Susie Ann Cooper, 80, of West Burlington, died Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at her home.
Born July 18, 1944 in Burlington, she was the daughter of Ralph and Helen (Engle) Cooper Sr.
Susie attended the Burlington Schools.
Over the years Susie worked many different places including Advance Ross in Washington Iowa, Blue Bird, I.A.A.P., MetroGroup, Shearers and Exide Battery for 27 years. She was also a bar tender at Coopers Circle C, Brass Rail and Beverage Mart.
Susie was a member of UAW Local #1829, Eagles Club #150 Auxiliary and VFW 10102 Auxiliary. She loved her family and friends and joking and talking about the “Good Ole Days”. Susie loved old country music and old rock-n-roll and dancing. She hosted lots of backyard parties, enjoyed playing cards and gambling and drinking beer. Her son Troy was the love of her life.
Survivors include one son Troy (Dawn) Cooper of Burlington; one granddaughter Caitlyn (Kenneth) Cooper of Oquawka; one great grandson Carson Derby Hagen of Oquawka; two brothers Richard (Sandy) Cooper of Burlington and Ralph (Corky) Cooper of Kalona and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Jack and sister Bonnie.
The family will receive friends at Lunning Chapel from 2 until 4 pm Monday, September 16,2024, with the Celebration of Susie’s Life following the visitation at the Eagles Club 2727 Mt. Pleasant Street, Burlington, IA.
Per her wishes, cremation will be accorded and entrusted to the care of Lunning Chapel following visitation. Inurnment will be in Burlington Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date.
A memorial has been established for Hope Haven.
Elizabeth Cain, 100, died Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at Addington Place in Burlington, IA.
Born September 23, 1923, in Racine, WI, she was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Luncner Gluch. On May 17, 1947, she married Robert LeRoy Cain in Racine, WI. He preceded her in death in August of 2001.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater, WI. She was born in Wisconsin, lived most of her life in Illinois and later retired with her husband to South Carolina for many years before moving to Iowa.
Elizabeth was a much loved elementary school teacher from 1946-1971. She taught at Bardwell Elementary School in Aurora, IL and retired from Eastview Elementary School in Oswego, IL.
She was a member of Alpha Sigma, VFW Auxiliary and was very active in Bible study groups. Being legally blind, Elizabeth enjoyed spending her time helping people with vision issues and served as the past President for 28 years for the Max II Low Vision Support Group. Elizabeth loved music and enjoyed playing the German Zither & Mountain Dulcimer. She was always very artistically inclined and enjoyed oil painting, macramé, quilling, and various other handy crafts. Elizabeth was also a big sports fan and enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Blackhawks as well as the Greenbay Packers.
Survivors include her daughter, Carolanne and her husband Dr. Terry O’Neal-Cox of Burlington and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Besides her husband of 54 years, she was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, John Gluch, Paul Gluch and Andrew Gluch and her sister, Mary Bahr.
Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Prugh Crematory.
There will be no visitation or services.
Prugh Funeral Service is in care of the arrangements.
Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Elizabeth’s obituary at www.prughfuneral.com.
Donnie Mehaffy, 55, of Burlington, died Saturday, September 7, 2024, at his home.
Born June 16, 1969, in Iowa City, IA, he was the son of Carl D. Mehaffy and Janice Eileen Bryant. He was married to Elizabeth Stream and they later divorced.
He graduated from Burlington High School.
Donnie enjoyed woodworking. He liked Budweiser, fishing and spending time with family and friends. Donnie especially liked hanging out with his grandsons Gadriel and Jackson.
Survivors include his son, Drake Allen Mehaffy of Burlington; daughter, Karyn Renee (Austin Ryan) Mehaffy Martinez of Burlington; grandchildren Gadriel Martinez and Jackson Wyant; mother, Janice Eileen Bryant of Burlington; sister, Beth Bertlshofer, and nieces, Makayla, and Emily.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Prugh Crematory.
There will be no services held at this time.
Jena Brayton Hausknecht, 87, beloved local wildlife artist of Burlington, Iowa, passed away on September 5, 2024, surrounded by loved ones.
Jena was born on May 16, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the daughter of Bert and Virginia Brayton. Shortly after her adoption, her brother Paul joined the family and they moved to West Burlington, Iowa, where they were raised. She was a 1955 graduate of Burlington High School. Following her high school education, she attended Nurse’s Training at Burlington Junior College.
Jena married Eugene Williamson in 1957 and they had three children. They later divorced. In 1971 she married Arne Hausknecht.
Jena was a member of Trinity (Unity) Lutheran Church, The Art Guild of Burlington, The Society of Great River Poets, Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, Burlington Fine Arts League, Hawkeye State Archaeology Society, Friends of the Library, Players Workshop Theatre, Junior Women’s League, Ducks Unlimited, and Pheasants Forever.
