Recent feature stories below!


Manning, Iowa
"Home of Pioneer Spirit"
Where independent & rugged-thinking individuals (both past & present) work together to accomplish great things for the community!

Some songs from 1983 when Paul Irlbeck graduated from high school.

I've worked on many obituaries and read about many family tragedies but this one is definitely unique in that both the father and son were killed by tractor roll-overs.
Accidental deaths by any means are tragic, but to have two members end up in the same manner is so sad.

Because of this particular tragedy I'm adding some non-obituary information to provide more aspects of their lives.
Dave


Raymond M. Bechen

May 8, 1926 - September 30, 2004
Raymond Bechen, 78, of Vail died Thursday, September 30, 2004, at his residence.
Services will be 11:30 a.m. Monday at St. Ann Catholic Church in Vail.
Burial will be in St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be after 3 p.m. Sunday, with a Legion of Mary rosary at 4 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Huebner Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa.

Ray was a Junior High teacher and coach during the mid-1950s at Manning Schools.
Son of Louis and Mabel (Mader) Bechen
Children Gene 1959 - 2023 & Chris Bechen 1969 - 1984
Wife Marie (Henkenius) Bechen 1925 - 2010


Tractor rollover kills Vail farmer
A Vail man was pronounced dead at the scene of a farm accident late last week.
Crawford County Sheriff's Office said Ray Bechen, 78, was killed when his tractor rolled over while he was harvesting on his farm at 2760 300th St. He was discovered by a neighbor who was checking his livestock last Thursday at about 8:30 a.m., the office said.
"Bechen was pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Crabb, the county medical examiner," the sheriff's report said.
The Crawford County Ambulance Department and the Denison Fire Department assisted at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.
Council Bluffs, Daily Nonpareil, October 4, 2004

Man killed when tractor rolls over him
A man was killed when a tractor rolled over him while he was working on his western Iowa farm, police said.
Ray Bechen, 78, of Vail, was found by a neighbor about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, said officials with the Crawford County sheriff's office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mason City, Globe Gazette, October 5, 2004

Tractor upset kills Denison youth
Chris Robert Bechen, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray and Marie Bechen of Denison route 3, was killed Tuesday in a tractor accident.
The accident occurred on a county road 7 miles southeast of Denison. Bechen, a sophomore at Denison High School, was driving the tractor on the road and entering a "T" intersection, when he lost control during a left turn. The tractor veered from one ditch to the other, then upset on the road. The accident occurred near the driveway of the Jerry Brus farm.
His best friend, Jerry Brus, Jr., heard the crash from inside his home, and rushed to the scene. Authorities were summoned, but declared Bechen dead at the scene.
Crawford County Deputy Sheriff Ron Hott investigated the accident.
Sioux City Journal, November 22, 1984

Seven Of Manning Faculty Resign
Seven members of the Manning School faculty have resigned according to Superintendent William Baley. They are Ed Dakan, Vocational Ag; Christine Sanders, Homemaking; Gerald Andrew, vocal music; Ray Bechen, Junior High and coach; Dolores Sextro, 6th grade; Lois Laverty, 4th grade; Ray Standerwick, athletic coach.
Teachers who have signed and returned contracts are: Superintendent Baley; high school principal Richard Euchner; John Beach, business education and coach; Douglas Wilcox. social studies; Richard Munster, science; Kenneth Laverty, industrial arts; Lois Kemper, business education and girls P.E.; Lois Klisart, English; Sam Mast, mathematics.
Frank Plambeck, band: junior high principal Oliver Himley; Ila Rix, junior high; Anna Rainthorpe, 6th; Mabel Mullen, 5th; Irma Bromert, 3rd; Golda Sander, combination 3 and 4th; Sharon Olsen, 2nd; Margaret Ohde, 1st; Ruth Crandall, combination 1st and 2nd; Liane Clarkin, Kindergarten.
Miss LuAnn Maassen of Harlan, who will graduate from Morningside College at Sioux City in June, has been hired to teach fourth grade next year.
All members of the faculty have received pay raises in line with salary schedules.
Daily Nonpareil, April 10, 1957

Snippet: Carroll Daily Times Herald December 26, 1956
Manning Schools: Ray Bechen, Junior High, is spending time with his family near Denison.

Henkenius-Bechen Nuptials
Read In Church Rites Today

The double ring ceremony and nuptial high mass were read this morning at the wedding of Marie Henkenius of Carroll and Raymond Bechen of Vail, at SS. Peter and Paul's Church. The Rev. Fr. Richard Dirksen, C.PP.S., chaplain at St. Anthony Hospital, officiated at 9 o'clock.
The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred and Angela (Kral) Henkenius and the bridegroom, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis and Mabel (Mader) Bechen, all of Vail.
The hospital choir, composed of sisters and nurse sang during the service, under the direction of Sr. M. Doris, with Sr. M. Eileen at the organ.
The bride wore a custom-made suit of white gabardine, designed on tailored lines. Crystal beading in floral patterns featured the trim. Completing the bride's costume were white accessories and a white orchid corsage.
Leah Henkenius of Vail attended her sister as bridesmaid. She wore a white linen suit, white accessories, and corsage of white roses.
The bridegroom had his cousin, Howard Bechen of Yankton, South Dakota, as best man.
Breakfast for the bridal party, immediate families, and other guests was served in the Driftwood Room of Hotel Burke at 11 o'clock. The table was appointed in white with a touch of blue and silver.
The bride, a registered nurse, was graduated from St. Anthony School of Nursing in 1946. She took post-graduate work in surgery at Marquette University and University Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1948. She has been assistant supervisor of the surgery department at St. Anthony Hospital.
At present, Mr. Bechen is a senior student at Southern State Teachers College, Springfield, South Dakota.
He served in the Navy during World War II.
In September, the couple will live in Storm Lake, where Mr. Bechen will continue his studies at Buena Vista College.
Carroll Daily Times Herald, June 15, 1950

Paul Irlbeck


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I continue to search for more old obits that Connie Petersen once was such a great help with, and this Manningite has an AMAZING story.
I searched for more information about him to see what else I could find and below is what I found so far.

Frank Gavin Of Manning Dies Monday
Well Known Farmer and Former Circus Man Is Pneumonia Victim
A brief attack of bronchial pneumonia claimed the life of Frank Gavin, 57, at the St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll late Monday evening, March 3, 1941, bringing to an end a colorful career which had touched the lives of many thousands.

Frank Gavin was a circus man and spent most of his lifetime under the big top, touring the entire North American continent. During the past several years since he left active circus work and devoted his time to farming, he became equally intent on community work, and was known for his Farm Bureau, 4-H Club leadership, and A.A.A. efforts. He was also president of the Manning Farmer's Night School for the first three years of its existence beginning in 1938, and this year refused to become a candidate for a fourth year.

Funeral services will be held at the farm home south of Manning at 2 p.m. Thursday, the Masonic burial service being used. The Rev. Alexander Wimberly of the Manning Presbyterian Church, will officiate and burial will be in the Manning Cemetery. Special music for the services will be furnished by a quartet composed of Martha (Mrs. Nick C.) Schrum, Emma (Mrs. Albert) Dietz, Herman C. Pahde, and Clifford M. Johnson, accompanied by Bonita (Mrs. Henry) Hagedorn.

Mr. Gavin is survived only by his widow, the former Rose "Ella" Murray of Templeton.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, August 4, 1884. Orphaned at a very early age he joined the circus when he was fourteen and until his comparatively recent retirement from the entertainment world devoted a lifetime to the circus. He was a concession manager. The family home has been in the Manning area for the past twenty-five years.

