BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

 

        Robert Joseph Hawk, 90. Born in South Dakota. BHS-53. Passed away at the Willows in Marshalltown. Iowa National Guard vet. Attended Iowa State University for a time. Married Karen Joan Hovland in 1960. Married Rosella Mae Palmateer in 1974 in Boone. Bob retired from Hach Company in Ames but worked most of his career at Rolfes in Boone. He loved traveling on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle and was a big Hawkeye football fan. Bob and Rosella loved camping out and searching for collectibles. Bob is survived by three children, Robert, Janelle and Brian Hawk, and five step-children, Richard and Roger Sebring, Roberta Overton, Rosalie Petty and Rodney Springer. Services in Boone.         

         Diana Marie Kafer Lawson, 80, Boone. Born in Jefferson. JHS-63. Married Ron Lawson in 1963. The couple moved to Boone, where they started their 30 year business, Lawson Communications. In retirement, they enjoyed following the activities of their children and grandchildren and could often be seen at the Dutch Oven Bakery. Diana had a passion for gardening and traveling. She served her church in many ways and was a proud member of Beta Sigma Phi. Survivors include her two daughters, Lynn (Tim) Johnson and Sue (Mark) Lawson as well as grandchildren and several siblings. Services in Boone.   

         Ramona K. Bricker Lind, 92, Pocahontas/Gowrie/Lake City Accura. Born in Boone. Pilot Mound HS-51. Was active in basketball, music and drama. Married Don "the Milk Man" Lind in Pilot Mound in 1951. Don had delivered milk to Ramona's high school every day. The couple settled down and made their home in Dayton. Ramona was a homemaker and Don worked at Lind's Dairy. The couple enjoyed music and camping. After Don's passing, Ramona moved to Pocahontas. She spent her last couple years at Accura Health Care in Lake City. Three children survive. Ramona was preceded in death by area residents Wilbur and Gladys Bricker, husband, Don, and siblings Duane Bricker, Glenda Paris and Carol Moeller. Services in Pocahontas and Gowrie.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC

       The subject today is music. Who cares? So what?

       The truth is I, the Kornerman, care and I'm still able to keyboard manage some trembling fingers well enough to display my feelings about the things I care about, via this Korner thing, and that includes music.

       Then too,  I've always felt like I wanted to take a "step beyond" and make an attempt at writing songs or even a book. Unfortunately, at my age, the book idea seems unlikely. I guess, starting in about 1962, anything I would contain in a book has already been in print for.......what? over 60 years.

       Scratching out some words for a song seems more likely. 

       Actually, for eight years in the 1980's, when I was the Master of Ceremonies for the induction of some of our countries greatest athletes into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame, I concluded each banquet with a poem which featured that year's meeting theme. It became a pretty popular part of the conclusion of the week long event.

       Poem? Song lyrics?........seem pretty compatible. Something to think about.

       Just for comparison's sake, I've gone to the Billboard Hot 100 hits of the day to checkout some lyrics of these top current songs. Actually, it was a bad time for such a search unless Christmas music was the target. Holiday music was all over the charts.

       Anyway, country star Morgan Wallen has a song, "I'm the Problem." listed and it starts, "You say I'll never change, A-just a go round town with some gasoline, Just tryin' to burn a flame. Gonna burn the whole place down and how do you explain, ever fallin' in love with a guy like me in the first place? Then turn around, say that I'm the worst thing. I guess I'm the problem."

       Another current hit is a song called, "Folded." It's so silly of me to act like I don't need you bad. When all I can think about is us, since I seen you last. I know I didn't have to walk away. All I had to do was ask for space. I'm telling you, "be on your way" when I told you to fall back. So can you come pick up your clothes? I have them folded." ??

        In contrast, I will now recite a couple of song lyrics that have been favorites of mine.....words great and a wonderful presentation by the late Eydie Gorme. The song is "what did I have that I don't have now?" Here goes.... "What did I have that I don't have? What did he like that I lost track of? What did I do that I don't do the way I did before?  What isn't there, that once was there?  What have I got a great big lack of? Something in me, then he could see, then beckons to him no more. I'm just a victim of time. Obsolete in my prime, out of date and outclassed by my past. What did he love that there's none of? When did I lose the sweet warm knack of? Wouldn't I be the late, great me if I knew how? Oh what did I have that I don't have now.?"

