BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

     Alan August  Ruther, 88, Ogden/Eastern Star. Born in Jefferson. Boxholm HS-56. Married Jo Ann Weyer of Woodward in Boxholm in 1960. For 45 years, Alan worked for the Iowa DOT in the bridge inspection department, initially in Jefferson but then from the Ames office. At age 15, Alan was diagnosed with juvenile onset diabetes but with perserverance, steady monitoring and his wife's assistance, he became a model for managing the Type 1 diabetes effectively. The couple enjoyed the Knoxville races and listening to classic country music. Alan enjoyed woodworking, gardening, yard work, watching Iowa PBS, anything chocolate and reading about science and astrophysics. Survivors include four children, including Marva Ruther of Ames. A COL will be held later. 

     Jeffrey Wayne Mercer, 51, Mount Ayr. National Guard vet. Trucker. Spent many Saturdays at the Boone Speedway. Survivors include a close friend, Darrin, of Boone. 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

      Brian C. Hall, 71, Shellsburg. Born in Boone. His parents were Cedric and Helen Hall. BHS-73. Army vet. Married Twila Bennett in 1975. They divorced. In 1980, he married Penny Heard. Brian worked in security at the Cedar Rapids Duane Arnold Energy Center for 31 years. He then worked five years as a tire and lube supervisor at Walmart. He enjoyed NASCAR, John Wayne movies and crime TV shows. He also loved his daily ritual of coffee. Survivors include his wife, Penny, two daughters, a son, and his sister, Becky (Nick) Caskey of Boone. Private services.      

      Jon Harold Vogler, 82, Des Moines. Born in Fort Dodge. BHS-63. Wentworth Military Academy in 1965. His parents were Harold Sturtz Vogler and Doris Albertina Lorena Swanson Vogler. A devout Lutheran, he was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Boone. U.S. Army vet. After service, he earned a diploma in Bookkeeping/Accounting at DMACC in 1970. Jon was an avid investor who enjoyed NASCAR, had a deep love for his country, was a passionate fan of Elvis and a car enthusiast. He moved to Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines in 2017 and quickly became a beloved fixture in that community. Survivors include his NASCAR family and people whose lives were touched by his company. Services in Des Moines. Burial in Boone Linwood cemetery.

     Carol J. Rardin Hamilton, 66, Ames. Born in Boone to Harold and Joyce Lang Rardin. BHS-78. Earned an Associates Degree from Boone Campus DMACC in 1980 and her LPN in 1981. Married Scott Hamilton in Boone in 1984. Carol started  her nursing career at Mary Greeley Medical Telemetry Unit on 2 South/4C, 1981, and served there until retirement in 2017. She then joined McFarland Clinic in the Endocrinology Unit for two years and five years in the Oncology Unit at the Bliss Cancer Center. She officially retired from 43 years of helping others in 2024. An avid shopper, she looked forward to her annual trip to the Mall of America. She loved traveling, cruises, music and concerts and she collected Longaberger baskets and Byers' Choice Carolers. Survivors include her husband, Scott, a son and a daughter. Services in Boone and Pilot Mound.

     Jaci Schwering, 51, Otho. Survivors include a son, Michael Schwering of Stratford. 

     Joan Millhollin, 79, Yale. Survivors include a daughter, Annie (Matt) Drewis of Madrid. 

HERE'S HOPING YOU AGREE

       Jealousy?.........absolutely, and the piece that I'm going to share is soooooo good I just wish I could take credit for initially displaying it myself.

       The real author is "That Wealth Girl" and, unfortunately, I have no further information to convey. It was simply one of those many offerings each day that appear on the internet. It was a facebook post that someone saw and sent on to the Korner. Thank you so much.

       Here goes.....

       My 91-year old grandma gave me nine rules before she passed. I think about them every day.

       (1)  Do not let a grudge choose your family. She said you will bury people you were too proud to call. Pick up the phone while it still rings.

       (2)  Never sign anything anyone says you would not understand. She read every page and asked every question. She said the words too complicated for you are usually the words written against you.

       (3)  Keep something beautiful in the house even when money is tight. She had flowers on the table in the worst years. She said poverty is hard enough without letting it make you ugly.

       (4)  Spend on the things that get used every day. She bought a good mattress and cheap everything else. She said you sleep a third of your life, so put your money where your hours are.

       (5)  Do not tell people how tired you are, show them what you finished. She never complained and always delivered. She said tired is a feeling and finished is a fact.

       (6)  Be the one who remembers birthdays. She wrote them all in one book. She said the world forgets people constantly, and being remembered is the cheapest kindness there is.

       (7)  Never let the sale price decide what you need. She walked past bargains her whole life. She said a thing you did not want at full price is not a deal, it is clutter, with a discount.

       (8)  Learn to sit with someone in pain without fixing it. She said most people do not need advice, they just need a chair pulled up next to them.

      (9)  Do not save your good dishes for a day that never comes. She used everything. She said you are the special occasion and you have been all along.

      Nothing you buy will love you back. She said put money in the things that can, and your time in the people who do.

      She used the good dishes and told the truth. Pick the rule that stung and start there today. 

     AMEN. What a great piece and probably some of it is too much truth for some of us to handle.

     I hope.....and I imagine there are Korner viewers who are making copies and sending them to various family members.......friends....... neighbors etc.

K-----K 

      Worldwide Korner headquarters are still located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices......https://kelleyskorner1@blogspot.com. 

