Daniel Herbert Wiedemeier passed away at 08:05 a.m. on April 19, 2022 at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House. Mr. Wiedemeier was born on October 11, 1938 in Burlington, Iowa. He was the son of the late Herbert and Nola Wiedemeier.
In 1959 he married Ruth Jane Hunt. He later married Marcia Holmes Marshall in 1988.
He graduated from Burlington High School in 1956. He attended Burlington Junior College for one year and graduated from the State University of Iowa with his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1960. He did graduate work at Carlton College, Northwestern University, Michigan State and the University of Nebraska. He served in the United States Army National Guard for eight years.
His professional career began with the then Bell System in 1960. He later was transferred to Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph in Denver Colorado. When the Bell System was divested, he was transferred to American Telephone and Telegraph. During his almost 30-year tenure in the communication industry he was transferred to 14 different cities. He was Vice President and Chief Executive Officer for South Dakota. Vice President and General Manager for Colorado, Regional Vice President for AT&T in Denver, Corporate Vice President- Human Resources AT&T New York, and retired as Vice President – Federal System AT&T in Washington, D.C. in 1987 and moved back to his beloved Iowa and Burlington.
After two years of retirement, he joined Farmers and Merchants Bank. He retired from the bank in 2000. He has since worked on a part time basis with Lunning Chapel.
He loved his family and enjoyed being with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed golf, spending time at the river cottage fishing. He was an avid aviation enthusiast and private pilot.
Dan has always been active in the communities where he has lived. In 1994 he was appointed by Governor Branstad to the Iowa Transportation Commission and served as its Chair in 2000-2001. He is a past president or chair of the following organizations: Southeast Council-Boy Scouts of America, Civic Music Association, Des Moines County Conservation, Messiah Lutheran Church Council and Burlington Kiwanis Club, Board of Great River Medical Center, Airport Authority.
He was a strong supporter of the United Way and Junior Achievement working as a volunteer for over 45 years. Awards of recognition seemed to follow Dan everywhere. His most treasured were the Boy Scout Distinguished Citizen Award and the Burlington Chamber Emmy Award presented in Burlington. He loved his country, Iowa, and always served to improve his community wherever he happened to live.
He is survived by his wife Marcia and children Bradford-Elbert, Colorado and Jane Hill-Green Way Village, Colorado. One sister Delores Harken-Landsdale, Pennsylvania and three grandchildren.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents and his son Todd.
Surely Dan has already assumed his position as “Chairman of the Board” hereafter.
The funeral service for Mr. Wiedemeier will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Burlington, Iowa with Reverends Ryan Cosgrove and Dean Graber officiating. Interment will be at Aspen Grove Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 12:30 until time of service. Friends may call Friday, April 22, 2022 at Lunning Chapel from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Military rites will be conducted by the Iowa National Guard.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for Hope Haven and the Des Moines County Humane Society.
Online condolences may be made by visiting www.lunningfuneralchapel.com
Rodney Williams Sr., 54, of Burlington, died at 9:23 AM Thursday, March 31, 2022, at his home.
Born December 1, 1967, in Chicago, IL, he was the son of Joe and Gloria Jean Williams.
Rodney worked several odd jobs throughout his life.
He liked to play cards, dominoes and basketball. He was a Chicago Bulls fanatic, and a big fan of the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago White Sox. He loved to cook, making the best stuffing, ribs, and ribeye steaks. He also enjoyed skating, house music, and his turntables. Most of all, he loved his family and friends.
Survivors include mother, Gloria Williams of Burlington; significant other, Regina LaJoy Brown of Burlington; nine children, Rodney (Viola Wright) Harris, of Chicago, IL, Rasheim (Danielle) Twine of CA, Akheim Twine, Sr. of CA, Jakheima Twine of CA, D’Amaris Gipson of Columbus, OH, Dachia Gipson of Columbus, OH, LaTreveya Williams of Burlington, Hezekiah Heidelberg of Cedar Rapids, IA, Tamia Tish of Waterloo, IA; 11 grandchildren, Rodney Harris, Jr., Elijah Herman, Royal Prince Twine, Akheim Twine, Jr., Senia Vincent Lee Twine, Solei Jocelyn Morgan Twine, Rikkhi Cartier, Giselle Gipson, Gyasi Gipson, Montrose Ford, and Montreze Ford; five siblings, Anthony (LaTonya) Williams, Joe Williams, Jr., Kipling Williams Sr., Catina Williams-Johnson, and Altovese (Will Roberson) Williams; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and friends.
He is preceded in death by his father, two nephews, Philip and Marquis Jones, and several aunts and uncles.
Visitation will be from 12:00 PM until 7:00 PM with the family to receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Friday, April 22, 2022 at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home.
The funeral service for Mr. Williams will be 11:00 AM Saturday, April 23, 2022, at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home with Sharice Edwards officiating. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for his mother.
Prugh Funeral Service is in care of the arrangements.
A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Rodney’s obituary at www.prughfuneral.com.
The beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend, Jackie “Jack” Leon VanFleet, 76, of LaHarpe, Illinois, passed away on Monday, April 18, 2022 at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois.
Jack was born March 8, 1946, at his parent’s country home near Tennessee, Illinois, the third child of David and Katharyn (Carter) VanFleet. He graduated from Northwestern High School in 1964.
