Gray, Paul C -

Paul C. Gray, a 1946 graduate of Prescott High School and a

farmer in Adams and Montgomery counties, passed away on Jan.

29, 2003, at his home in Prescott. Funeral services were held Feb.

1 at the Presbyterian Church in Lenox with Pastor Pete Brantner

of Plane Center Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment was in

North Fairview Cemetery, Lenox.  Military rites were provided

By VFW Post 250.  Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Services was

in charge of the arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to Alegent Home Health Care and

Hospice and-or Alegent Health Out Patient Care.

Paul was born on Nov. 14, 1928, in Nodaway, Iowa to

Harold and Claire Mitchell Gray. He graduated from Prescott High

in 1946. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean campaign.

Paul lived in Stanton prior to his marriage, which came on Jan.

14, 1956, to Carolyn J. Johnson in a Red Oak ceremony.

He farmed in Adams and Montgomery counties and sold seed

corn for Pioneer Seeds for 24 years. He also drove a school bus

for the Prescott schools.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn of Prescott; sons Steve

(wife Beth) Gray of Elkhorn, Neb., Tim (wife Pam) Gray of

Creston, and Tom (wife Tracey) Gray of Prescott; brothers Bill

(wife Jo) Gray of Stanton, Jim (wife Marilyn) Gray of Prescott,

Jack (wife Joann) Gray of Villisca; brother-in-law David Kehr of

Riffle, Colo., and 11 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by

his parents; sisters Margarete Kehr and Ruth Perrin; and brother-in-

law Dallas Perrin.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 5, 2003

Grundman, Harry William -

The first president of the National Farmers Organization and

a former president of the Corning Chamber of Commerce passed

away in late January.

Funeral services were held on Jan. 31, 2003, at the United

Methodist Church in Corning for Harry William Grundman, age

78, of Coming. Interment was in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Prescott, with

Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Service in charge of

arrangements.

Harry was born on July 14, 1924, in Prescott to Harry Charles

and Lilliam Mae Keever Grundman. He passed away on Jan. 29,

2003, at his home in Corning.

He graduated from Prescott High School in 1942. On Dec. 27,

1946, he married Enid R. Rogers in Mt. Etna. Before moving to

Corning, he worked for the military in Omaha, in the sales industry

in Nebraska, and farmed near Prescott. He was instrumental in

developing the National Farmers Organization and was elected its

first president.

In 1960, Harry began operating Grundman Insurance Agency

and was secretary-manager of Adams Mutual Insurance

Association. He served on the Grinnell Mutual Board of Directors

for more than 20 years. He also served as chairman of the board for

three years. He retired in 1994. Harry lived most of his life in the

Adams County area and had lived in Corning since 1960.

He was president of the Corning Chamber of Commerce in

1963 and also served as president of the Quarterback Club. He

was a Corning Chamber charter member, and he was also a

charter member of the Resource, Conservation and Development

Office in Creston. Harry served on the YMCA board for many

years and was active on various committees of the Corning

Methodist Church. He was a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow.

Harry was active in Adams County Republican politics and was

also and Mason and American Legion-WW member.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and fought

in the Battle of the Bulge and other European campaigns. He

received the Purple Heart.

Survivors include his wife, Enid of Corning; son Michael

(wife Rebecca) of Corning; daughter Debra (husband James) Blum

of Johnston, Iowa; daughter LeAnn (husband Philip) Morris of

Lenox; son Mark (wife Donna) Grundman of Croswell, Minn.; son

Matthew (wife Debra) Grundman of Bedford; 14 grandchildren

and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Nina

Mae Krauth.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 5, 2003

Hargin, Vera Lorraine -

Funeral services for Lorraine V Hargin were held Feb. 17 at Coen-

Beaty-Pearson Funeral Service with Pastor Don Frizzell officiating.

Burial was in Clarinda City Cemetery.  Memorial may be made to

Taylor Ridge Estates or Lenox Care Center.

Lorraine was born Feb. 3, 1926 in Kansas City, Mo.  She passed

away on Feb 13, 2003 at the age of 76.

She lived in Kansas City and Lenox where she resided at Taylor

Ridge Estates and Lenox Care Center.

She was preceded in death by her parents,Arthur Bruce and

Eva Warner Hargin.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 19, 2003

Hargin, Vera Lorraine -

Vera Lorraine Hargin was born in Kansas City, Missouri,

February 3, 1926 A few days after her birth, Eva (Warner) and Bruce

Hargin became her parents and she was brought to Iowa, first to

live for a couple of years on a farm seven miles south of Lenox and

then moving to a farm about five miles northwest of Clearfield.

Lorraine was a beautiful baby, with masses of black curls,

dimples, and a big smiles which she never lost.

