OBITUARIES
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OBIT: David A. Giese
David A. Giese, 84, of Marshalltown, formerly of Mason City, passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at The Willows of Marshalltown. He taught language arts and served as speech coach and directed three major plays annually at Mason City High School until his retirement in 2003. A funeral service will be held at 10: 30 a.m., Friday, May 8th, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City.
OBIT: Thomas Dean Fischer
Tom passed away on Friday, April 10, 2026, at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion, Iowa at the age of 90 years. Graveside services will be on Thursday, April 16, 1:30 p.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery, Eagle Grove.
OBIT: Julie Jo Wiebenga (formerly Zirbel, Kramer & Reimer)
Clear Lake-Julie Jo Wiebenga (formerly Zirbel, Kramer & Reimer) 77, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, April 13, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. A visitation will be held Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.
OBIT: Missy D. Huling
Missy D. Huling, 65, of Garner passed away Sunday, April 12, 2026, at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond. A memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 21st at Cataldo Funeral Chapel.
OBIT: Margaret Clapp
Margaret Clapp, 92, of Charles City, passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Nora Springs Care Center with loving family at her side. A funeral service for Margaret Clapp will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Floyd.
OBIT: Steven Robert Kingston
Steven Robert Kingston, born August 26, 1953, passed away on April 11, 2026 at the age 72 at his home in Mason City on 25th Street. A celebration of life will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, Friday, May 8, 2026 at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels.
OBIT: Richard “Dick” Clemitson
Richard “Dick” Clemitson, age 87, of Emmetsburg passed away on April 12, 2026, at the Emmetsburg Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday April 25th at Grace Church in Emmetsburg.
OBIT: Kenneth Block
Dr. Kenneth Block lived a life of kindness, consideration, and humor for 97 years. He was born on the 4th of July, 1928, and his spirit rose from this Earth on April 12, 2026. A Celebration of Life service will be held at The Timbers, Northwood, IA, on May 9th, 2026, at 3:30 PM, with luncheon and fellowship to follow the service.
OBIT: Jean Lavonne Thilges
Jean Thilges, 74 of West Bend, passed away Monday, April 13, 2026, at her home in West Bend. Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 10:30 AM at Divine Mercy Catholic Parish – Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in West Bend.
OBIT: Anthony John Hoffman
Anthony John Hoffman, age 52, of Charles City, IA, died Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory – Olson Chapel in Nashua.
OBIT: Greg Malmstrom
Greg Malmstrom, 89, of Webster City died Monday, April 13, 2026 at Van Diest Medical Center. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 17, 2026 at Asbury United Methodist Church.
OBIT: Samantha Polan
Samantha R. Polan, 37, of Oelwein, Iowa, died Monday morning, April 13, 2026.
OBIT: Paul Richard Groth
Paul Richard Groth, 87 years old, of St. Ansgar passed away on Monday, April 13, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Center in St. Ansgar, Iowa. A funeral service is planned for 11:00 am on Friday, April 17, 2026, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar.
OBIT: Doris June Jeffrey
Doris June (Coyle) Jeffrey, 99, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Graveside services will be held Saturday, June 27. (which would have been her 100th birthday) at 10:30 a.m. at the Riverside Cemetery in Rockford with a celebration of life/luncheon following at the United Methodist Church, Rockford.
OBIT: Michael Dean Anderson
Michael D. Anderson, 77, of Mason City, passed away Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at Major Erickson Funeral Home.
OBIT: Chylie Marie Burns and Aerilynn Rose Young
Chylie Marie (Schutz) Burns, 25, of Park City, Kansas, joined her daughter, Aerilynn Rose Young who passed March 15, 2026; in heaven March 28, 2026, both gone too soon from this world. A memorial service will be held 1:00pm, Sunday April 26, 2026, with Deacon Regan Banks officiating at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels.
OBIT: Dawn Elizabeth Jurgensen
Dawn E. Jurgensen, 58, of Evansdale and formerly of Sumner, died Sunday, April 12, 2026, at her home surrounded by loving family following a courageous battle with cancer.
OBIT: Maxine Bettin
Maxine Bettin, age 88, of Wall Lake, IA, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake, surrounded by those who loved her.
OBIT: Lois J. (Holm) Thul
Lois passed away on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Crestview Nursing Home surrounded by family, at the age of 90 years. A Rosary and Vigil service will be held at 3:00p.m., Tuesday April 14th, 2026 at Foust Funeral Home.
OBIT: Ronald L Kaltved
Ronald (Ron) went to be with Jesus on Sunday, April 12, 2026, while at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
OBITUARIES
Affordable & Professional: Breakthrough Web Design 515-897-1144
College Basketball: Iowa State Cyclones add five transfers
AMES – Iowa State head men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced the addition of five transfers to the 2026-27 Iowa State roster. Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Taj Manning (Kansas State), Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) and Tre Singleton (Northwestern) will all join the Cyclones this summer.
Rep. Shannon Latham says Iowa Legislature working on “policy, workforce investment, and budget priorities”
“During Week 14 of the legislative session, Iowa House members advanced key pieces of legislation and spent more time working on budget priorities – signs that session is moving closer to adjournment. This week focused on a range of issues from emerging technology regulations to energy incentives,” Rep. Latham said.
Iowa woman perishes when her Chrysler Pacifica smashes into house
DEWITT, IOWA – An Iowa woman has died following a tragic sequence of events Wednesday afternoon that left a rural home in ruins and a local community in mourning.
Mason City pedals into the national spotlight as elite mountain biking ‘Trail Town’
MASON CITY — The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) has officially named Mason City a 2026 IMBA Trail Town, a prestigious national designation that recognizes the community’s rapid ascent as a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Mason City joins an elite group of only 28 communities nationwide honored for their exceptional commitment to building, maintaining, and celebrating high-quality trail systems.
Suspect arrested in murder of Waterloo woman
CEDAR FALLS — Investigators with the Cedar Falls Police Department have arrested a Waterloo man this week in connection with the February shooting death of a local woman.
Homeland Security reports a record 11th month in a row with zero border crossing
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a major milestone in border enforcement this week, reporting an 11th consecutive month of zero releases at the southern border. According to the latest figures, border encounters for the first half of the 2026 fiscal year have reached their lowest levels in recorded history. Officials credit the sustained decline to the implementation of robust enforcement measures and “America First” policies that have fundamentally altered the landscape of the southwest border.