As a child he worked on the farm taking care of the milk cows, hogs, and sheep. He also walked beans in the field, weeded the families’ huge gardens, and helped on the sawing of wood for heat in their pot belly stove. In high school, he worked at Pete Dorothy’s Standard Gas Station and for Russell Wagy’s construction company in Blandinsville.
Later he worked at Sylvania and G.E. in Burlington where he retired after 34 years in 2001. He continued working building and repairing homes for friends and family up until his time of death.
Jack was a faithful member and elder of Grace Bible Church near Dallas City. He was very active as an elder, helping anyone who needed help. He especially offered help and comfort to those suffering from health difficulties. He helped construct the new friendship hall at the church. He was known by everyone as a devout servant to the Lord with an always positive outlook on life.
On November 20, 1965, Jack married the love of his life, Pamela Carey. Of this union, of nearly 57 years, three sons were born, David (Barb) VanFleet, Michael (Teresa) VanFleet and Christopher (Amy) VanFleet.
Pam and Jack have 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Other surviving family members include 3 sisters, Nina (Bill) Fraise of Donnellson, IA, Pat (Bob) Boyer of Blandinsville and Marjorie (Leon) Solomon of Macomb and one bother, David (JoAnn) VanFleet, Jr. of Dallas City.
He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Katharyn VanFleet, his in-laws, Edwin and Ruth Ilene (Brown) Wingfield, his grandparents, Alma and Crit Carter and George and Myrtle (Logan) VanFleet.
Jack enjoyed attending the activities of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved to hunt on his farm and watch John Wayne and other old western movies.
Jack’s greatest accomplishment may have been teaching his boys how to treat others, the value of hard work, the acceptance of responsibilities and to love the Lord.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Joe Stewart at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 22, 2022 at the Grace Bible Church in Dallas City with burial following in Hutchinson Cemetery south of Tennessee, Illinois.
Friends may call at Banks & Beals Funeral Home in LaHarpe from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 21st.
A memorial fund has been established for the Grace Bible Church. To sign the guest book and leave a condolence for the family, please visit Jack’s obituary at banksandbeals.com.
Mark D. Ballard, 55, of Burlington, died Sunday, April 17, 2022 after a brief but hard battle with Pancreatic cancer, at the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in West Burlington.
Born November 2, 1966 in Burlington, Iowa he was the son of Roger and Helen (Murphy) Ballard. He married Mabel Statler on February 16, 1990, they later divorced. He then married Deana Harmon on December 18, 2009. They divorced.
Mark was proud to serve his country in the Army and served in Germany during the Gulf War and served in Operation Desert Storm.
He worked for Scotts Miracle Grow in Fort Madison for the last two years. He previously worked for Walmart warehouse for over 30 years.
Mark loved listening to music and cooking. He loved life and had a great sense of humor.
He is survived by the love of his life, fiance and caregiver, Teri Bratton of Burlington; three sons, Chase (Cynthia) Ballard of Ottumwa, Riley (Piper) Ballard of Oskaloosa and Chance Ballard of Burlington; step-son Randy Ronner of Illinois; three step-daughters, Raegen Bratton, Riana Bratton and Samantha Ronner all of Burlington; four grandchildren, Cyerra, Chloe, Callie and Meadow; his mother Helen Ballard of Burlington; brother, Eric Ballard of Burlington; half-brother Teddy Ballard of Muscatine; his mother-in-law Karen Bratton of Burlington; nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father and one brother Michael Ballard.
According to his wishes, there will be no formal funeral services. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Cremation has been accorded and entrusted to the care of Lunning Chapel.
Memorials have been established for the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House or for Pancreatic cancer research.
Mrs. Luan Carol Schmitt, 64, of New London, died Friday, April 15, 2022 at the Fort Madison Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center Emergency Department. She was born in Burlington on November 5, 1957 to Hugh Henry and Phyllis Marie Balzer Breuer. She was a graduate of Harmony High School and Indian Hills Community College. On February 11, 1978 she married Sid Schmitt at the Salem Congregational Church. They attended Calvary Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant since 2005.
For twenty years she was a computer programmer and IT director for Murray Turbomachinery/Coppes/Tuthill, then worked as IT director for Lee County for twenty-one years retiring March 1, 2021. Luan was a fifteen year member of the Lions club, serving as an officer, baking biscuits for the Old Threshers food tent, and was actively involved with Lions Iowa KidSight program during kindergarten roundup. She enjoyed baking, sewing, quilting, working with flowers and gardening, playing cards, games and puzzles, traveling, Friday night supper club, going to auctions and shopping at the Dutchman’s Store in Cantril. She loved having all of her family at her house and dearly loved her granddaughters.
Besides her husband, she is survived by three children; Ben (Ashley) Schmitt of West Point, Nathan (Christy) Schmitt of San Antonio, Texas, Brianne (Brandon) Buford of Mt. Pleasant; granddaughters, Anessa, Eleanor and Palmer; sister Linda (Lanny) Rowe of Screven, Georgia; brothers Alan (Darcella) Breuer of Palmyra, Missouri and Bruce (Shari) Breuer of Mt. Pleasant; nieces, nephews, and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her father, her mother Phyllis Breuer Hughes, and her brother Brian.
The funeral service for Mrs. Schmitt will be at 10:00 am, Thursday, April 21, 2022 at Elliott Chapel, New London. Burial will follow at Burge Cemetery, rural New London. Visitation at the chapel will begin at noon on Wednesday with the family greeting friends from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Memorials have been established for New London Lions Club and New London Masonic Lodge. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.