Mrs. Gavin has also been associated with the circus since before their marriage, for she joined a circus when it passed through this community many years ago to become its costume mistress. It was there that she met and later married Frank Gavin.

Gavin's career, brought him in touch with many celebrities all over the nation. He numbered among his friends Babe Ruth, Grantland Rice, Will Rogers, Tom Mix, and many others. He held the honorary titles of Traveling Ambassador of the Ponca City, Oklahoma, Chamber of Commerce, and Special Deputy Sheriff of the Madison Square Garden in New York.

At their present home south of Manning where the Gavins lived for the past nine years, Mr. and Mrs. Gavin traditionally played Santa Claus to all the children of the neighborhood each year. No entertainment in the community was complete without his help and advice.

Fraternally he was a member of Ivanhoe Lodge A.F. & A.M., Kansas City, Missouri, and of Commandery No. 4, Knights Templar, Royal Arch Chapter 22, Consistory and Shrine, all of Montgomery, Alabama.
Carroll Daily Herald, March 4, 1941

Frank A. Gavin
Funeral services for Frank A. Gavin, 56, prominent Audubon County farmer and former circus man who died Monday night at the St. Anthony Hospital, Carroll, will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at the farm home in Lincoln Township, near Gray. The Rev. Alexander Wimberley, Manning Presbyterian pastor, will officiate. Burial will be at the Manning Cemetery.

He was born August 4, 1884, in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, and started in circus work as a boy, with Howes Great London Show (from London, England), selling candy, fruit and soft drinks. He became "boss butcher" with the same show at 17. He served as concessions manager with many noted shows including Barnum & Bailey, John Robinson, Sells-Floto and others.

He married Miss Rose Ellen Murray, January 4, 1914, and she became chief costume designer for American Circus Corporation, for which her husband was concessions man and purchasing agent.

They retired from circus work and moved to the Audubon County farm eight years ago. Mr. Gavin operated 345 acres and owned 271 more in Cameron Township, Audubon County. He was prominent in agricultural circles, serving as director of the Audubon County Farm Bureau, Audubon County Beef Producers' Association, and Audubon County Soil Conservation and Improvement Association.
Daily Nonpareil, March 5, 1941

Pallbearers For Frank Gavin Rites Today Are Listed
Active pallbearers at the Frank Gavin funeral Thursday were Hans Beese, Emil Friedrichsen, Peter Moeller, Floyd Campbell, Henry Joens, and William Schultz.

Honorary pallbearers were Ted Simpson, Brayton; Ai Miller, Gray; Elwin M. McGinnis, Audubon; Ira R. Miller, Audubon; Edwin Anderson, Hamlin; Judson Zentmire, Audubon; Andrew Hansen, Audubon; Bert Miskimins, Gray; Julius Wehrmann, Edward E. Breckenridge, John A. Lewis, and William B. Campbell (School & FFA instructor), all of Manning.
Carroll Daily Herald, March 6, 1941

Templeton - Phil Neu attended the funeral of Frank Gavin in Manning Thursday afternoon.
Carroll Daily Herald, March 8, 1941


In reference to the Farmer's Night School that Frank was involved with...

Two hundred and fifty persons representing sixty families in this community attended the first annual picnic for members of the Manning Farmer's Night School at Spring Brook Park near Guthrie Center.
Daily Nonpareil, August 25, 1938

Manning Farmers' Night School Class Holds Annual Picnic
Members of the Manning Farmers' Night School and their families held their annual picnic at Lakewood Park Sunday. The heavy rain Saturday night cut the number attending from the usual two-hundred to about eighty-five. Twenty-one families were represented.

A picnic lunch was served at noon with the usual contests and activities taking place afterwards.

The ball game between the farmers living south of the highway with Louie Musfeldt as captain, bowed in defeat to those living north of the line, who had as their captain Mevis Wiese.

In the pillow slip relay, which followed, the south had its revenge, winning in both the men's and women's sections.

In the balloon race for young men and women, Norma Musfeldt won first place, Helen Hansen, second, and Marilyn Mohr, third.

The boys and girls from six to twelve had a paper bag relay in which the boys defeated the girls.

In the slipper kicking contest, Dorothy Welch proved her prowess by kicking highest and farthest, Ila Beese took second place, and Norma Musfeldt, third.

The contests closed with a tugo-war in which the men of the north put the greater weight on the issue. The afternoon closed with the serving of ice cream.
Carroll Daily Herald, August 19, 1941


If I had a lot more time, I could find pictures for a lot of the people mentioned in this Gavin feature just above, and also more information but for now I'll just add this information about Bill Campbell, who was one of the pallbearers for Frank Gavin.
My dad and mom, and many other Manning folks who knew Bill Campbell, always talked about their fond memories of Bill. My dad continued to be friends with Bill after high school.


1966 Amos Kusel & Bill Campbell


Bill Campbell when he taught at Manning.

July 8, 1937 Manning Monitor
W.B. CAMPBELL STARTS DUTIES AS VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE HEAD AT MHS
Manning has installed a new course in Smith-Hughes Agriculture under the direction of William B. Campbell, graduate of Iowa State College. Smith Hughes Agriculture is the name given to teaching vocational agriculture in high schools. The name Smith Hughes comes from two Georgia Senators who wrote the bill by which the government pays half of the salary of vocational Agricultural teachers. Smith and Hughes were interested in the industrial trade schools. Then their interest turned to the farm boys who were farming worn out land in the same way their fathers had. They thought what a fine thing if these boys could be taught how to farm by better methods, how to build up their soil, when to market their crops, what crops to raise, how to make the cheapest gain on livestock, etc, so they wrote the bill and in 1917 it was passed. While it is true that the farmers in the state of Iowa are a high class of farmers, still it is known that hundreds of thousands of dollars are lost by them from not treating their seed, using scrub dairy bulls, poor handling of milk, planting poor seed, feeding unbalanced rations, and many things of a like nature. These facts together with farming having become more and more of a business, justify vocational agriculture in Iowa high schools.

The course will be divided into two parts: the day school for high school boys and the evening school for adult farmers. The classes offered in the day school will be as follows: Freshmen, Livestock; Sophomores, Crops; and Juniors and Seniors, Farm Management. In addition the boys will carry a project through the summer as: a litter of pigs, a baby beef, a dairy heifer, a corn yield test plot, breeding hybrid corn, soybeans, and many others. The boys will have an opportunity to show these projects at state and local fairs. Also the boys will have a chance to go to Ames in the annual state agricultural contests. There will be a livestock and crops judging team, a farm management team, a demonstration team, and a farm forum speaker.

The Smith Hughes course has kept boys in school and on the farm. It has changed them from unpaid hired men to small independent operator's or dad's partner. A survey of Ames graduates recently showed that those who had taken vocational agriculture in high school made better grades in college and were placed in better jobs upon graduation from college. The course is not a book, learning course. While books and bulletins form the largest part of the classroom work, in addition to them the students learn by actual experience, on field trips during the school year, state contests, showing his projects, judging, and his own home project.

This course is not meant to take the place of actual farming experience but to give the boys in addition new knowledge and methods of farming.

Joan Justice


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I have a few unidetified Jensen pix featured - hopefully a family member will help out...

Janice Ferry

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William Bruhn, Jr.

