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Obituaries Monday January 21st

By on January 21, 2013

BROKAW, JAMES “JIM” WILLARD, 81, passed away in Houston, Texas, Thursday, January 17, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Cora “Marie” Welch Brokaw; sisters Lois Brokaw Campbell and Lillian Brokaw Bray; brothers Jack Brokaw and John Brokaw; son Richard Brokaw (Kathy); daughter Joline Brokaw Walton (Jim); grandchildren Joie Brokaw Sheppard (Jason), Charity Brokaw, Katie Brokaw Wood (Bernie), David Brokaw, Raychel Walton, Jamie Walton, Marissa Brokaw, Lauren Brokaw, and Austin Brokaw; great-grandchildren Seairra Sheppard, Karisma Sheppard, Olivia Wood and Ronan Wood.

James is preceded in death by his parents George and Mary Brokaw and his sons Timothy James Brokaw and Jon Douglas Brokaw (Karen).

Jim is known for many things: being a leader, a devoted Christian, a loving husband, caring father and grandfather, a hard-working handyman, a sharp shooter, and much more. He is, perhaps, best known for the bold step of faith he took that greatly changed his family’s lives and has today left an impact on the lives of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In 1967, Jim gathered his family in the living room of their farmhouse in Stronghurst, Illinois, where they own owned and worked a dairy farm, and he prayed about a move to Brazil.

The answer to that prayer found them loaded up with suitcases and headed to Brazil. Jim took a job managing a 16,000-acre ranch in the heart of the country. He later became a supervisor for U.S. Steel, drilling for iron ore in the jungles of the Amazon, and then worked for a lumber company. His final job, however, working alongside Wycliffe Bible Translators, is where Jim and his family came to know and trust God as they never had before. They saw and experienced real faith and were forever changed.

After Jim’s children returned to the United States, he and Marie followed to be near them. Jim was injured in a farming accident not long after and he nearly lost his life. He prayed for God’s mercy that day and hoped that he could stay alive to one day see his grandchildren. God answered his prayer and he has lived to see nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

After the accident, Jim and Marie stayed in the states and he took a job as a sales representative with Massey Ferguson, working in Texas, Oklahoma, and finally in Des Moines, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 26, at 10:30 a.m. at Banks and Beals Funeral Home at 301 South Mary Street, Stronghurst, Illinois. Burial will be at RaritanCemetery. Friends and family members may attend a visitation on Friday, January 25, from 6 – 8 p.m.

 

 

Esther Frances Fenton, 71, of Burlington, died at Blair House, Burlington, Iowa, on Saturday morning, January 19, 2013.

Born on January 31, 1941 in Edina, Missouri, she was the daughter of John A. and Mabel S. Snell Mutchler. She married Verle L. Fenton on October 14, 1961 in Oquawka, Illinois. He died on February 26, 2005.

Esther worked at Leopold for 17 years and Winegard for 1 ½ years. She enjoyed her family and friends, attending flea markets, playing Yahtzee, taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved her dog Molly and serving up her delicious fried chicken. She was a member of First United Methodist Church.

 

She is survived by two sons, John Verle Fenton and Steve Michael Fenton, both of Burlington, Iowa; three daughters, Rebecca Melinda Fenton, Frances Lorayne Fenton and Dianna Ruth Fenton, all of Burlington, Iowa; eleven grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Verle; parents; two brothers, Jack Wesley Mutchler and Lorence Albert Mutchler;  and one daughter, Racheal Ann Duncan.

Funeral services for Esther Frances Fenton will be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at Prugh’s Chapel. Pastor Mike Orthel will officiate. Cremation will be accorded following the funeral service. Interment of ashes will be on Friday, January 25, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa.

 

The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. in Prugh’s Chapel. A memorial has been established for Blair House. Condolences may be left at www.prughfuneralservice.com

 

 

Duarte Furtado Medeiros, 70, of Mt. Pleasant, died Saturday, January 19, 2013 at the Henry County Health Center, Mt. Pleasant.  A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday at Elliott Chapel, New London.  The family will receive friends one hour before the service.  Inurnment of his cremains will follow the service at Burge Cemetery, rural New London.  A memorial has been established.

 

June Marie Hardin, age 76, of Wapello, died Saturday morning, January 19, 2013, at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.  The daughter of Ralph ‘Bill’ and Ethel Marie Hesler Wilson, she was born on December 4, 1936 in Iowa City.  She married Don Hardin on July 29, 1955 in Wapello.

 

June attended school in Morning Sun and graduated from Wapello High School in 1954.  She attended Gehl Institute in Minneapolis where she studied airline communications.  She worked at the Farm Bureau Insurance in Wapello and then spent several years raising her four boys.  She then worked for 9 years at IRC in Burlington before working as a receptionist and secretary for Scott & Company in Wapello.  In 1973 she purchased that business which became Wapello Fabrications.  Through these last forty years they were at the beginning edge of the pillow entertainment construction and remain as one of the last two that continue in the US.

 

June was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Wapello having served on several committees and boards along with the UMW and the Church Choir.  She was a member of the Kiwanis Club, Wapello Development Corporation, and Wapello Community Health.  She helped develop the Hardin Fun Times kiddy rides etc. and she served on the Board of Directors for AIMS Safety and the ASTM along with being a member of various other amusement organizations.  She was a wonderful homemaker and enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens.

 

Her family includes her husband, Don; four sons, Randy & Kris Hardin of Iowa City, Kevin & Patty Hardin of Wapello, Gordon & Lisa Hardin of Wapello, and Don & Annette Hardin of Wapello; ten grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; a sister, Joyce & Michael Jackson of Davenport; and her step-father, Arturo Padilla of Wapello.  She was preceded in death by her parents and an infant sister, Julie.

