The Henry County Road Department reminds everyone of the road closure of New London Road X23 south of Lowell beginning the week of May 22. Construction will consist of realignment and asphalt paving of the road. In addition Penn Avenue will also be closed to thru traffic. Work will take approximately four months weather permitting. There will be a posted detour route. If there are any questions or concerns please call 319-385-0762.
Dewain Wixom
Ronald Francis Shumaker
Ronald Francis Shumaker, age 98 of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Salem, Iowa passed away May 18, 2023 at Silver Palms Assisted Living in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Born on May 2, 1925 in rural Jackson Township, he was the son of Iliff and Gladys (Hallowell) Shumaker. On December 7, 1945 he married Kathleen Morrison in the parsonage of the Cedar Creek Church north of Salem. She preceded him in death on May 22, 2014.
After graduating from Salem High School, Ron was drafted into the military and volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps on September 10, 1943. He attained the rank of sergeant while serving our country during World War II participating in the Pacific Theater which included the Mariana Islands, Western Caroline Islands and the Iwo Jima operations. He was honorably discharged on November 27, 1945. Ron worked at various crafts starting as a freshman in high school for his uncle Charles Dietrick at the Blue Star Woodwork Shop and for The Furniture Mart, both in Mt. Pleasant. After returning from the war he resumed his employment with The Furniture Mart and also started Ron’s Upholstery in Salem. He worked at Sheaffer Pen Company in Mt. Pleasant for three years and then for six years he owned a home repair/construction business. In 1957 he and his wife operated the grocery store in Salem. In 1958 he found his calling and for the next 30 years he worked in industrial general maintenance, first for Advance Ross Manufacturing in Burlington and Washington, then Iowa Industries and ESP Battery in Burlington. He retired from Goodyear Hose Plant in Mt. Pleasant in 1988.
Ron’s memberships include the American Legion Post #94 in Salem, Forty & Eight Voiture #661, VFW Post #15016, Iowa member at large and Henry County AmVets Post #44. He was also a charter member of the Henry County Honor Guard and served until his health would no longer allow him to do so. He had also been a volunteer fireman with the Salem Fire Department.
Over the years Ron enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, bird and animal watching. His interests in Salem history, cemeteries, and ancestry also occupied much of his time researching and documenting. He had participated in sports in high school and enjoyed watching his grandchildren’s athletic events. He also enjoyed watching the St. Louis Cardinals and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Survivors include two daughters, Connie (Dale) Schau of Altoona, Iowa, and Marilyn (Dennis) Schroeder of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; son-in-law Paul Moeller of Salem; grandchildren Lori (Mike) Wall, Mike (Tiffany) Moeller, Monte (Kim) Moeller, Kit (Alissa) Schroeder, Ski (Ashley) Schroeder; eleven great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Gwen Foss, Darlene Owens, and Charlotte Bailey. He was preceded in death by his wife Katie, daughter Jeanne Moeller, and a sister Joyce Van Dorin.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 23 at Elliott Chapel, New London beginning at 9:00 AM, with the family greeting friends from 1:00 – 2:00 PM. Immediately following the visitation, there will be a procession to Salem East Cemetery for a 3:00 PM Graveside Service. Senior Vice-Commander Karl Schaefer will officiate with Military Rites presented by the Henry County Honor Guard. A memorial has been established to the Salem East Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com
Mike Orris Memorial Scholarship Given
The Washington County Fair Association is pleased to announce the 2023 Mike Orris Scholarship has been awarded to Iris Peterson of Washington High School. Peterson will be attending Iowa State University this fall to major in Animal Science/Pre-Vet Med. Peterson will receive $1000 for this scholarship.
The Washington County Fair Association is giving this scholarship away in honor of Mike Orris. Orris was a volunteer member of the Washington County Fair Association for more than fifty years who passed away in 2019. He firmly believed in the gift of volunteerism and spent countless hours of his time volunteering.
Peterson has spent volunteer hours helping at Kirkwood for Kids, school concession stands, Kidz Fest and the Holiday Light Tour. She is an eight-year member of the Washington Go-Getters, where she assisted with the Go-Getter Youth Rabbit & Cavy Club show, duck house building and county fair set up/clean up. Peterson is also a member of the Washington FFA, American Salers Jr Association, Washington BPA and a National Honor Society inductee.
For more information about the Washington County Fair Association, follow us on Facebook or at www.washingtoncountyfairia.com .
Shirley Ann Judd (final arrangements)
Shirley Ann Judd, 76, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at New London Specialty Care Center.
