Harry Stolle

Harry Stolle, 93, of West Union, Iowa, died Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at Stoney Brook Village, West Union, Iowa.

Harry Stolle was born on October 22, 1921 to Harry Sr. and Genevieve (Gunderson) Stolle in West Union, Iowa.

Harry was baptized and confirmed at West Clermont Lutheran Church.

He graduated from West Union High School in 1939.

On November 18, 1943 Harry was united in marriage with Myra O. Olson at West Clermont Lutheran Church in Clermont, Iowa.

Harry served in the United States Coast Guard in the Pacific and Okinawa area during World War II.

After returning from the war, he and Myra farmed the Stolle Farm near West Union for fifty years. Harry also co-owned, with Elmer Olson, the Clermont John Deere Implement business during the late 1950’s.

In September 1992, he and Myra moved to Platte City, Missouri.

Harry returned to West Union in 2006 after Myra passed away.