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For those of you who frequent my web pages and would read my Manning Monitor articles, I would often mention "Connie" as the source of some of the old obituaries I added to my obituary web page and information she found for articles/feature stories about Manning's past.
Occasionally I would list her last name...she never wanted any recognition or thanks but I always try to give "Credit where credit is due." Very few people come along over the years to help me like she did, and it was ALL Volunteer and at her own expense - she never made any money off of her Manning research for me.
Connie found my web page in 2017 and e-mailed me, and I found out she had old Manning/family pix and history and she graciously allowed me to scan those things.
I'll post the link to many of those pix in her tribute I'm working on.
She was a great friend and dedicated supporter of mine for Manning's history.
She had memberships to various genealogical and historical websites that she used to search for obits and other Manning information for me.
Probably one of the most historically important aspects of Manning history she found was for around 30 Civil War Veterans who lived in Manning that I did not know about and had no information for them.

Her efforts in researching Manning history will be GREATLY missed by me, and even though most people who visit my website won't realize it, they too benefited from her efforts.
She wanted her passing to remain reserved, but I want to honor her amazing and selfless efforts in this tribute.
I'll be working on her tribute over the next few days but here is some information to begin with.


Connie Kay Petersen
June 14, 1951 - April 9, 2025


Connie with her mother, Marian.

Connie Kay Petersen, age 73, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Caroll.

A private family graveside service will be held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Irwin, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, any donations can be made to First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund or a charity of your choice.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Connie’s family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.

Connie was born on June 14, 1951, in Carroll, Iowa, the daughter of Marvin and Marian (Ohrt) Petersen, and grew up on a farm east of Irwin, Iowa. She graduated as the valedictorian of the class of 1969. Connie participated in several activities throughout school such as 4H, basketball, track, speech, and others. The girls' basketball team of 1969 still holds all the school records for Irwin 6 on 6 basketball. She was proud of the team and all they accomplished, especially the game where she scored 69 points.

After high school she attended John F. Kennedy College in Wahoo, Nebraska, where she played basketball, and hopefully also went to classes and learned something. She then attended Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a minor in German.

Following college she began working for Agri-Bolt & Cabinet Company/Hot Springs Spas in Carroll in 1973 and retired in 2016.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Carroll where she served on several committees.

Connie enjoyed genealogy, gardening, playing the piano, traveling, camping, her flowers that bloomed from Spring to Fall, watching football and basketball games on TV, (especially the Iowa Hawkeyes, Iowa State Cyclones, and Nebraska Cornhuskers), visiting with family and friends, and work, along with other things.

She was also an advocate for organ donation, as she had received a kidney transplant in 2000.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by several cousins and extended family, and many friends, too numerous to name. You know who you are.



Connie


Connie


Nephew Brian Reid, Connie, nephew Barry Reid

In 2017, I scanned the Ohrt/Petersen family collection from Connie.
Click below to view that web page.

Click to see the Ohrt history

Written by Connie Petersen 2017
Marian Jean Petersen is the first born daughter of Nellie and Julius Ohrt. Her younger sister is Shirley. Marian was born on the farm in Ewoldt Twp. and grew up on that farm north of Manning, where her dad did all the farming with a team of horses. She recalls how the gypsies would come and gather to the north of the farm, camping along the untraveled road side. They would ride their horses into the farm and through the watermelon and strawberry patch, destroying them. One small girl named Marian was a good horseman and could clear the fence with her horse.

As a kid, for entertainment, they would go into Manning on a Saturday night, and "people watch" There was a "snack stand" there where they would have hot peanuts and popcorn.

Marian also chuckles when she talks about her cousin Harold who would come to the farm and get her into trouble. He would make musical instruments out of boxes and whatever else he could find, those were fun times.

Marian tells the story of when she was in 4th grade or so, at the end of the school year, there was a class party. This particular time, the class hiked around the block and it began to pour down rain, and they all got soaked. The next day she woke up with the mumps!

Marian attended Manning public school where she excelled academically. She was a member of the Quill and Scroll, honor society, order of Gregg shorthand artists. Marian won awards for accurately scribing 100 words per minute in short hand. She won an award for that at the Iowa Public radioShorthand contest at WOI in Ames.

She was a member of the Artistic typist society and recalls a highlight of her high school when her teacher, herself, and two other students drove way to Newton, Iowa, for the state typing and short hand contest. Marian placed seventh in the state in the state typing contest. She says she can still hear the load noise when the typing started in that large auditorium. Marian was also the school newspaper editor.

After graduation, Marian worked for Dultmeier Mfg. in Manning for 7 1/2 years where wooden wagon boxes were being manufactured. John R. Hansen at that time was the president of the Company and he later became a member of the House of Representatives.

She recalls how she and a friend would take the train to Omaha to see movies. She also spent time at Lake View and Lake Okoboji.

Manning had a celebration every summer with lots of games and events. One year her friend asked her to come along with her. Her friend's husband was home from the Navy and his brother was with them. Marian went with her friend and that is how she met her husband Marvin. They went to the Great Western Park in Manning, which was a popular spot for young people. There was roller skating there and other things to do. Marian was married at the Presbyterian manse in Manning in April of 1950 with the reception of 70 guests at her mother's home. She purchased her wedding dress for $35 in a time when wages were 75 cents per hour. Her wedding dress is now at the Shelby County Historical Museum. Her colors were aqua and white.

Marian and Marvin farmed near Irwin. She raised a huge garden every year and did lots of freezing and canning. She raised chickens which came on the train and ducks and geese. She had 2 large incubators in the basement with goose eggs, that she watched daily, sprinkled the eggs, candled them and turned them until they hatched. She then sold the geese, and also sold the feathers. They walked miles and miles pulling weeds from the beans and taking weeds from the corn fields and pastures.

Those were the days when neighbor ladies helped each other. There were home permanents, and wall paper parties, and getting together so the kids could play. Many a night was spent playing cards with neighbors and having a light lunch. Music was enjoyed from Marvin's accordion playing and some would dance.

Marian and Marvin enjoyed getting away for daily fishing trips, but had to be home for the chores. They had milk cows, hogs and other animals. They enjoyed occasionally going to the dog races, snow mobiling, the CB club, and the trap line where they caught, skinned, stretched and sold furs. They liked flea markets, garage sales, and auctions where they bought and sold items. During that time, they also collected items. Marian collected over 100 Mickey Mouse items, she said they were cute. She also collected over 90 cylinder lamps.

She and her husband never missed an Irwin Girls' basketball game in 6 years to watch their daughter Connie play the center forward position. She is proud of the local school and state scoring records her daughter still holds.

Later on, Marvin and Marian moved to Irwin. Marian worked at the local café. Later she was involved with the senior center and received some volunteer awards. She managed the greeting cards there, and she and her friend would go to flea markets, farmers markets, and other venues selling cards, raffle tickets and other items as fund raisers for the center. She was on the calling committee to invite others for special meals the center had.

Marian spent a lot of time doing filet crochet, what started as a hobby, turned into family and friends requesting certain patterns made for them. Among the designs is one for Connie's cedar chest that has 3 deer in it and covers the entire top of the chest. Marian is most proud of the 3 foot peacock she crocheted. These are beautiful pieces of art! Marian was also a good seamstress, making quilts and sewing her daughters clothing. She also helped Connie and her friends with 4-H team demonstration practices.

In later years, Marian enjoyed her first airplane flight to see friends in Cincinnati, touring historic Kentucky, riding in Carol's 48 Dodge, visiting the trailer at KOA, visiting a casino, staying at a bed and breakfast in eastern Iowa, and many other things.

These days find Marian engaged in activities of the day, playing a fun game of cards, enjoying polka and country music, cheering on the Hawkeyes, Cyclones, and the Cubs, and being involved with a puzzle or two. She enjoys the company of friends and visiting with her guests to keep up to date on what is happening in the community and with family.

