News Headlines for September 25, 2026

CLARKSVILLE — Leona “Joyce” Freese, 89, formerly of Clarksville, passed away September 23, 2026, at Newton Village Long Term Care in Newton, leaving a legacy of nearly three decades in teaching and many years of service to her local schools.

Graveside services will be held at 10:30 on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Lowell Cemetery, 29901 Timber Road, in rural Clarksville. Woodley Funeral Home of Hampton is caring for the arrangements.

OSAGE — Aaron Boge, 51, passed away suddenly September 21, 2026, leaving behind a wide circle of family, friends, coworkers, former students and community members who knew him for his easy laugh, generous nature and willingness to lend a hand.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, October 2, at the Lincoln Elementary School Gym in Osage. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 3, at the Osage High School Gym. Hoff Celebrations – Champion Chapel of Osage is assisting the family.

RICEVILLE — Larry Donald Freerksen, 86, died September 21, 2026, at the Riceville Family Care and Therapy Center, or, as Larry himself might have put it, he “grabbed a harp.”

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 25, at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Riceville, with Pastor Herman Bakker officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Larry will be laid to rest beside his wife, Elaine, at Wayne Cemetery in rural McIntire.

MASON CITY — Sharon J. Koenigsfeld, 84, passed away September 20, 2026, at MercyOne Medical Center in Mason City.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 25, at First United Methodist Church in Mason City, with Pastor Jon Montgomery officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, September 24, at Major Erickson Funeral Home in Mason City.

CORALVILLE — Iowa Hawkeye volleyball slammed the door at the net Tuesday night, piling up a season-high 18.5 blocks and beating Milwaukee in four sets to give the Hawkeyes their best start in two decades.

Iowa defeated Milwaukee 22-25, 25-20, 25-22 and 25-17 on September 22 at Xtream Arena, improving to 11-3 overall while extending its winning streak to five matches. The 11-3 start is Iowa’s best since the 2006 season.

NEW HAMPTON — Delores Grove, 84, of New Hampton, passed away Monday, September 21, 2026, at Accura HealthCare of New Hampton with her loving family by her side.

A funeral service for Delores will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 25, at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton, with Pastor Dan Christensen officiating. Burial will follow at New Hampton Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the service Friday at the church.

MASON CITY — Renee Ann (Mathieu) Dahlen, 78, of Mason City, passed away September 22, 2026, leaving a legacy of Christian faith, devotion to her family and encouragement shared through her writing.

A celebration of her life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 26, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 2502 S. Jefferson Avenue in Mason City, with Pastor Jane Harris officiating. Inurnment will take place at 2 p.m. Monday, September 28, at Aastad Lutheran Church in rural Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

SUMNER — Bill Lehmkuhl, 90, of Sumner, passed away Monday, September 21, 2026, at Hillcrest Living Campus.

Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Becker & Son Funeral Home in Sumner. A reception will begin at 5 p.m. at Meadowbrook Country Club. Graveside services will take place Monday, September 28, at 11 a.m. in Union Mound Cemetery, with the Rev. Tracy Hinkel officiating.

MASON CITY — Donald K. Allen Jr., known as “Duck” to his colleagues at the Mason City Police Department, passed away September 21, 2026, surrounded by family. He was 80, a Marine Corps veteran and retired detective whose life also held plenty of room for hunting, fishing, bowling and cards with his mother.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held Saturday, October 3, from noon to 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Ave. He will be laid to rest at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery following a private family service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the estate of Donald K. Allen Jr.

RICEVILLE — Michael J. Gaffey, 80, a Riceville native who became an internationally recognized planetary scientist, NASA mission participant and one of the world’s leading authorities on asteroids, died Sunday, September 20, 2026.

A private family service will be held. The public is invited to join Michael’s family at Goosey’s at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 24. His final resting place will be Calvary Cemetery in Elma.

Michael’s life carried him an extraordinary distance — from a one-room Iowa schoolhouse to work that helped scientists better understand objects moving through the solar system.

MASON CITY — Lyle John Paine, 75, of Mason City, died Sunday, September 20, 2026, leaving behind his wife, siblings, stepdaughters, grandchildren and a wide circle of relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 26, at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third Street NE in Mason City. Visitation will be held at the chapel for one hour before the service, beginning at 10 a.m.