She was born on December 1, 1946, at Ottumwa, the daughter of Glenn D. & R. Elizabeth (Bailey) Winters. Shirley was united in marriage to Phillip J. LeHew in 1964, two children were born from this union Kevin and Natasha. They later divorced. On December 19, 1983, in Las Vegas, Nevada she was united in marriage to William C. “Bill” Judd. He preceded her on March 11, 2015.
Shirley worked for Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant for a number of years. After her retirement she enjoyed her pets, especially “Ms. Kitty”. Shirley enjoyed spending time with her good friends, Patti Scarff and Frank Reinier.
She is survived by her children, Natasha Schroeder-Miller, of Las Vegas, Nevada and Kevin LeHew, of Phoenix, Arizona, seven grandchildren, Philip, Cody, Payton, Natalie, Jasmine, Austin, Tyler and Logyn and four great grandchildren.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Bill.
A private graveside service will be held at the Oakland Mills Cemetery. Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com
Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for her arrangements.
Mount Pleasant Street Project Update
Aldrin-Jones Contracting is placing the last section of Concrete today on the tie-in to Vine St. and finishing Intake boxouts. Once the concrete reaches maturity the next step will be finishing backfilling and grading. Then all disturbed areas will be seeded. Depending on scheduling this project could be complete by the end of May weather permitting.
Henry Street-Starting Tuesday May 23rd Kinney & Sons will be closing Henry St. from just West of Marion St. to the East. Crews will be starting the removal of the street surface, driveway approaches and sidewalks working their way East. After crews get at least a block removed they will be grading, placing engineering fabric and modified subbase. Once we get subbase placed driveways will be temporarily opened back up for local homeowners. Henry St. will be open to only local traffic until the pavement has been placed.
Douglas E. “Doug” McDonald
Douglas E. “Doug” McDonald, 62, of Mt. Pleasant, died Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 27 at the McCoid Shelter House at East Lake Park, Mt. Pleasant. Cremation Rites have been entrusted to the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant.
Memorials may be directed to the family and left at the funeral home. On-line condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com
Douglas Eugene McDonald was born January 10, 1961 in Monmouth, Illinois. He was the sone of Raymond Eugene and Barbara Breneda (Billingsley) McDonald. He grew up in New London where he attended school. On May 27, 1983 in New London, Doug married Sheryl Moore. The couple later divorced. On January 30, 2009 in Mt. Pleasant, Doug married Debra Jean Hansen who survives.
Doug previously worked for Blue Bird Bus Co., Micogen Seed, Lomont Molding and the City of Mt. Pleasant Street Dept. Most of Doug’s working years were spend driving truck. He was an Over-the Road trucker for CRST, Shelman Trucking and West Wind Logistics. Most recently, Doug was a dump truck driver of Cole Construction of Bonaparte.
Doug enjoyed mushroom hunting and sitting on his front porch watching the traffic on Mapleleaf Drive. He loved his animals, but loved his grandkids even more.
Those thankful for sharing in Doug’s life include his children: Justin (Crystal) McDonald of Lockridge, Krista (Dan) McAllister of Fairfield, Jamie (Matthew) Krogmeier of Mt. Pleasant and Stephanie Childress of Mt. Pleasant; his siblings: Yvonne(Ray Griffin) Vorhies of Fairfield, Dayle-Lynn (Alondo) Blanco of Burlington, Rodney (Kim) McDonald of Kewanee, IL, Teresa (Eric) Wood of Kewanee, IL, Gary McDonald of Illinois, Ben (Nancy) Miller of Texas, Sharon (Ron) Graham of Arizona and Jean Westerbeck of New London; his former wife, Sheryl Moore of Danville; 12 grandchldren and 4 great grandchildren.
His parents, step father Byron A. Miller and 2 sisters – Carolyn Lair and Janice
Newman precede Doug in death.
Audrey Marilyn Kauffman
Audrey Marilyn Kauffman, 92 of Wayland, IA, died Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at the Parkview Home in Wayland.
Graveside services will be 1:00 PM, Saturday, May 20, 2023, at the North Hill Cemetery near Wayland, IA. Visitation will be from 9:00 AM till Noon Saturday at the Beatty Funeral Home in Wayland. A memorial in the name of Audrey M. Kauffman may be designated to the North Hill Cemetery.
Audrey was born May 28, 1930, in Wayland, IA the daughter of Omer H. and Imogene R. (Yount) Roth. She graduated from Wayland High School and was united in marriage to Dean Kauffman, June 11, 1950, in Wayland. She was a homemaker and helped her husband with Dean’s Super Value in Wayland. She enjoyed embroidery, baking cookies, rolls, and playing cards.
Survivors include her daughter Teresa Roth (Kenneth) of Urbandale, IA; grandson Justin Roth (Emily) of Urbandale, IA, and great-granddaughters Brynn and Hadley.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband December 7, 1999, and sister Verlee Miller