I am so glad that I became interested in Manning history so many decades ago...
I've had the honor to visit and work with so many folks who lived through the early history of our community and I was able to learn so much about our amazing history from them.
Several months ago, I had the honor to interview a lady who taught here at Manning Schools in the early 1940s...I also attended her 101st birthday recently.
I was hoping to get her story published in the Monitor and on my web page while she was living but unfortunately I won't be able to honor her while she was living, but so glad that I'll be able to preserve some of her life's history.
Everyone has a story to tell and there is no way I could get to all of them to interview and capture their story but it is important to document at least some of the citizens who reach such an amazing age.
It was so much fun to visit with and interview Esther and she had such a bubbly attitude and a very good sense of humor...something I've seen in many folks who live such a long life.

I hope to work on her story and get it featured in the Monitor and on my web page fairly soon, but it always takes time to edit and proof read things like this and then get the approval for the final version from the family.
Here are 2 photos of Esther - one from her time here in Manning in the early 1940s and the other one when I interviewed her a few months ago.

Esther Ruth Halverson
March 4, 1924 - April 8, 2025

Esther Ruth Halverson, age 101, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the First United Methodist Church in Carroll with Rev. Terry Plocher officiating. Music for the service will be by Nancy Davis and Jake Gute. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the First United Methodist Church YouTube Channel at Carroll FUMC Video.

Visitation will be held on Monday morning from 9:30 A.M. to 10:15 A.M. at the First United Methodist Church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the First United Methodist Church in Carroll.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.

Esther was born on March 4, 1924, in Akron, Iowa, and she was the daughter of Henry A. and Emma (Gillman) Stryzewski. She attended the Akron Community School and graduated from the Akron High School. She then attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, receiving her bachelor’s degree in music. In 1950, she was united in marriage to John J. Rogers, and they were blessed with one daughter, Ann. Esther was employed as the vocal and music instructor at the Manning, Coon Rapids, and Bayard School District for several years. Esther also was the publisher for the Coon Rapids Enterprise for several years. John passed away in 1960 and she was later married to William L. Chambers in 1965 and he passed away in 1979. In 1982, she was married to Donald W. Forrest, and he passed away in 1984. She later found love again, marrying Donald Halverson on May 1, 1994. The couple made their home in Carroll, Iowa. They enjoyed many wonderful friends, games of bridge, and travel experiences. Their favorite trips included winters in Arizona with friends and a trip to Israel, where Esther and Don were baptized in the Jordan River.

Esther was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Carroll where she was very active in the church including directing the church choir. She also directed the church choirs at the Presbyterian Church in Carroll, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Carroll and the Methodist Church in Coon Rapids. She organized the Carroll Community Chorus in 1976 and directed that group for several years. She organized various small vocal groups in the Carroll community, including. a women’s triple trio, the Noteables, where she made lifelong close friends. She was also a member of P.E.O. since 1952. Esther loved cooking, baking, and gardening. But most of all she cherished the time with her friends and especially her family.

Esther wanted to teach instrumental music but was told that it was not suitable for young ladies to teach instrumental music, and that she should teach vocal music.

She could not afford to have her laundry done at college, so she mailed it home to have her mother do it. Her mother returned the clothes, along with fresh bread and butter, and once a pheasant.

Esther biked across the Canadian Rockies with three teacher friends on one-speed bikes. They slept on the ground, were sniffed by a bear, woke up next to a rattlesnake nest, and had their pictures taken with the movie star Randolph Scott.

Esther is survived by her daughter Ann Chambers (Kent Nellis); step-sons: Myron (Joani) Halverson, Mark (Debbie) Halverson, David (Mary) Halverson, Doug (Karla) Halverson, and Dierk (Barbara) Halverson; grandchildren, John Davin Nellis and Caroline Nellis; numerous step grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Paul (Ardelle) Halverson; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husbands: John J. Rogers, William L. Chambers, Donald W. Forrest, and Donald G. Halverson; her parents; stepdaughter Linda (Karlton) Fullenworth; brother Ralph (Blanche) Stryzewski; sister Phyllis (Glenn) Kask.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll, Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Carroll, and the staff and volunteers at St. Anthony Hospice for all their care and support for Esther.


2007 note from Esther

Claus H. Bunz wrote on Esther's guestbook at Dahn & Woodhouse April 11, 2025
I was a pupil of Esther during the time she taught vocal music in the Manning public school system. During that time I was also a member of the choir at Zion Lutheran Church which she directed. I learned a great deal about music from her. She made participating in music something that was joyful as well as fun. I extend my deepest sympathy to her family and pray for our Lord Jesus Christ's Blessings on all of you.


Eventually I'll finish working on the interview of Esther later this spring...

While scanning my Uncle Gene Ehrichs' letters he wrote home when he was in the service, I got to thinking about Don who was also a Veteran and another person who I don't have any military pix and information to use in the Veterans book.
I didn't have a close friendship with him but remember his bubbly attitude and how many farmers would congregate in his office at the Oscar Mayer yard in Manning.
One of the major "gossip" locations in Manning at the time - with lots of stories and laughs.
We sold a lot of hogs to Don during the 1970s and early 1980s, and occasionally he would come out to our farm to help mark the fat-hogs with a yellow chalk marker that were ready to sort for market.
I got to know Don & Betty's 3 children when I helped at the Rec Center in the 1980s, so lots of connections and fond memories of the Menke family

Dave


Donald Menke
July 28, 1938 - April 2, 2025

Donald R. Menke, 86 of Macon, Missouri, and formerly of Manning, died Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at his home in Macon, Missouri.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at St. Lawrence Church - St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott. Music will be provided by Kathy Halbur and Sherry Loughran. Lector for the Funeral Mass will be Susanne Soppe. Gift Bearers will be Jaci Menke and Elijah Boggle. Casket Bearers will be Drew Menke, Jake Menke, Elijah Menke, Jordon Werner, Steve Menke, and Mitch Schultes. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Manning VFW and the Carroll American Legion.

A visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Monday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a rosary at 7 p.m. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church on Tuesday morning where additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m.

Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for a later designation.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Don’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.

Donald Raymond Menke was born on July 28, 1938, in Houghton, Iowa, the son of Alvin and Anna (Woerdeman) Menke. At the age of 12, the family moved to Harper, Iowa, where Don later graduated from St. Elizabeth High School.

Following graduation, Don proudly served in the United States Army for two years until his honorable discharge. On July 10, 1965, he married the love of his life, Betty Cecilia Soppe in Des Moines, Iowa. Together, they raised three children: Jeff, Dennis, and Jean; all graduates of Manning High School.

Don worked as a hog buyer for Oscar Mayer (starting at Manning in 1971), and later for Excel until his retirement. Even after retiring, he continued to haul livestock until the fall of 2024. In 1991, Don and Betty fulfilled a lifelong dream by purchasing an acreage in Macon, Missouri, where they enjoyed raising livestock together.

A devoted Chicago Cubs and Iowa Hawkeyes Fan, Don found joy in the simple pleasures of life. After Betty’s passing in February of 2008, Don reconnected with his high school classmate Joann Holtkamp at a reunion in June of the same year. The two formed a special bond and enjoyed many trips to the casino and countless card games.

Don is survived by his children: Jeff (Donna) Menke of Mitchellville, Dennis (Michelle) Menke of Ankeny and Jean (Brad) Werner of Sac City; his cherished grandchildren: Jordon (Sophia) Werner, Drew Menke, Jaci (Elijah) Menke, Elijah Menke, and Jake Menke; step-grandchildren: Tammy (Nathan) Peters and Jason Werner; his dear friend, Joann Holtkamp of Donellson; his sisters: Eileen Clarahan of Marion and Mary Ann (Allan) Bohr of Columbia, Missouri; his sisters-in-law: Jean Soppe of Papillion, Nebraska and Cheryl (Alan) Schultes of Dedham and Kathleen Menke of Sigourney; his brothers-in-law: Don (Susanne) Soppe of McFarland, Wisconsin and Dr. Mike (Pat) Soppe of Carroll; as well as other extended relatives and many friends.

Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 42 years, Betty Menke; his parents, Alvin and Anna Menke; his sister, Jane; brother Victor; brothers-in-law, Paul Clarahan and Charlie Clarahan; and his parents-in-law, Andrew and Marie Soppe.

Don's life was marked by love, hard work, a deep appreciation for family and friendship. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.


Jeff MHS 1985
Dennis MHS 1986
Jean MHS 1989


Dennis Menke


Wendel Kahl, Jean Myer, Mike Hull, Jean Menke - Pat Kirby was the teacher

Student Council Luau April 1987

School cooks: Betty Menke, Gertie Dammann, Bev Rowedder, Theda Wiese

Sixth: Ed Meeves, Ken Rohe, Tom Loking, Tyler Larson, Rick Willenborg, Dave Weller
Fifth: Brian Joens, David Hass, Jay Karsten, Dennis Menke, Dale Wegner, Keith Rohe, Ken Willenborg, Kurt Sailer, Mike Gruhn
Fourth: Ken Klocke, Terry Rosonke, Craig Langel, Kent Vollstedt, Jon Frahm, Chris Muhlbauer, Cory Struve, Robbie Rauch, Keith Muhlbauer
Third: Carolyn Bruhn, Beth Opperman, Rod Frank, Paul Opperman, Jim Meier, Brian Halbur, Nick Langel, Steve Meeves, Jeff Meier, Keith Klocke
Second: Lesia Andresen, Barb Genzen, Lisa Gruhn, Paula Halbur, Julie Lamp, Dan Kerkhoff, Nate Hodne, Steve Meier, Robert Schmidt, Bill Langel
Front: Officers Dan Rosonke, Dan Singsank, Kyle Jensen, Sweetheart Joan Nissen, Lynn Nulle, Tim Hansen


1981 Manning Centennial book
OSCAR MAYER
Oscar Mayer & Co. traces its presence in Manning, Iowa, to 1967 with the creation of a livestock buying center on the outskirts of the city.

The livestock center's impact on the community can best be measured in economic terms. During its first 12 years, including the company's 1979 fiscal year which ended October 27, area hog producers received approximately $76 million for their livestock marketed at the Manning Center. For 1979 alone, area farmers were paid more than $8 million for hogs sold at Manning.

The hogs marketed here are shipped to the Oscar Mayer pork processing plant in Perry.

Donald Menke, Manning livestock buying center manager, has served in that capacity since 1971.

The Manning area continues to be an excellent source of quality hogs for the Perry plant. Hog purchases are growing and another addition to the hog buying center is under construction.

Oscar Mayer & Co., which acquired its Perry plant in 1965, is a national and international food processing firm. Founded in 1883 in a small retail sore on Chicago's north side, the company today operates nine U.S. plants and 42 distribution centers, and has ownership in meat firms in Venezuela, Japan and Spain. Oscar Mayer specializes in sausage products and is the country's sales leader for wieners, cold cuts and bacon.

Subsidiaries of the firm produce fresh pickles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, spice extracts and food processing and packaging machinery. The company recently made a bid to acquire Louis Rich, Inc., a major turkey product processor headquartered in West Liberty, Iowa.

On sales of $1.3 billion in 1978, the company ranked among the top six of the more than 3,000 meat firms in the country.

Oscar Mayer employs about 13,000 people, including approximately 800 at the plant in Perry.


1991 Manning Centennial supplemental
State Play-Offs
1984-1985 - Manning's first trip to the State Play-Offs! Manning 7, Mt. Ayer 0; Ogden 7, Manning 6.

1985-1986 - Manning was ranked #8 in the state in the final rankings! Manning 26, Avoca 17; Manning 21, Southeast Warren 20; Maurice Orange 35, Manning 0.

Members of the 1985-86 squad that played in the state semi-finals were: Nate Bandow, Richard Borkowski, Steve Clausen, Paul Croghan, Willie Croghan, Marc Drees, Mark Haubrich, Aneal Joseph, Brian Kahl, Gerald Kahl, Jay Karsten, Eric Kelderman, Scott Kerkhoff, Brad Kusel, Craig Langel, Dennis Menke, David Mohr, Brad Otto, Nate Puck, Rob Rauch, Dan Renze, Terry Rosonke, Jon Saunders, Russ Sturm, Doug Vollstedt, Kent Vollstedt, Steve Vollstedt, and Dale Wegner.

1988-89 - Manning returns to Play-Offs. Elk Horn-Kimballton 13, Manning 7.

I've amassed so much Manning history that I even surprise myself when I work on a feature story or tribute and find out how much "stuff" I have scanned into my Manning Historical Database. I had forgotten how much of Marlene's collection I had scanned in 2007...so I hope everyone will take the time to go through all of the information featured in her tribute.
I also have lots of Monitor Spotlight school articles in the school notes link, and if you take the time to read (I know it's a lot), you'll recognize a lot of people you know - if you are my age or older.
As usual, I highlight the names of the person/family members in yellow in the articles and under the pictures...something you aren't going to find on any other community historical web page.

I also featured Marlene's detailed ancestral family background. She had them on large cardboard display boards when I scanned them.
I also have another large family Hargens portrait that I don't have identified - Chris & Anna (Wiese) Hargens family - and would like help with IDs...

Marlene Zimmerman
April 26, 1935 - March 20, 2025


Click to see the tribute

These links just below are part of the Saunders feature.
While Melvin is part of Manilla's history, I predominantly concentrate on Manning's history - and specifically the Manning Veterans book, I decided to scan this clipping from Wayne's scrapbooklet to emphasize the importance of getting the Manning Veterans pix and information to me to scan so I can use it in the Veterans book.
Situations like in this clipping show me that there were many letters written home during the Veteran's service and hopefully some of them have been kept.
So I'm asking people to look for letters and other items for the Manning Veterans and get them to me ASAP.

I know many of these letters have been thrown away, because the Veterans themselves told me they didn't keep them or family members of deceased Veterans decided they weren't anything important to keep.

Melvin Holdsworth - post WWII diary 1952


I no more than turn a couple of more pages in the scrapbook and found this article about one of my Grau relatives.
Captain Lester Grau in Japan 1952


As a historian you need to have a broad perspective on how to preserve our history.
Over the 50 years of my historical work I constantly learn more angles and fortunately, one of them was to have a lot of older folks helping me...especially ones who lived in the area their whole lives...unfortunately the older folks who were in their 90s and early 100s are now deceased - so I don't have that large source of "living historians" to go to anymore.
Yes, we have folks in their 90s and 100s now but they simply aren't old enough to help me much with the early history I continue to work on, so I'm pretty much on my own now.
My mother was one of my biggest "living historian" helpers...4 years after her death, the work she did for me continues to help me document people and the area history they were a part of.

This story can become somewhat convoluted and confusing to write about, since multiple parties were involved and different projects occurred separate of each other's timelines.

In 2011, Wayne Saunders of Manilla contacted me about his interest in area history and told me he had negatives of many Manning events and school activities.
In 2012, I found some time to visit with him at his home west of Manilla and he gave me the Manning negatives to scan. He also showed me how he had negatives of many other sports games where Manilla had played.
Another interesting project he had done was to cut out highlight clippings from the Manilla Times and pasted them in booklets 1 x 1.5 feet in size.

