Kent Kooi, 77, of Kearney, Missouri, passed away on May 19, 2026 at Oakridge of Plattsburg. His family will honor his wishes of having a private celebration of life at a later time. Kent was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa to Edward and Muriel Kooi. He was the oldest of three children. He graduated from Aplington Community School in 1967. After high school, Kent went on to Wartburg College. He then joined the U.S. Army Reserves, serving six years. Simultaneously, he also joined the Border Patrol, where he dedicated the first eighteen years of his career with the federal government to…

Deleva Stevenson, 95, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Manchester, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids. She was born on March 15, 1931 in Strawberry Point, the daughter of Vernon and Hilda (Martens) Schuchmann. She graduated from Manchester High School and attended Wartburg College. On June 25, 1950, she was united in marriage to Gordon Grimm. After Gordon’s passing, she married Donald Stevenson. She lived and worked on a farm near Delhi for most of her life.  Survivors include her four daughters, Candy (Richard) Altorfer of Cedar Rapids, Kay Phillips of Delhi,…

Carol J. Hoffman, 80, passed away on Sunday morning, May 10, 2026 at the Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly.  Carol was born March 12, 1946 in Hampton, Iowa the daughter of Walter and Mabel (Baker) Hoffman. In 1950, at a young age she moved with her family from Dinsdale to Humboldt where she attended school and graduated from Humboldt High School. Carol went on to attend Wartburg College and earned her Bachelors in Education. She taught second grade at Ackley-Geneva for thirty-eight years. Faith was an important part of Carol’s life. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran…

Randall Mark Wright, age 78 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and formerly of Oskaloosa, Iowa, passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids. He was born on December 20, 1947, in Davenport, Iowa, the son of Ronald M. and Mary L. (Gould) Wright. Randy grew up in Villa Park, Illinois, and attended Willowbrook High School, graduating with the Class of 1966. He then furthered his education at Wartburg College earning is B.A. in Communication, until lastly attending the University of Norther Iowa where he earned his Masters in Communication. On November 27, 1971, he was…

Wonderful husband, fantastic father, and a very proud grandpa of fine children, Rodney Thompson, recent resident of St. John, Indiana passed away one day shy of his 80th birthday on May 6, 2026. Rod grew up on the Northside of Chicago and was very proud to be a Steinmetz High School graduate class of 1964. He graduated from Wright Junior College and received a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Iowa’s Wartburg College, Class of 1968. Rod and Carol were married in 1980 and became parents of twins, Alice and Christian in 1981. Rod was a multi-faceted man. He was a champion…

Marjorie Lee Miller, June 24, 1940 — May 4, 2026. Marjorie Lee was born in Eldora, Iowa to Velma Tideback Miller and Lloyd Milller. Marge went to Eldora High School and graduated in 1958. She attended Wartburg College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1963 and then returned to earn a Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist from the University of Northern Iowa in 1995. Her teaching career spanned 42 years, and she taught in the greater Los Angeles, California area, Minnesota, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Marge was first a classroom teacher and then became a…

Daryl Peter Buchholtz, age 90, formerly of Swaledale, IA residing at Highland Ridge Retirement Village in Williamsburg, Iowa, passed away on Monday, May 4th, 2026. Daryl was born on the family farm in Monmouth, Iowa on February 6th, 1936, and grew up in Monmouth and Wyoming, IA. He was a graduate of Monmouth High School. He then went on to Wartburg College followed by the University of Northern Iowa. He got his teaching degree in 1958 and then moved to Manly, IA to teach science, physical education, coach baseball, and instruct drivers education. In 1959, he married Darling Mae “Tootie”…

Dorothy “Dottie” Kim Rathjen, 66, passed away on May 2, 2026. Born on July 3, 1959, Dottie lived a life rooted in faith, compassion, service, and creativity, leaving a lasting impression on all who knew her. Dottie was a lifelong learner who pursued her education with dedication and purpose. She graduated from Northcentral Technical College in 1979 with an Associate of Arts degree in Secretarial Science with an emphasis in Medicine. In 1984, she achieved her Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) designation, reflecting her professionalism and commitment to excellence. Continuing her education, Dottie graduated from Wartburg College in 1987 with a…

Ann Margaret Bahlmann, 90, of Waverly, Iowa, passed away on Monday evening, April 27, 2026 at UnityPoint Allen Hospital in Waterloo. Ann was born on March 22, 1936, in Jefferson Township, Iowa, the daughter of Gladys E. (Pape) and Leslie W. Huck. She was baptized at St. John Lutheran Church in Waverly on March 29, 1936 and confirmed in 1950 at St. John Spring Fountain Church. Ann graduated from Sumner High School, attended Wartburg College and proudly earned her teaching certificate. On June 29, 1958, Ann was united in marriage to Duane Clarence Bahlmann at Spring Fountain Church in Sumner,…

Johanna ‘Jo’ Marie Kissell, 81, of Muscatine, passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Lutheran Living Senior Campus. Jo was born on September 12, 1944, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Albert and Viola Prange Guetzlaff. She married Gary P. Kissell on August 12, 1967, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He preceded her in death on March 8, 2023. She was a member of the Grandview Community Bible Church and enjoyed reading, knitting, crocheting, crafting, and spending time with her grandchildren. Jo will be deeply missed by her three children, Jennifer Howell and husband, Chris, of Muscatine, Paul Kissell and wife,…

Dolores Jean “Lori” Grothaus lived a life defined by faith, resilience, and deep love for herfamily. She was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and businesswoman whose quiet strength and gracious spirit touched all who knew her. Lori was born on April 5, 1930, in Holstein, Iowa, to Erich and Edna Lemke. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Dean Lemke; her sister, Joelle “Babe” Hoops; and her beloved husband, Victor Gene Grothaus. She is survived by her brother, Delaine “Bud” Lemke; her daughters, Ann (Kim) Hunt and Jean Finegan; her grandchildren, Patrick…

Regina Welsch Mueller, 97, died April 22, 2026 at Vista Prairie at Brentwood Memory Care in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Born Regina May Welsch to Goldie Jacobson Welsch and Alfred J. Welsch, November 28, 1928, in Jesup, Iowa, Regina spent her childhood and completed all of her K-12 schooling in Jesup. She excelled at math and enjoyed gymnastics until a knee injury required experimental surgery. This did not inhibit her adventurous spirit. Regina spent some free time at her father’s barber shop and entire summers with her beloved grandmother, Christy Jacobson, in Kansas City. Regina studied Parish Work at Wartburg College…

Matthew J. Parmely, 60, of rural Hazleton, Iowa passed away Monday, April 20, 2026, at his home. Matthew John Parmely was born December 10, 1965, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the son of John Howard and Betty Lou (Coonrad) Parmely. He was raised on the family farm outside of Lamont. Matt graduated from Starmont High School in 1984 and then wrestled collegiately for four years at Wartburg and Cornell College. In 1989 Matt married Lesa Carrothers of Alburnett, and they raised their four children, Brooke, Jordan, Ryan, and Tanner on their farm near Hazleton. Matt loved to farm, hunt, fish, and…