Iowa County obituaries, Feb. 10, 2011

James Mead, 96

Funeral services for James V. Mead, 96, Marengo, were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. He died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011, at West Ridge Care Center, Cedar Rapids.

Burial was in the Marengo Cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established to benefit Kent Park in Johnson County.

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

James Vernon “Jim” Mead was born June 3, 1914, in Brunsville, the son of James Francis and Emma Winchester Mead. He attended school in LeMars.

He was a self-employed painting contractor for many years and enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and traveling.

Mead is survived by one son and his wife, James W. and Barb Mead, Cedar Rapids; two daughters and their husbands, Emma and Wes Ensign, Fremont, Calif., and Judy and Jeff Jones, Lisbon; four grandchildren, James Mead, Brighton, England; Katherine Coffee, Berkley, Calif.; Jeff Jones II and Jason Jones, both Cedar Rapids, and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Olive; his wife Leliah; siblings, Francis Henry Mead, Lou Ella Mary Schultz, Ida Mae Larson, Robert Mead, Sherman Mead, Laura Bolt, Irene McEnery, Lucille Hirchert, Edward Mead and Fern Grondeschek, and close friend, Ruth Rotter.

Kathryn McCallister, 94

Funeral services for Kathryn E. McCallister, 94, Williamsburg, were held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Williamsburg. She went home to be with her Lord and Savior and joined her husband and all her loved ones already in Heaven, Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, after a 10-year heroic and gracious struggle with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Rev. James Parks officiated at the service.

Burial was in Pilot Grove Cemetery, Williamsburg.

A memorial fund has been established.

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

Kathryn Elizabeth McCallister was born Dec. 21, 1916, in Marengo, the daughter of Julius Marcus and Minnie Marie Gorsh Hadenfeldt. She graduated from Marengo High School in 1935 and immediately began her teaching career. She continued her studies while teaching and received her bachelor’s degree from William Penn College in 1968.

She married George McCallister Feb. 16, 1940, in Marengo. In addition to helping her husband on the farm, she taught in the Iowa County schools in the Williamsburg area for many years, the most recent being Parnell Elementary School.

Following her retirement from teaching, she worked in the nursing home and also for various businesses in the community.

She enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family. She was very fond of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and enjoyed attending their activities. She was very social and enjoyed getting out to the many community events and entertainment.

Kathryn was an amazing woman, devoted wife, outstanding teacher, loving mother, grandmother and sister and a trusted and loyal friend. She had a tremendous work ethic, endless energy and a love of whatever she was doing. It was like she never slept, she didn’t want to miss a minute of life. She was one of a kind and will leave many with an empty space in their heart. She had a beautiful smile for all and will be truly missed.

McCallister is survived by two sons, George Jr., Parnell, and Dan and wife Kathy, Williamsburg; one daughter, Angie McCallister, Williamsburg; six grandchildren and their spouses, Carrie and Joe Meade, Parnell; Emmy and Eric Quaintance, Solon; Kati and Andy Friederichs, Fort Worth, Texas; Dustin McCallister, Austin, Texas, and Jeremy Mumm and Tammy Larson, both Williamsburg; seven great-grandchildren, Austin and Allison Quaintance, McCall, Olivia, Gable and Max Meade and Sophia Friederichs, and one brother and his wife, Donald and Rebecca Hadenfeldt, Williamsburg.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 2007; her parents; one sister, Larene Coover; two brothers, Ervin and Kenneth Hadenfeldt, and one grandson, Nathan Wiebold.

Mary Becker, 75

Funeral services for Mary E. Becker, 75, Marion, formerly of Marengo, were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, at First United Methodist Church, Marengo. She died Saturday morning, Feb. 5, 2011, from complications of cancer.

Burial was in St. Patrick’s and Paul’s Cemetery, Watkins.

A memorial fund has been established.

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

Mary Elizabeth Becker was born March 10, 1935, in rural Springville, the daughter of Louis Edward and Rosey Schley Knapp. She received her early education in the Linn County and Marion schools and attended high school in Norway and Conroy. She received her high school diploma from Kirkwood High School in 1986.

She married Michael W. Becker Oct. 23, 1952, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Marengo. The couple later divorced.

She marred Myron “Ron” Miller and they later divorced.

She worked at the Amana Woolen Mills, Collins Radio and Amana Refrigeration. She also worked for over 20 years as a baker for several Amana restaurants and the farmers’ markets. Pies were her speciality.

She was a member of the Marengo American Legion Auxiliary and the Cowboy Church, Shueyville.

Becker is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Joyce and Mike Kitson, Marengo; Theresa and Tom Anderson, Lynnville, and Gail and Maurice Bailey, Marengo; five grandchildren and their spouses, Jim and Yuka Kitson; Chris Kitson and John Kearbey, Wesley Reinhardt Jr. and Chantal, Susie and Brent Coonrod and Katie Becker; five great-grandchildren, Makayla, Anthony, Katrina, Elias “E.J.” and Xander and one due to arrive in March, and one brother and his wife, Louis Jr. and Marge Knapp, Marengo.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Raymond Knapp; one sister, Betty Herman, and two infant daughters, Karen and Elizabeth.