I continued to communicate with Wayne over the years and when I found out he was in the Manilla Manor, I went over to visit with him and also to ask him more about the slides he had.
Sadly, he passed away not too long after my visit in 2018.
I went to his funeral and visited with his family...I asked them about Wayne's negatives and booklets and what they were planning to do with them - they really didn't have a good idea, so I suggested they give them to me and I'll scan them and put them in the Manning Museum someday.
It is always difficult to bring up topics like this during a funeral/viewing but I have found that if I don't speak up right away, that in many cases a family starts to throw stuff shortly after the funeral, so I try to encourage them to let me go through anything they have that has a Manning/area connection and if they don't want it back, that I'll preserve it.

Back to my mother and how she is involved. When the Saunders family gave me Wayne's huge scrapbooklets, she went through each page/article to look for obituaries of Manning connected people and other Manning connections.
Mother was in her 90s, so she had a lot of history stored in her "memory banks" and was able to add comments to little notes about various articles which I'm now finally going through.
I really should be working on other more pressing projects, but I'm finding that I need to also work on other lower priority projects because if I don't get through them and digitize some of that information - once I'm gone - no one will take the time and won't have the historic understanding on how to compile it digitally.
I also would like to capture more Manning/school events like the school spring play being presented at the end of March, but they take a lot of time photograph, and if/when I make a web page for those images, that takes a LOT more time to create. While I know other people take pictures of these events, I know that someday their digital images will be lost.

Here are some examples of what I've been writing about above from Wayne's collection...


The cover of one of Wayne's scrapbooklets (1 x 1.5 feet)

Sample page from this booklet

How my mother highlighted articles for me to scan that either had a connection to her or Manning.
I never knew this about mother & her Kitchen Korner columns.
When she started it in 1951, I wasn't born yet, and this specific topic never came up over the years when we worked together on history

Kitchen Korner clipping.

Here is a screen shot of several of the 360+ negatives I scanned from Waye's photography collection in 2012.

December 4, 1972 MHS vs Manilla

I also continue to beg/plead - mostly to deaf ears and to Manning connected Veterans and families of deceased Veterans - for military pix & information.
Since most younger folks don't subscribe to the Manning Monitor and most Manning connected people don't visit or even know about my web page, OR consider it a waste of time, my articles in both the Monitor and on my web pages go unread.
So I continue to look for military information and pictures on my own and here is one article mother noticed in Wayne's scrapbook.
I know many families of Veterans clipped out articles like this when they saw them in a newspaper, but they are either in a scrapbook that seldom gets looked at or stored in a box somewhere.
While they think they are preserving the history of their Veteran - more than likely, someday, these things will get thrown away.
I take the time to scan and archive information like this so it will get preserved and some of it will end up in the Manning Veterans book, I still hope to publish someday.


While farmers help their neighbors today - it isn't anything like once occurred...for many varied reasons (that I won't go into now) and I'm not being critical of today's farmers - it's just that because of drastic changing times (some good and some not so good), you don't see events like this when a neighboring farmer becomes ill or is injured or a death occurs...
1972

Note how many of these guys are deceased.

My mother was an Ehrichs and fiercely protected the name and family connections.
I remember how disappointed she would become when she found out months/years later when one of her cousins and other Ehrichs relatives had passed away, and the younger generations didn't try to contact her and the other relatives, even if distantly related about the passing.
I would tell her that those children/grandchildren probably had no clue whatsoever with their Ehrichs ancestry and probably didn't care, and so many people today don't even publish an obituary or maybe just a death notice.
This is their prerogative and right but I'm sure future descendants and relatives and historians/genealogists will wonder where the obituaries are...all they'll find are death certificates. There won't be any of the little anecdotal notes and little stories preserved, like with many obituaries - at least in the past.
I've been to various graveside services with no formal funeral and the relatives were amazed at how many Manning folks showed up...I would tell them that if they had a funeral and notice of services that they would have had many more show up, who weren't aware of just the graveside service.

I remember Ruth Ohde always commenting that Manning funerals were a community event - more so that most other towns.

Mother put a sticky note next to this 8x10 inch Hudson ad, and she also highlighted one little sentence in another article about a windstorm in the area where "The televison aerial on the Ehrichs store in Aspinwall was torn loose." Mother was a thorough reader and had a keen eye to find these little tidbits of history.


Frank Ehrichs - uncle to Dorothy (Ehrichs) Kusel
Frank was the baby of a family of 13 Ehrichs children - I remember Frank at the Grocery Store and post office he had in Aspinwall on the northwest end of Main Street.


1950 showing at the Manning Crystal Theater - ad in the Manilla Times

Ronald Frahm, Charles Frank, Robert Genzen, Allan Joens, Willis Kruse, Michael Niehaus, Leonard Ramsey, Jack Wagner, Richard Zerwas, Raymond Christensen, Fredric Dehtlefsen, Kenneth Graves, Robert Hansen, Allen Jensen, Gary Nady, Roger Nielsen, Deanes Rowedder, Roger Vollstedt, James Wingrove, Robert Neubaum, Gene Kuhl, Clausie Bunz, Richard Rix, Allen Vennink, Norbert Stoberl, Allan Eich, Merlin Ramsey - Kenneth Koch, Superintendent, Coaches: Ray Walder, William Anderson.

I've also been adding more obituaries to my obituary web page from Wayne's scrapbooklets. Some won't appear to have a direct Manning connection but if you read them thoroughly you'll find some of those connections. I also add little notes that show/make the connections that my mother wrote down on sticky notes in Wayne's scrapbooks.


Several more little items my mother saved in her collection of history.

This has been an age-old problem with local people shopping out of town and not supporting the businesses we have here.
Now there are very few retail businesses left and those that continue - most do so because they love the community.
They definitely aren't getting "RICH."
When Ron Colling came to Manning in 1964 to operate the Monitor - there were 150 retail businesses - many of them advertised in the paper.
"Make Manning Great Again!"


It didn't take me long to figure out the last name which I'll let "you" figure out if so inclined...


Donna Sonksen wedding - Pastor Edward Heinicke
Donna played the piano/organ for mother's junior church choir


Tim Kienast & Joni Siepker wedding - Pastor Edward Heinicke
Mother was good friends with Leland & Genelle Kienast through various church activities.


Keith, Rita, Amos
Mother was a good friend of Marie Misselhorn.

The last couple of years of my dad's life he had lost quite a bit of his vision from the complications of Diabetes.
I remember he just loved this radio and mom had marked 1380 with a red mark for the Carroll radio station so he could find it easier.


Note: "Top grain cowhide"


Now this isn't all that old of an item but it shows just a little piece of history that some of us grew up with.
Here is the owner's manual that my mother had kept in one of her boxes.
Amos Kusel - owners manual for radio

Paula Willett
March 26, 1951 - March 8, 2025

Click to see the tribute

Dale Swanson
June 19, 1956 - March 20, 2025

Click to see the tribute


Click to see a different perspective of Manning's past

I'm scanning more old items from my mother's collection and other items I've gathered over the decades.

Mirror given out by Merle to promote his business.
I'm guessing the rectangular box outline on the left is where there was a thermometer glued on the glass and fell off in the past and was lost.

As usual, I continue to scan and archive Manning's history...these items are also featured at the link above.

I just added some scenes from Lyle's funeral - in case you had already browsed his tribute.
Lyle Bald
March 18, 1945 - March 11, 2025

Click to see the tribute

Wayne Curlile

Click to see the tribute

Laverne Meier

Click to see the tribute

Robert Wiskus

Click to see the tribute

Wayne Jensen

Click to see the tribute

Duane Otto

Click to see the tribute

Iola Muhlbauer

Click to see the tribute


Click to find out what this is all about

One of my Manning helpers sent this link to me...I don't know anything about this website but they have Manning featured...

https://www.worldatlas.com/cities/8-best-downtowns-in-iowa.html

Mary (Grote) Sailer

Click to see the tribute

John L. "Jack" Ramsey, Jr.