 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

      Michael Kevin Boettger, 69, Des Moines. Born in Des Moines. East HS. He was a loving, caring husband to his surviving wife of 56 years, Sarah. Also surviving are four children and families and a brother. A COL is planned for later. Condolences can be sent to Sarah, 1555 First St., Boone.

       

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       Jay H. Honohan, 96, Iowa City. Born in Illinois. His parents were Harold and Evelyn Sproule Honahan. BHS-48. BJC-50. Navy Korean War vet. At ISU, earned a degree in Industrial Psychology in 1955 and from the State University of Iowa earned his Juris Doctor Degree in 1960. Married Nancy Lee Leary in Keota in 1958. Started law practice in Iowa City in 1960 with sole practice beginning in 1970. He served as a Police Judge and for City Attorney for Iowa City for several years. He was active in legal committees, his church and the Jaycees. Numerous times he was honored with prestigious awards including Boss of the Year, the Iowa Bar Association award of Merit and as a volunteer for various organizations. He was a lifelong Cub and Iowa Hawkeye fan, Survivors include three children, his sister, Kay Flockhart, (BHS-51) and niece Calista (Harrison Ford) Flockhart among many other nieces and nephews. Services in Iowa City.

       Delores Kathyrn Shaheen Haddy, 99, Phoenix. Married Albert Haddy in 1947 and the couple lived in Cedar Rapids, Albert Lea and Boone. In 1958, they pursued opportunities in Phoenix and remained there. Services in Phoenix. 

ITS A MISHMASH TODAY

       I, the Kornerman, must confess, I'm not a die-hard racing fan, although I have a passing interest in the past and upcoming races and I do know some of the history, past and present, nationally and locally, of this long time sport.

       Despite this somewhat limited appeal, I do, as all Iowans should, "bust our buttons" for the great success of the NASCAR events in Newton and the annual race schedules at Knoxville and, especially, in Boone.

       A sell-out crowd watched the action at the Iowa Speedway over the weekend and both the Knoxville and Boone tracks will be attracting their usual terrific support for their upcoming events. These are events for all Iowans to be proud of and wonderful assets for our state to point to.

K-----K

       An old friend, former KWBG announcer Mark Campbell, BHS-67, has some good information to relay regarding our recent spiel about the changes underway for AM radio.

       He mentions that K-Dub has an FM translator 101.5 and "it has pretty good coverage, even to the south at night where the AM doesn't quite make it due to directional requirements." 

       Mark went on to say that, "I'm with Vern Modeland on this one. Its disappointing to hear AM stations go dark. WBT in Charlotte, N.C. just switched its new/talk format to FM. WSB in Atlanta no longer identifies its AM frequency (750). Instead it is WSB-95.5. Local small market stations are dropping like flies. KGRN Grinnell and the former KCOB-Newton are dark and the future does not bode well for other big stations. KMOX St.Louis and WCCO-Minneapolis, former powerhouses in their respective markets, are not even in the top 10. Its a sad time for us former radio folks and listeners. But one surprise. The former WOW-Omaha went dark within the past year but one enterprising buyer is putting the AM-590 back on the air with WOW call letters."

K-------K

       Always nice to hear from former residents.

       The Kornerman had a good visit with Tom Lainson, BHS-57, who is now a settled resident of Dallas after a long work career with Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Tom says his days of travel to Boone are probably "over now," as he still dreams of those Boyd's malts. Tom grew up near the number three tee at the Boone Golf and Country Club. His wife, Sandy Shadle, BHS-59, grew up at 1128 Crawford.

       Betty McElyea Vitt wrote, "I religiously read your blog after my sister, Marilyn, BHS-54, told me about it. She was an avid Kelley's Korner fan. Marilyn passed away in California in 2024." Betty also lost her husband, BHS-57 classmate, Fred Vitt, in 2010.

K-------K

       Finally, an item in the recent news caught my eye. In 1896, the first recorded speeding ticket was issued. Some poor person was cited for driving (I don't know what) eight miles per hour in a two miles per hour zone.

K-------K

        Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices........https://kelleyskorner1@blog spot. com. 

        

        

        

        

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       Shirley Lorraine Ross Parrish, 92, Tennesee. Born in Boone. BHS-52. Her parents (deceased) were Clayton and Edna Ross. She married into the military and lived in various states. Settled in Tennessee. A sister, Dorothy Ross Harris, BHS-50, of Boone, preceded her in death. A daughter survives. Services in Tennessee. 

       Mershell Frist Putman, 74, Des Moines. Born in Boone. Final Boone Ryan High School class 1970. Earned a stenographic diploma from AIB in Des Moines. Her parents (deceased) are Ruth and Wayne Frist. Was blessed with a "bonus dad," LeRoy McGinnis, also now deceased but an important part of her life. Married Richard Putnam of Perry in 1972. Mershell had a distinguished military career at a Air National Guard base in California before returning to Iowa for 12 years of part-time service. She lived in St. Charles while working for Principal Financial, moved to Harlan to be a full-time legal secretary and then to Carlisle to continue her military service in Des Moines. She totaled 32 years of military service, including 20 years full-time and a rank of E-8. That service took her across the world. After retirement, she worked for a law firm until May of 2025. Mershell was deeply involved in community and church endeavors and had a special gift of bringing people together. Survivors include two daughters, a brother, Mike (Judy) Frist of Boone, and a sister. Services in Des Moines and Adel.