 

The funeral ceremony for June Hardin will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at the United Methodist Church in Wapello with Rev. Pam Kranzler officiating.  Burial will follow at the Edwards Cemetery in Oakville followed by a fellowship lunch at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Wapello.

 

The family will meet friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Wapello.

 

A Memorial Fund has been established for the benefit of the United Methodist Church.

 

The Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home in Wapello is providing the care and arrangements for the June Hardin family.

 

LeRoy John Bentler, 87 years, of Houghton, Iowa died peacefully at 12:20 amSunday, January 20, 2013 at the HenryCountyHealthCenter, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa surrounded by his family members.  He was born August 11, 1925 in Houghton, Iowa, a son of William Joseph and Elizabeth (Foecke) Bentler.  On November 4, 1946, he married Geraldine M. “Jerry” Rooney at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, in Fort Madison, Iowa. 

 

LeRoy was a 1943 graduate of St. John’sCatholicSchool in Houghton.  During wartime, due to his age of 17, he illegally drove a gas truck to area farmers for his father’s, Bentler Oil Company. He was later drafted into the United States Army serving with the 82nd Airborne Division in OkinawaJapan.  After the war, and his honorable discharge, he returned to Houghton to work for his father and eventually buying the business.  LeRoy was an owner and operator of numerous businesses relating to the petroleum industry in and around the Houghton area.  Because of his business expertise and his generous spirit he touched the lives of many people.

 

He was a member of numerous organizations including, the St. John’s Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, and the Petroleum Marketers Association.  He was supporter of CampCourageous, the Houghton Ball Association, and many other organizations in southeast Iowa, a councilman and mayor of Houghton, and a big fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes.  While everyone knows he enjoyed  cars, snowmobiles, and boats, his greatest love was spending time with his family. 

 

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine “Jerry” Bentler, of Houghton; seven children: John (Ruth) Bentler, of Iowa City, Iowa; Rebecca Bentler, of Fridley, Minnesota; Katie (John) Morrow, of Bettendorf, Iowa; Rich (Diana) Bentler, of Washington, Iowa; Lynn (Tony) Fedler, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; Peg (Kenny) Welcher, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; and Larry (Wendy) Bentler, of Fairfield, Iowa; two sisters, Bernice Becker, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and Valeria Thrasher, of Earling, Iowa; fifteen grandchildren: Andrew (Wendy) Bentler, Christopher (Anna) Bentler, Ellie Bentler, Jennifer Bentler-Morrow, Ryan (Alison) Morrow, Jason (Lauren) Bentler, Kristin (Jamie) Evans, Dustin Bentler, Josh (Anita) Fedler, Jeff (Shannon) Fedler, Elizabeth (Guillermo) Pinon, Stephanie Fedler, Morgan (Rob) Lance, Lindsey Welcher, and Ella Bentler; 12 great grandchildren: Grace Morrow, Liam Morrow, Penelope Morrow, Cailyn Bentler, Ciaran Bentler, Ashland Bentler, Avery Fedler, Sophia Fedler, Allie Evans, Nolan Evans, Cole Evans, and Lucy Lance; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: Leonard Bentler, Irvin Bentler, and Kevin “Bud” Bentler and two sisters, Evelyn Sanders and Irene Bixenman.

 

A Rosary will be recited at 3:00 pmTuesday, January 22, 2013 at the St. John’s Catholic Church, Houghton, Iowa.  The family will greet friends from 5:00 – 7:00 pmTuesday, January 22, 2013 at the church where a Christian Wake Service will be held at 7:00 pm Tuesday evening.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 amWednesday, January 23, 2013 at the St. John’s Catholic Church, Houghton, Iowa with Reverend Gary Beckman, as Celebrant.  Burial will be at the St. John’sCemetery, Houghton, Iowa with full military rites.  In lieu of flowers, a  memorial has been established for CampCourageous, of Monticello,

 

January 16, 2013 Francis W. (Mac)  McIntosh passed away while at dialysis.  Mac was born the first of two sons to Dr. Francis and L. Mae (Reddick)  McIntosh in Keosauqua, Iowa almost 93 years ago.  This small town Iowa boy joined the Navy out of high school and spent 32 years in the Navy Hospital Corp, eventually mustanging his was up to the rank of Commander.  He is predeceased by his brother Jean McIntosh.  His marriage to Ellyn A. (Kenney) McIntosh  produced his children Francis W. (Tim) McIntosh III and daughter Donna McIntosh, grandchildren Justin C. McIntosh, J. Mark Peterson, and Holly Peterson.  He was the proud great grandfather to Nathanial McIntosh and the newest addition Scarlet Alana Peterson. Proud of his Scottish heritage, still grounded in  Iowa, Mac and Ellyn made Corona, California their home starting New Years Day, 1954 and that first residence remained his home.   An early age of retirement gave him time to pursue many interests.  He was an active member of the Circle City Radio Control Club while his health held, remained active with Elks Lodge of Corona up to his final week and was the present Commander of the American Legion Post #216. Mac held that post for 3 terms.   His life long interest  was genealogy and he helped found the Corona Genealogy Society. He was the major assist in the publication of 2 books on genealogy, and given co-author credit on 3 others.  Then he published his own memoirs.   He was a board member of the local library at one time also.  Mac was a strong minded,  independent and intelligent man with a wicked sense of humor and a love of his roots that he maintained with friends and family including those in Iowa.  He often would leave meetings by saying “Okay fellows, McIntosh is leaving so your women are now safe.”  McIntosh has left and the day is darker for our loss but our lives are brighter for his having been in them.  His services will be held at the Thomas Miller Mortuary, 1118 6th St.,  Corona, CA  this Tuesday,  January 22, 2013 at 10 a.m.  Viewing will begin at 9 a.m.