Click to see the tribute

Audrey Kathleen (Ewoldt) Popp

Click to see the tribute.

In Loving Memory of Peggy Ann Nelson

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Peggy Nelson, a cherished mother, grandmother, and friend, who left us on January 16th at the age of 93. Her life was a testament to love, resilience, and dedication to her family.

Peggy was born on July 5th, 1931, in Exira, Iowa, to her parents, Lloyd and Bernice (Brauch) Jorgensen. Peggy was married to Merle Turner and was blessed with two children, David and Linda. This marriage ended in divorce, and she later married Eugene Andersen where she was blessed with another son, Danny. Unfortunately, this union was met with tragedy, as Eugene suddenly passed away when Danny was just a baby. Peggy went on to meet and marry the man she would spend the rest of her life with, Clifford Nelson and to this union three children were born, Lisa, Dale, and Lori.

Clifford and Peggy were married August 6th, 1959, and enjoyed 64 years of marriage before Clifford’s passing in 2023. They made their home in multiple places, mostly raising their children in Manning, Iowa. Once the kids were grown, they spent several years in Omaha, Nebraska, later retiring to Des Moines, Iowa. Before moving to Independent Living at Ramsey Village in Des Moines, they enjoyed living with their daughter Lori in Grinnell, Iowa, for 4 years. Fortunately, overall, Peggy enjoyed good health and was able to live out her remaining years in Independent Living at Ramsey Village.

Peggy was an outgoing woman, who cherished her family and her friends. While her younger children were in school, she sold Avon and enjoyed visiting, having coffee, and selling her product to the local ladies. After retirement, she was very active in her church in Des Moines, Glen Echo Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She also volunteered many years at both Iowa Methodist downtown and Methodist West, and whenever she was a patient, very proudly would tell her nurses that she used to be a volunteer. She loved family holidays, especially the Fourth of July where you could always find all her children with her, celebrating the closeness of the extended family and then her birthday the following day.

Peggy is survived by her children; David Turner of Galena, Illinois; Linda and husband Gary Knueven of Manning, Iowa; Danny Andersen and wife Linda Capcara, Phoenix, Arizona; Lisa Nelson of LaGrange Park, Illinois; Dale and wife Lesli Nelson of Pella, Iowa; and Lori and husband Mike Novelli of Ferryville, Wisconsin. Sisters Twila Ballard of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Janet (Glen) Nelson of Atlantic, Iowa; and brother Phil (Pat) Jorgensen of Clarinda, Iowa; sister-in-law Darlene McConnell of Atlantic, Iowa; nineteen grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Eugene Andersen, her husband Clifford Nelson, daughter-in-law Linda Turner, granddaughters Erin and Elizabeth Nelson, great-granddaughter Miranda Knueven, father-in-law Walter (Ted) Nelson, mother-in-law Ina Littlefield Ernst, sister Corrine Christensen, sister-in-law Phyllis Sheer, brothers-in-law Emmert Christensen, Edwin Sheer, and Mike McConnell.

According to her wishes, her body has been cremated, and no funeral services will be held. Interment at the Exira Cemetery and a Celebration of Life are being planned for a later date.
https://www.thecremationsocietyofiowa.com/post/peggy-ann-nelson

Technology is great - WHEN used wisely and responsibly but when people think they are professional news photographers/reporters and just because their phone has a camera and can take pictures/video, and then post them on the Internet without any consideration about their actions - and that they think they are some great photographer and need to be the first person to post pix about an event - they are simply insensitive in many cases.
I had the first digital camera in Manning and was the first to start posting pix and history on my web pages, but I've understood that there needs to be some responsibility.
Prior to this I had the first RCA video camera in Western Iowa and provided programming for the local Channel 2 Cable station for almost 10 years.
This was when that type of technology was new and VERY expensive, so very few people adopted that technology - NOT until it became more mainstream and a lot less expensive...

I also had visited with Ron Colling over the years on how he handled deadly traffic accidents, and home fires...having the Freedom of the Press behind him, he used his judgement as to when/how he would use some of those pictures in the Monitor.
Of course he had time to think about it for many days before it was published - unlike today with EVERYTHING needing to be INSTANT.
He also did not like to take pictures of deadly traffic accidents and would not take close-up pictures of the victims and many times would wait until the vehicle was hauled off-site to take pictures...he only took these types of pictures if they were to be used by inspectors of the accident and law enforcement.
He didn't want to add salt to the wounds of the victims and the families by publishing irresponsible photos in the paper.

Another reason why most people need to stay way back from a fire event, and also not feel they have to post the pix they take is shown below...No one can know for sure what might be in the structure that will explode and become a deadly missile, like what happened in 1964.


Julius Hoffman next to the propane tank that exploded in 1964.
The cylinder ruptured in a fire 9 miles north on East Street on a farm inside a barn, and became a missile.
Notice it split at the welding seam.
No one knew the tank was in the barn.

January 28, 2025 - propane tank at the site after the fire
I don't know for sure but am guessing that the valve was open and connected to a device with a hose that uses propane so when the hose burned off, the gas was able to escape and not super-heat, expand, and then cause the tank to explode.

Now I was never a fireman but I've video-taped controlled burns of house fires by the firemen and also captured them with my digital camera.
I've also been involved with many controlled burns of barns and farm buildings during our farming operation.
So I've had decades of experience around fires to understand many of the dangers that could arise.

I visited with Gene Steffes for a few minutes to tell him I won't be posting fire pictures like so many vultures have done on the Internet to bolster their egos, but if it was OK I would feature some of the hard work and volunteerism for the clean-up and some history of the Dultmeier building...he said that would be OK.

I also thanked one of the firemen on-site while taking some pictures of the clean-up process.
I hope everyone who sees a fireman will thank them for their volunteer service.

Before you post something like this tragedy - think about if it was your property in a conflagration - about your livelihood and family...you might think twice then...
Dave

In Memory of Leo Willenborg

Click to see the tribute

In Memory of Michael Enenbach

Click to see the tribute

I recentely received the sad news from Mick Schurer that his brother, Greg, passed away January 22, 2025.
Greg found my web page in 2007 and posted a message on my guestbook. This was the first time I had contact with this family. I had previously run into the Schurer name while working on Manning history but soon became acquainted with both Greg & his brother, Mick, who sent me pix and information to scan and add to the Manning database I'm building.
I'm so thankful that the Schurer brothers were so gracious to take the time to send me the Manning history they had.

Once I receive the obituary, I'll include it with the tribute.

In Memory of Gregory Schurer
January 22, 2025

Click to see the extensive Schurer tribute

One day I was visiting with a carpenter and he told me that a couple of high school kids he was working with had never before held a hammer in their hands.
I thought back to when I was a little kid - there were the block type toys with a toy hammer...how can anyone ever say they had never held a hammer before.
While continuing to scan the Ahrendsen collection, there are several old magazines so I scanned them. While they don't have anything directly connected to Manning history, I like to scan things like this owned by Manning folks, that preserve our past and give some insight into what kids and adults years ago were exposed to.
From my uneducated opinion into raising kids - I have no degrees, but my suggestion to parents is to take those smart phones, I-pads, computers, etc. and put them in a locked box - then give your kid a hammer and tell them to go outside and build something out of wood with a friend - a fort, tree house, anything...Now this can be dangerous letting a kid cut up wood and use a hammer and nails but they actually might start to learn something about real life.
I hear parents say how their very young kids can operate that digital device and they can't, but what are these kids really learning for life's lessons?

