OBITUARIES
Tributes to honor the cherished memories of those we’ve lost.
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Duane Edward Schlichting, 77, lifelong Clear Laker, dies; family honors his North Iowa roots
CLEAR LAKE — Duane Edward Schlichting, 77, of Clear Lake, passed away Friday, June 26, 2026.
A visitation will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 PM Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 310 1st Ave. N. in Clear Lake.
Teresa M. Preuschl, 88, of Garner, dies; faith, family and North Iowa roots shaped her life
GARNER — Teresa M. Preuschl, 88, of Garner, passed away Friday, June 26, 2026, at her home.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan, with Fr. Paulraj Sellam officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Harlan E. Wittkopf, 79, of Algona, dies; retired attorney, judge and seashell collector leaves colorful legacy
ALGONA — Harlan E. Wittkopf, 79, of Algona, passed away peacefully Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, July 2, 2026, at New Hope Church in Algona.
Roger Lester Colson, 73, of Rockwell, dies after cancer battle; family, friends invited to gather July 11
ROCKWELL — Roger Lester Colson, 73, of Rockwell, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Oakwood Care Center after a nine-and-a-half-month battle with cancer.
A public visitation will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the Rockwell Cooperative Telephone Association, 202 4th St. N. in Rockwell.
Mary Christine Schipper, 69, Greene woman with Charles City roots, dies after cancer battle
GREENE — Mary Christine Schipper, 69, passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 25, 2026, after a five-year battle with cancer.
A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, July 10, 2026, at Woodley Funeral Home in Greene. A private family funeral service will be held.
Kenneth Ray Lester, 94, of New Hampton, dies; farmer, singer and National Guard veteran leaves rich family legacy
NEW HAMPTON — Kenneth Ray Lester, 94, of New Hampton, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.
A visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 223 S. Water Ave. in New Hampton.
Ronald L. Gerhardt, 71, of Clear Lake, dies; family honors sports-filled life, faith and love for the Lions
CLEAR LAKE — Ronald L. Gerhardt, 71, of Clear Lake, passed away peacefully Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake, surrounded by family.
A private family inurnment will be held at Clear Lake Cemetery, N. 20th St. in Clear Lake.
Robert H. Fowler, 92, of Mason City, dies; family recalls his work, bowling trophies and helpful spirit
MASON CITY — Robert H. Fowler, 92, of Mason City, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Homestead Assisted Living of Mason City.
A visitation will begin at 10:00 AM Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Mason City.
Leanna Grace Hendrickson, 92, of St. Ansgar, dies; longtime teacher leaves legacy of faith, family and service
ST. ANSGAR — Leanna Grace Hendrickson, 92, of St. Ansgar, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Osage Hospital.
A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar.
Ila Grace Wangsness, 93, of Allison, dies; family honors a life rooted in faith, family and North Iowa
ALLISON — Ila Grace Wangsness, 93, of Allison, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Elm Springs in Allison.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, June 29, 2026, at St. James Lutheran Church in Allison. Burial will follow at Allison Cemetery.
Myron John Daniel, 83, of Charles City, dies; family honors a life rooted in faith and love
CHARLES CITY — Myron John Daniel, 83, of Charles City, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, June 29, 2026, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Charles City, with Reverend Tom Heathershaw officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Charles City.
Jeannie Margaret Parcel, 75, of Osage, dies; family cherishes her love of children, camping and road trips
OSAGE — Jeannie Margaret Parcel, 75, of Osage, passed away Saturday, June 20, 2026, at her home.
A private graveside service will be held at a later date at Riverside Cemetery in Riceville. No public visitation was listed.
Russell Hintz, 76, of Mitchell, dies after life of law enforcement, family and the outdoors
MITCHELL — Russell Edward “Russ” Hintz, 76, of Mitchell, Iowa, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Osage Cemetery in Osage. A Celebration of Life will follow from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Osage Public Safety Center, 432 Main Street in Osage.
