Obituaries
Beverly Ann Richardson
Beverly Ann Richardson, age 86, died surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.Private Family Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids with Rev. Philip Thompson as Celebrant. Interment will be held at Elmwood Cemetery in Washington, IA. Public visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Friday, March 19, 2021 at Murdoch Linwood Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids. Leni Kay Brandt
Leni Kay Brandt, 74, passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2021. She was the daughter of William and Leota England of Belle Plaine, Iowa, where she graduated school. Leni worked at Amana Refrigeration from 1972, until she retired in 2008. She was married and has three children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She enjoyed sewing, camping and loved spending time with family. Barbara Joann Gerhold
Barbara Joann Gerhold, age 85, died at home surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at home with her family by her side.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, March 20, 2021 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Atkins with Rev. Douglas Woltemath officiating. Interment will be held at St. Stephen’s Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 7:00 PM Friday at the church in Atkins. Tex David Ruhl
Tex David Ruhl, 73, passed away on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at his Vinton Home following a sudden illness.Private graveside services will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton.Tex was born on May 18, 1947, in Vinton, the son of Charles L. “Charley” and Esther (Noeller) Ruhl. While in high school, Tex worked for Nelson’s Furniture. He graduated from Washington High School in Vinton with the class of 1965. Fleur Kathleen Ives Benjamin
Fleur Kathleen Benjamin was born in December of 1934, and she went to be with her Lord in December of 2020 at the age of 86. She grew up in Vinton, Iowa, and is the oldest of 5 siblings, which include Yvonne Turner of Bedford, TX. Fleur was preceded in death by her parents Dorothy and Glenn, her sister Thurla, and brothers Glenn (Donna) and Gene (Sherry – who is still living in Austin, TX).
Gary Lee Counter
Gary Lee Counter, 62, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, passed away March 4, 2021, at the Oldorf Hospice House, Hiawatha, Iowa, due to cancer.Gary was born March 19, 1958, to George Counter and Ellen (Ostby) Counter Ericson in St. Cloud, Minn. Gary was an entrepreneur, he as an insurance sales agent, carpenter, realtor, he authored a children's book, was a newspaper columnist, DJ and a craftsman in woodworking. Helen G. Welsh
Helen G. Welsh, 93 years old, of rural Brandon, Iowa, died on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at Ravenwood Specialty Care in Waterloo, Iowa. She was born on January 22, 1928, in rural Fairbank, Iowa, the daughter of Paul Gregory and Alta Lavina (Ohl) Shannon. She attended the Fairbank country school. On May 16, 1958, she and Kenneth Lee Welsh were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
Marty Lorenz Andresen
Marty Lorenz Andresen, 65, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at Sunnycrest in Dysart, surrounded by his family.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at the Phillips Funeral Home in Keystone. Interment will be held at the Keystone Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 7:00 PM on Tuesday at the funeral home. Richard (Rick) Laton
Richard (Rick) Laton, 72, of Princeton, IL, formerly of Vinton, was killed in a car accident on March 2, 2021 in Illinois.Surviving are his wife, Marsha of Princeton, IL; daughter Jennifer (Jason Christensen) of Waterloo; son Jason (Tammy) Laton of Vinton; stepson John Cook of Chicago, IL. Grandchildren Austin Collins and Tim Collins both of Knoxville, TN; Brayden Laton, Bryce (Taylor Kastli) Laton all of Vinton; Courtney Laton and Robert Essex of Cedar Rapids; Great Grandchildren Joebe, Addy, Kain and Liam. Marjorie Lorraine Degner
Marjorie Lorraine Degner, 93, passed away Friday, March 5, 2021, at Westbrook Acres Nursing Home in Gladbrook from natural causes with her daughters by her side. Private family services will be held with Rev. Brian Channel officiating. Burial will be in the Dysart Cemetery.Marjorie was born July 23, 1927, on the family farm near West Union, IA to William and Marjorie Ash Billmeyer.