OK, I'm an old fogey, but I think we need to go back to some and maybe many aspects of the "Good ole Days" before it is too late...

Clippings from the Ahrendsen scrapbook

"In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares. The older have learned to ever expect it. I am anxious to afford some alleviation of your present distress. Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You can not now realize that you will ever feel better. Is not this so? And yet it is a mistake. You are sure to be happy again. To know this, which is certainly true, will make you some less miserable now. I have had experience enough to know what I say; and you need only to believe it, to feel better at once."
Abraham Lincoln

In Memory of Diane (Rohe) Teno
February 20, 1965 - January 11, 2025

Click to see the tribute

Manning
Perhaps never in the history of the town has there been such a building boom as now on. Too, practically every house that is being built this year will be the home of the builder.
More new houses would have been built, but the lack of carpenters has kept other new homes from being built.
George Dethlefs has just completed his second new building. He expects to sell both before the year is over. The other citizens building new homes are Claus H. Reinholdt, Jens Hansen, Will Schelldorf, Ward Billick, George Schelldorf, Caroline (Mrs. Martin) Brunnier, George J. Ohde, Chris Kaiser, Herman Vogt, Adolph Hinz, Hannes Hass, Henry Opperman, Edward C. Perry, and Charles Rocksien.
Marshalltown, Iowa, Evening Times Republican, August 26, 1913

There is an old expression "Don't get caught with your hand in the cookie jar."
I have a new expression "Don't get caught with your hand in the First Ammendment."

This is another shout-out to anyone/everyone who in the distant past or recently have agreed to work with me on old Manning connected pix and history they have so I can scan those things and get them preserved in the Manning Historical Database I'm constantly working on.
I know you are busy and it is a hassle to dig out and send to me, but the only way that history you have will get preserved long-term is if I get it to scan and archive.
I know many people scoff at this and say that their family won't throw those things away and/or they have scanned those things - but I have 50+ years of experience to back up this statement...as I've seen one old family/Manning collection after another thrown away - I usually find out around 5 - 10 more collections that were thrown away each year.
So either lose it, or preserve it in my database...you don't have to spend much time but I'm the one who spends hundreds and thousands of hours scanning Manning stuff.
I've seen scans by people and most of the time it is way below par...and the other problem is very few have that data properly backed up on multiple hard drives and at off-site locations such as in a bank safe deposit box.
Dave

I just heard this quote and it is so true - especially today...

Those in power protect themselves from the rest of us.

Does anyone know the location or contact information for Charles Scott who taught mathematics at Manning in 1972?
He was a Vietnam Veteran and I'd like to get some military information/pix for him to add to the Manning Veterans' book.
For that matter, any teacher at Manning who served that you know of their whereabouts - please let me know.
The list of Manning connected names who served keeps growing almost daily.

Please visit the Manning Exchange for local news, articles, and information...a work in progress.

Many upcoming events.

Korean War Veterans continues


There are lots of Manning Veterans of the Korean era with no pictures or information.
Will you be in the Manning Veterans' book???
Unless more post-WWII Veterans come forward there will be a lot of 1946 to present day Manning connected Veterans missing from the book.

For those of you who are occasional visitors to the Manning Exchange - please make sure to click on the "archived articles" section where previous featured stories are kept.

Click to visit the Manning Exchange

1 example from the Logeland Studio wedding packets.

There are still quite a few Logeland Studio wedding packets available.

Click to read about this important project.

It will help to financially support the Manning Veterans' history book project.

"Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen."
George Washington, August 7, 1782

Just as a reminder: the Manning History book committee continues to work on a Manning area Veterans' history book project.
For those of you who are Veterans or have/had Veterans in your family - will you come forward?
The history book committee will do their best to get as many pictures and information about the 1000+ Manning Veterans but we can't do it all by ourselves.

How many small communities do you know have published 5 history books? The first one was the History of Manning 1898, then the 1981 Manning Centennial book, next the 2006 Manning Quasqui book, and most recently the 2009 Manning School history book. Probably the last book to be published will be the upcoming Manning Veterans' book - unless someone comes forward in the next generation to take over these projects after I'm gone. Will you help with the Veterans' history book project? If you are a Manning connected Veteran or are presently serving and do not submit your military connected pictures and infomation you probably won't be in this once-in-a-life-time Manning Veterans' history book. With a limited number of volunteers we can only do so much on our own but will try to get pictures of as many Veterans as we can. There are over 1000 Manning Veterans so we have a long ways to go before the book can be published.

Manning Veterans are slowly coming forward and below is another example. We hope to eventually get more pictures and information for Mike to put in the book but for now this is what I have to show to you.

Amos Rutz WWII

One thing that many Veterans and people who are submitting information have not fully understood is that this next Manning history book is specifically a Veterans' only book. It won't be like the Centennial or Quasqui history books were, where there is a Veterans' section along with other community aspects. We are aiming for a 2-volume book (around 1090 total pages) which will really be unique!!!
This book will be ALL Veterans' information (and the post auxiliaries) - hence it won't be a "Name, Rank, and Serial Number" only history but we want a complete history for each Veteran.
For instance - below is Louis Boell's picture and the information that was published in the Veteran section of the 1982 Aspinwall Centennial history book. It has the basic information but we are looking for more and I spoke to Louie by phone and he sent more pictures and information - also for his brothers.

To see what Louis submitted click on the link underneath "Are you a Manning Veteran" shown below.

Note: we also want some family background such as parents and grandparents. All too often you will only see just the Veteran's name with their basic military information but without the family connections it will be difficult for future historians and genealogists to know for sure who this person belongs to.

Are you a Manning connected Veteran?
I would like to hear from you!!!
We are starting a Manning Veteran history book project and if you don't come forward you may not be included in the book. NOT because we want to intentionally leave you out but because you didn't come forward.
Same goes for those of you who have Veterans in your family who have passed away. If you don't come forward and help by submitting Veteran connected pictures and information your Veteran may not be included in this once in a life-time Manning Veterans' history book.

Please e-mail me about your Veteran questions manningveterans@davidkusel.com


The United States flag
is proudly displayed here and NO other flag is as IMPORTANT!

1 Manning citizen served in the War of 1812
105 served in the Civil War
1 served in the Indian War
5 served in the Spanish American War
350+ served during WWI
650+ served during WWII
87+ served in the Korean war era
65+ (more names need to be found) served in the Vietnam era
55+ (many more names need to be found) served from 1975 to present

29 paid the ultimate price with their lives defending the U.S. Flag

Are you a Manning Veteran?
Are you currently serving and have a Manning connection?

We are starting the Manning Veterans' history book project
Don't wait until you see "Deadline" or it WILL be too late!!!

Click to read promos for the Veteran book


There are a lot of WWI and some WWII Veterans pictures with no IDs.

Before you spend time scanning pictures
please look at these instructions
I appreciate your efforts scanning pictures for me but if you only make low resolution scans you are really wasting your time. High resolution scans are the best and only way to really preserve those old pictures.

Click to see the tutorial

If you simply don't want those old family pictures you inherited please don't throw them - send them my way.
A lot of times I can recognize a face or location in those old pix.


One thing to keep in mind while you are looking for pictures - if they are glued in old scrap books please do NOT try to pull them out or cut them out. I can scan the whole page of the scrapbook and crop out the pictures you want to use in the book. If you attempt to forcibly remove the pictures you will probably damage them and when I scan them that damage will probably show up. This means I'll either have to use my graphics program to touch up the damage which can take a lot of time, or if they are badly damaged I just may not even take the time to scan them.


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