Donna ‘Lea’ Cody, 93, formerly of Riceville, dies after life of faith, family and service
RICEVILLE — Donna Lea “Lea” Cody, 93, formerly of Riceville, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Apple Valley Assisted Living in Osage, where she had lived for the past eight years.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Riceville, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial took place at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in rural Riceville.
Michael Cunningham, 68, of Fertile, passes away at Manly Specialty Care
FERTILE — Michael Alan “Mike” Cunningham, 68, of Fertile, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Manly Specialty Care.
An inurnment service will be held at Saint John’s Cemetery in rural Fertile.
Jackie Dwayne “Jack” Tynan, 80, of Charles City, dies; funeral set for July 1
CHARLES CITY — Jackie Dwayne “Jack” Tynan, 80, of Charles City, passed away Friday, June 19, 2026, at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City.
A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City. Visitation will continue one hour before the service on Wednesday.
Alvin Stika, 75, dies; Nashua man leaves legacy of family, work and humor
NASHUA — Alvin Joseph Stika, a Nashua man remembered for hard work, devotion to family and a warm sense of humor, has died at age 75.
Stika passed away peacefully Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Whispering Willow Senior Living in Fredericksburg.
Sandra Kay Huisman, 82, Charles City native, dies; family honors her joyful spirit and devotion to loved ones
CHARLES CITY — Sandra Kay “Sandy” Huisman, 82, passed away Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Bethany Alliance Church in Charles City. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM at the church, with a luncheon afterward. Following cremation, a private burial service will be held at a later date.
Dorothy “Dottie” Solberg, 103, of Charles City, dies; farm wife, sports fan and family cook leaves a century of memories
CHARLES CITY — Dorothy “Dottie” Solberg, 103, of Charles City, passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 26, 2026, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City, with Eric Hoefer from Messiah Lutheran Church officiating. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the funeral home. Inurnment will take place at Sunnyside Memory Gardens in rural Charles City with a rose laying ceremony.
Ryan McGuire, 52, of Spencer, dies; hard-working father, firefighter and mechanic leaves legacy of laughter and grit
SPENCER — Ryan Thomas McGuire, 52, of Spencer, passed away Monday, June 15, 2026, at Spencer Hospital.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Life Center, 520 North Garfield Street in Algona. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 520 North Garfield Street in Algona. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery in Algona.
OBITUARIES
Affordable & Professional: Breakthrough Web Design 515-897-1144
Northern Iowa driver flees crash scene after $13,000 wreck in Charles City, police say
CHARLES CITY — A Northern Iowa driver fled the scene after a two-vehicle crash in Charles City that caused an estimated $13,000 in damage, police said.
Northern Iowa woman arrested after Charles City cops called to out-of-control disturbance
CHARLES CITY — A Northern Iowa woman was arrested after police say officers were called to a Charles City disturbance involving a subject who was out of control.
Mason City Public Library earns state accreditation through 2029
MASON CITY — The Mason City Public Library has earned state accreditation from the State Library of Iowa, a recognition that officials say reflects the library’s commitment to strong public service, community access and high-quality operations.
Iowa State star Tamin Lipsey signs with Indiana Pacers after historic Cyclone career
AMES — Former Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey is getting his NBA shot.
Lipsey has signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Indiana Pacers following the 2026 NBA Draft, giving one of the most accomplished players in Iowa State history a path into the professional ranks.
U.S., Israel and Lebanon sign framework aimed at disarming Hizballah and easing border war
WASHINGTON — The United States, Israel and Lebanon have signed a new trilateral framework that American officials say could open a path toward ending the latest war on Israel’s northern border, restoring Lebanese sovereignty and dismantling Hizballah’s military infrastructure.
For Lebanon, the framework offers a possible route out of years of conflict, economic crisis and militia domination. For Israel, it offers a possible way to remove a persistent threat along its northern border. For the Trump administration, it represents another attempt to reorder the Middle East around deals that isolate Iran and its proxies.
Eight rural Iowa historic properties land $750,000 in preservation grants to restore landmarks and boost local business potential
DES MOINES — Eight rural Iowa historic properties will share $750,000 in preservation grants aimed at restoring old landmarks, strengthening local business districts and keeping community gathering places alive for future use.