Jena was a gifted Wildlife Artist and garnered many Awards and Best of Show at Art Fairs and competitions across the Midwest. She had a deep passion and knowledge of archaeology, with an extensive unparalleled collection of her “finds”. She had a great love of nature and the outdoors and created some of her finest artwork on deerskins and hides. She was a skilled wood sculptor and crafted exquisite Native American carvings, totem poles, and jewelry. She enjoyed being an artist at Snake Alley Art Fair for many decades, and was commissioned to paint several murals on historical buildings in downtown Burlington.
Jena was a talented poet and was very musically inclined. A gifted violinist, she served as the Concert Mistress for the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra and Burlington High School Symphony many years ago.
Her kindness, love of nature, artwork, and passion for archaeology drew many to her. She enjoyed helping others and for many years, she worked with the Eagle Scouts on their outdoor merit projects.
Jena is survived by her husband Arne Hausknecht; her three children from her marriage to Eugene Williamson, Gigi (Thomas) Bonar, Gia Govinda Marie, Richard (Martina) Williamson; three step-children, Chris (Tim) Weaver, Lisa (Steve) Maddocks, Eric (Lindsey) Hausknecht; 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, one grandchild, one great-grandchild, and her brother.
She will be greatly missed by her loved ones, and by those whose lives she touched through her creative talent.
Visitation will be held at Lunning Chapel on September 14, 2024, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. with Funeral Service directly following. A Private Burial will be at Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations in her name to: Starr’s Cave Nature Center, 11627 Starr’s Cave Park Road, Burlington, Iowa 52601.
Born July 22, 1952, in Davenport, IA, he was the son of Roy Lee and Betty Hammel Skeens. He married Judy Peterson on May 27, 1972; they later divorced. On March 18, 1995, he married Ruth Nell Derr at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Farmington, IA.
He graduated from Davenport Central. He obtained an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice through the Air Force followed by a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Southwest Texas University. He then completed his Master’s in Psychology and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Psychology from Webster University. He also held certificates from the American Association of Christian Counselors and the American Association for Counseling and Development.
He was proud to serve his country in the United States Air Force. Dr. Skeens was a psychology professor at Southeastern Community College from 1991 until his passing.
He was a member of Divine Mercy Parish where he served as a lector and Eucharistic minister. He also served as a faithful navigator for the Knights of Columbus, 4th degree. Dr. Skeens was the president of the SCC Higher Education Association for many years. He was a published author and used his books during lectures. He was a former member of the Burlington Harley Davidson chapter and a former member of the Burlington Notre Dame School Board. He was an avid racquetball player for many years, enjoyed playing golf, and riding his motorcycle. He loved Elvis and John Wayne. He enjoyed a good political conversation over a cup of coffee and was a faithful Democrat. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Nell Skeens of Burlington, IA; children: Tiffany (Todd) Frye of Clive, IA, Brandi (Troy Slusser) Skeens of Davenport, IA, Jeremy (Cary) Skeens of Burlington, IA Melissa (Don) Claassen of Sutter, IL, Jeremy (Laurie) Derr of Kapa’au, HI, Meranda (Corey) Anderson of West Point, IA, and Eric (Kieran Sludds) Derr of Mona geer, Ireland; grandchildren, Grace, Brady, Alexa, Lila, and Griffin Frye of Clive, IA, Shannan Skeens of Burlington, IA, Michaela (Duncan) Jackson of West Point, IL, Colby and Chase Claassen of LaHarpe, IL, Grant and Macy Anderson of West Point, IA, and Lily and Leo Derr of Kapa’au, HI; two sisters, Anne (Ed) Eden of Moline, IL, and Joy (Mike) Munch of Dahinda, IL; brother, Edward Skeens of Bristol, VA; three sisters-in-law, Patti (Steve) Wood of TX, Linda (Dennis) Biddenstadt of IA, and Lolita Ray of IA; and dear friend, Dr. Forest Morrisett of West Burlington, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be from 12:00 PM until 6:00 PM with the family to receive friends from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM, following a 3:30 PM Rosary Service Thursday, September 12, 2024, at Prugh Funeral Service, 3940 Division Street.
The Funeral Mass of the Resurrection for Dr. Skeens will be 10:00 AM Friday, September 13, 2024, at Divine Mercy Parish-St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Very Rev. Father Marty Goetz as the Celebrant. A time of food and fellowship will be held in the cafeteria at St. John’s Catholic Church.
Cremation has been accorded to Prugh Crematory.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and Transitions Des Moines County.
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 Lee’s obituary at www.prughfuneral.com.
Bonny Kay Story, 71, of Frankewing, Tennessee, formerly of Mt. Pleasant, died Sunday, July 14, 2024.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 14th from 2:00 – 5:00 pm at the Oakland Mills Nature Center, Oakland Mills.