Oren Hagen, 86

Private family burial services for Oren H. Hagen, 86, Homestead, were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, Homestead. He died Feb. 1, 2011, at Colonial Manor of Amana.

A celebration of life memorial service will be held at a later date at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Homestead.

Memorials may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church, the Amana School Community Library, Caring Bridge at www.caringbridge.org or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Oren Henry Hagen was born Sept. 30, 1924, on a farm near Homestead, the son of Rudolph F. and Elsie M. Wichmann Hagen. He graduated from Marengo High School and served as a master sergeant in the Asiatic Pacific Theater in World War II and the repatriation thereafter in Korea. With the exception of his military service, he spent his entire life in Iowa and generally within a short distance of his birthplace.

He married Marie Henrietta Roemig Sept. 13, 1947, at St. John’s Lutheran Church near Homestead. The couple lived and raised a family in Homestead. His occupation throughout his life was farming but his avocation was volunteer and public service.

During his life, he served as a long-term member and president of the Amana Community School Board, chairman of the Iowa County Democratic Party, as a Cub Scout leader, as a church treasurer and elder at St. John’s Lutheran Church, as a founding member and long-term director of Colonial Manor of Amana, and in countless other positions in volunteer, church or public organizations.

He was an avid reader and loved to engage those he met in spirited conversation on any type of current affairs or politics.

Hagen is survived by one son and his wife, Howard and Lynn Hagen, West Des Moines; three grandsons, Matthew, White Plains, N.Y.; Philip, West Des Moines, and Thomas, Minneapolis, Minn., and one sister and her husband, Amanda and Herbert Beer.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Marie, and one son, Quentin, in 1973.

Monte Root, 68

Celebration of life services were held Sunday, Feb. 6, for Monte L. Root, 68, Belle Plaine, together with his son, Matthew Eric Root, at the Belle Plaine Community Center. Monte Root died Jan. 30, 2011, at his home from melanoma cancer.

Inurnment was in the Ohio Cemetery, Ladora.

Hrabak Funeral Home, Belle Plaine, was in charge of arrangements.

Monte Lee Root was born Oct. 14, 1942, at Hartwick, the son of Charles and Gladys Warriner Root. He was a 1960 graduate of HLV High School.

He married Priscilla Wahl in November 1961 at Victor. He spent his life as a farmer and moved to his present home in 1961.

Root is survived by his children, Elizabeth Ann Root, Maitland, Fla.; Stephanie Jane Stock, Buckingham, and Joshua Aaron and Michelle Diane Root, Oxford; one sister, Kate Shaull, and two grandchildren, Sophia Margaret and Colin Matthew Root.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Gene Root and George Root; two sisters, Mary Beth Coffman and Janice Smith, and one son, Matthew Eric Root.

Stanley Warner, 83

A celebration of life memorial service for Stanley E. Warner, 83, North English, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service, North English. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home after a long battle with heart disease Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011.

Burial of his ashes will be at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the English Valleys Schools, the Iowa County Archers and the English Valleys History Center.

Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com, under obituaries.

Stanley Earl Warner was born July 26, 1927, on a farm east of North English, the son of Earl and Lena Brown Warner. He graduated from North English High School in 1945 and soon after, proudly enlisted in the US Navy.

He married Bernadine L. McCombs Sept. 1, 1945, in Oskaloosa. When the war ended, he returned to the family farm near Green Valley. In later years, he worked as a carpenter in the North English and Iowa City areas. He was a school bus driver for English Valleys Schools for several years.

He was a champion archer and lifelong hunter. He was the Iowa State Archery Champion numerous times and in 1967, won the title of National Field Archery Champion. He was an Iowa State Archery Association Hall of Fame member because of his “dedication to others in the sport of archery, by serving on the ISAA Board of Governors, teaching the young and old by setting an example of good sportsmanship for others to follow.”

He was a member of the Iowa County Archers and was a 60-year member of the American Legion.

He enjoyed the friendship of many and his quick wit and amazing sense of humor will be missed by all of his family and friends.

The family would like to thank all of the medical personnel who cared for Stanley during the last 21 years, especially Dr. James Schlichtmann and his staff at the North English Family Practice and Iowa County nurse Nancy Achenbach.

Warner is survived by his wife of 65 years, Bernadine, North English; one daughter and her husband, Carolyn and Michael Elwood, North English; one son and his wife, Lloyd and Jane Warner, Solon; granddaughters and their husbands, Kathryn and Joseph Moreland, Iowa City; Beth and Daniel Faidley, Fishers, Ind., and Anne and Jeff Gross, Weldon Spring, Mo.; great-grandchildren, Meg, Charlie and Jack Moreland; Alex, Mary and Ryan Faidley and Bill Gross; nieces and their husbands, Diane and Howard Rattner, Cedar Rapids, and Linda Chapman and Russ Lambert, Valley, Neb.; one brother-in-law and his wife, Norman and Joan McCombs, Deep River, and one sister-in-law and her husband, Marilyn and Delbert Gilmore, Iowa City.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister and her husband, Fern and J.C. Crawley.

Jerome Miller, 63

Funeral services for Jerome “Jerry” Miller, 63, Marengo, are pending at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. He died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, in an accident.

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