        Then, remember the Fifth Dimension and "One Less Bell?" "One less bell to answer. One less egg to fry. One less man to pick up after. I should be happy but all I do is cry. Oh, I should be happy, oh, why did he go? I only know that since he left, my life's so empty. Though I try to forget it just can't be done. Each time the doorbell rings, I still run. I don't know how in the world to stop thinking of him 'cause I still love him so. I end each day the way I start out, cryin' my heart out." 

         Those are examples of "painting a picture".....musically speaking.....and many artists have performed the mentioned songs but I personally enjoy Eydie's rendition of "What did I Have" from the musical, "On A Clear Day" and Marilyn McCoo's rendition of "One Less Bell" with the Fifth Dimension. 

         Matching the lyrics with Gorme and McCoo interprative versions is worth a listen if you are a music fan and enjoy the picture being painted. 

         PART TWO: I'm going to provide a snippet......who cares? So what?........of small portions of poems I authored and presented at the conclusion of National Federation meetings. 

         In 1989, at Saddlebrook Resort in Florida, the conference theme was, "Speak out for Sportsmanship" and I remarked, "Speak out for sportsmanship. But we gotta do more. Evil knows no rest and our kids are his corps. Poor sportsmanship and drugs are everywhere. We can't get away. News reports and even ads fill our air every single day. It's a battle for bodies and we could easily lose. If we don't show better choices than poor sportsmanship, drugs and booze. Have you really thought about the potential impact of this group? We're touching over eight million kids. But....there's a 12 million troop. So, you see, we've got to speak out for sportsmanship and we've gotta do even more. Evil knows no rest and our kids are his core."

         In 1990, in Minneapolis, the theme was,"Setting a course for the 90's." "Johnny's been abused. Sally's dad left in May. Jody's family is into drugs. Charlie's mom said, "Go Away". To Johnny and Jody and Charlie and Sal, you're not Liz or Chuck or Al (conference participants) No, your name is "help" and yours is "hope." and they need us all badly to care and to help cope. Wouldn't it be great to have an easy task to just schedule and rule and guide like days past. Throw out the ball and watch them run. Our job was so simple, teach values, provide some fun. Its a more serious world we live in today. We're facing situations that are more than just play.

         Those are just portions of the poems offered but I need to quit this somewhere.

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.......to https://kelleyskorner1@blogspot.com. 

          

 

 

        

         

 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

           Barbara Jean Bennett Musser, 91. BHS-52. Her husband, John Musser, BHS-52, passed away in 2011.     

           David Grant Baker, 70. Grew up on a farm near Gilbert. Air Force/Air National Guard vet. DMACC and then earned a Master's degree from ISU in Agricultural Engineering. Started working at ISU. Married Betty Kuhne in 1993. Worked as a Agricultural Engineer at Michigan State University before returning to work at ISU. He enjoyed tinkering with machines, listening to classic rock and country music and hunting. Survivors include his wife, Betty, two daughters from a first marriage, two step-children and a brother. Services in Boone.

           Donald Ivan Craun, 89, Boone. Born in Randalia. Married Joyce Martin in Omaha in 1958. Don worked for Boone Freight Lines until retirement. A member of the American Legion, VFW and Moose Lodge. He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and cookouts. Enjoyed country and bluegrass music and dancing with his wife. Survivors include six children, four of Boone, Brinda Van Cannon, Mike, BHS-10, (Jackie) Craun, Eva (Jerry) Walters, and Carol Ann (David) Musser. Daughter Karen Grove of Boxholm  and son, Jeff (Shannon Taylor) of Ames also survives as do sisters, Barb, BHS-59, Cory; Sandra, BHS-63, (Robert) Burdick and Shirley Dillon and a brother, Alvin Craun. A COL will be held later.       

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

        Joyce Marie Miller Kirk, 83, Ames. Born in Boone. BHS-60. Married Larry Gene Kirk in Webster City in 1958. Larry passed away in May of 2025. The Kirk family moved from Boone to Ames in 1988. Joyce was a buyer for Sauer Danfoss for several years and retired as purchasing manager for Eagle Iron Works in 2004. She devoted much of her spare time to her daughters as a Camp Fire leader, PTA President and sewed many dance and Halloween costumes for them. Joyce and Larry spent several winters in southern Texas. She was a member of the Boone Red Hat Society. the local P.E.O. chapter and belonged to a dominoes group. She was also a big supporter of the ISU sports teams. Survivors include her daughters, Shelly Stotts, BHS-80, of Boone and Kim Blonigen, BHS-84, of Wichita. Services in Ames and burial in Boone.

       William Walter Martin, Williamsburg, NM. Perry HS-74. A COL will be held at Spring Lake with burial in the family plot at Bluff Creek near Boone.