Elliott Chapel, New London, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Born December 10, 1924, in Lomax, IL, she was the daughter of Fred and Hazel Waterman Nixon. On July 5, 1952, she married Robert Waddell in Missouri. He preceded her in death.
Mary worked as a line worker for IAAP.
She enjoyed playing bingo and cards. She was fond of putting together puzzles, completing word search puzzles, and watching T.V.
Survivors include her three daughters, Karen Boulton, Teresa (Jeff) Diewold, and Roberta (Tim Hawkins) Howell all of Burlington; grandchildren, Laura Holt, Patrick Diewold, Andrew Diewold, Jamie Howell, and Katie Howell Royer; many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren; and her sister, Irene Jones of Burlington.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Ethyl Lafond and Helen Halferty; four brothers, Ernest, George, Glenn and Howard Nixon; three grandsons, James Farris, Tim Farris, and Ryan Howell; and granddaughter, Jennifer Howell.
Visitation will be Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 11:00 AM until noon at Prugh Funeral Service, 3940 Division Street.
The Graveside Committal Service for Mrs. Waddell will be held at Crane Cemetery following the visitation.
A memorial has been established for the Des Moines County Humane Society.
Prugh Funeral Service is in care of the arrangements.
Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Mary’s obituary at www.prughfuneral.com.
Ronald Dean Wooldridge, 71, of Burlington, Iowa, died Thursday, September 5, 2024, at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House after a lengthy battle with cancer, surrounded by his immediate family.
Ron was born June 4, 1953, in Burlington, Iowa, to Milford “Jack” and Esther Wooldridge. He graduated from Burlington High School. He married Linda Redding in 1972, they later divorced.
He married Alice Richardson on September 25, 1976.
He leaves behind his wife and three children; Leigha Wooldridge, Joanna (Tony) Scott and Cathy (Andy) Krieger; seven grandchildren; Blake Broeker, Kelsay Broeker, Seth Broeker, Preston Broeker, Alex Clarke, Nolan Scott and Nick Scott; four great grandchildren, Juniper, Abigail, Benjamin, Gabe and Rylea.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Steven and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He worked for Chick’s Standard and J.I. Case Corp. His true love was driving dump trucks. He first started working for his dad at age 17. He worked nights at Case, while driving trucks during the day. After taking early retirement from Case, he took over his dad’s business and owned and operated Ron Wooldridge Trucking until August 2024. He never wanted to quit.
He was happiest on the river and loved to fish, mushroom and deer hunting and playing pool. He was always good with a joke or spouting a pun and loved handing out candy, making Sunday morning pancakes, riding motorcycles and watching game shows and John Wayne western movies. Ron was generous and enjoyed gardening; taking pride in sharing and giving away whatever he grew.
The family would like to share a meal and memories at a time of remembrance of Ron, to be held from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14th at the Port of Burlington.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Des Moines County Conservation.
According to his wishes, cremation has been accorded and entrusted to the care of Lunning Chapel. Burial will be held at a later date in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
Richard Wayne Oldham II, 70, of Sioux Falls, SD, formerly of Burlington died Monday, May 20, 2024, at his home in Yuma, AZ.
Born December 31, 1953, in Burlington, he was the son of Earl Oldham Sr. and Elizabeth Mae Stephens Oldham. On January 30, 1998, he married Denise Foutch in Burlington. They celebrated 43 years together before her passing on October 24, 2020.
Richard was a sheet metal worker for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway for 42 years.
He enjoyed traveling with his wife in their R.V. all over the United States. Richard always looked forward to happy hour and Washoes with his friends in the RV Park and always enjoyed the margaritas in Algonones, Mexico. He loved watching sports, biking, golfing and spending time with his grandchildren and family.
Survivors include two sons, Curtis Oldham of Kennesaw, GA, and Sean (Michele) Oldham of Foley, AL; two daughters, Kelly (Andrew) Lawler of Burlington, and Kari (Aaron) Foutch of St. Peters, MO; 10 grandchildren: Allie Aman-Buechler, Karlie Lawler, Kassidy Lawler, Kaely Lawler, Dayton Elliot, Keeshon Oldham, Autum Wolski, Cameron Oldham, Carter Newcomb, and Gavin Briegleb; two great-grandchildren: Chloe and Kenadie Worthy; brother, Delbert Stephens of Burlington; and sister, Sharon (Jimmy) Flowers of Burlington.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Earl Oldham, one sister, Teri Oldham, and one grandson, C.J. Oldham.
The memorial service for Richard will be 1:00 PM Saturday, September 14, 2024, at Prugh Funeral Service, 3940 Division Street. Following the service, the family invites everyone to a celebration of Richard’s life at the Burlington Gym.
Memorials have been established for the Diabetes Foundation and the American Lung Association.
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 Richard’s obituary at www.prughfuneral.com.