She loved living on the farm where she could be surrounded

with pets. She had dogs and cats and sometimes made pets of some

of the young livestock which her father raised. She also had many

stuffed animal pets, and she continued to make much of these

"friends" the rest of her life. She completed several years of

education in a country school near her farm home. When she was

in her teens, her elderly parents sold the farm and moved into a

home in Lenox, where her father passed away in 1951. She and

her mother moved to New Market to be nearer to her mother's

family. When her mother became ill, a year or so later, she entered

The County Care Facility at Bedford and moved with them to what

became Taylor Ridge Estates. Two of her special joys were

attending church at the United Methodist Church and shopping as

long as she was physically able. She really liked being around

people and doing social things.

She remained at Taylor Ridge until the spring of 2002 when she

required different care, and was moved to the Lenox Care Center

and was living there at the time of her death. The staff and the

residents at those facilities really became her family and they were

so very good to her and she was very fond of them.

Her survivors consist of cousins and their families: Dorlea

(Don) Howard of Maryville, MO., Daryl (Opal) Cooper of Council

Bluffs, Dale (Ann) Cooper of Bedford, Pauline Miller of Lenox,

Phyllis Breach of Sharpsburg, Phillip (Connie) Hargin of Florida,

Mary Alice (Leo) Burg and Marion (Beverley) Hargin of Creston,

and Lila Stephenson of California.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday March 19, 2003

Holben, David Eugene -

Area residents, law enforcement officials from throughout the

state and relatives of David E. Holben of Bedford paid their final

respects to the former Taylor County Sheriff on Saturday in a

funeral service at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lenox.

Holben passed away on Feb. 5 at the age of 53. He would

have celebrated his 54th birthday on Feb. 6.

He was the son of Gene Holben and Betty Reynolds Holben

of Lenox. He graduated from Lenox High in 1967. Following in

the footsteps of his father, he became Taylor County Sheriff and

served as an elected Sheriff from 1988-1996.

Survivors include his wife, Janet of Bedford; four children;

and his mother, Betty of Lenox. Full obituary information is inside

this edition.

Saturday's funeral at St. Patrick's was one that included

literally hundreds of mourners, including many from law

enforcement ranks throughout the state.

Mourners by the hundreds have been the rule, rather than

exception, for funerals in the Lenox area. Earlier this year, Lenox

area residents said their final farewells to Mildred Cheese and

Harry Freeman.

With this week's obituary announcements, the total number of

deaths reported in the Time Table in the first six weeks of the year

2003 stands at nearly 20.

---

Mass of Christian Burial services for Dave Holben, age 53, of Bedford

were held on Saturday, February 8, 2003, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's

Catholic Church in Lenox with Father Dan Siepker officiating.

Interment was held at the North Fairview Cemetery in Lenox. In lieu of

flowers, the family strongly requests memorials be given in Dave's

name. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of

Lenox.

David Eugene Holben, was born February 6, 1949 in Creston, Iowa the son

of Gene Holben and Betty Reynolds Holben. Dave grew up in Lenox graduating

from the Lenox Community High School with the Class of 1967.

After attending college for one and one-half years, Dave went to work for

the HyVee Food Stores in Des Moines. On September 6, 1969, he was

united in marriage to Janet Williams at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lenox.

After their marriage, Dave and Janet lived in Des Moines. Four children

were born to bless this union, Thomas Eugene, twins, Jennifer Jo and

Joni Marie, and Jeremy Stephen.

In 1976, Dave became a Deputy Sheriff with the Polk County Sheriff's office.

In 1982 Dave graduated from the Des Moines Area Community College with

a degree in Law Enforcement, he also attended the Iowa Law Enforcement

Academy in Des Moines. After his father's death in 1983, he accepted the

position of Chief Deputy with the Taylor County Sheriff's office and

the family moved to Lenox, later moving to Bedford.

When Taylor County Sheriff Marven Weed retired, Dave served the remainder

of his term. He then ran unopposed in the 1988 election and served as Taylor

County Sheriff until 1996.

Dave attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri

obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration with a minor

in Criminal Justice Degrees, graduating in 1997. From 1997 to 1998, Dave

served as the Director of Emergency Services for Benton County, Arkansas

where he administered seven departments with their 911 operations, central

communications, emergency management, rural fire (25 departments) search

and rescue, dive rescue and rural community grant programs. In 1998, Dave

became the Administrator for the South Central Iowa Regional E911. Where he

managed the day-to-day operations for a seven county area with the enhanced 911

system. Over the years, Dave had served on the E 911 Service Board.

Dave was also a proud member of the Iowa State Sheriff's and Deputies Association

Jail Committee from 1987 to 1994, where he served as Chairman from 1992 to

1994. During his tenure, he worked with the Iowa Department of Corrections on

state jail standards.

Dave was active in Marriage Encounters and pre-marriage preparation at the

Catholic Church. He served as Scout Master for Troup 136 of Bedford; and as

the Assistant Scout Master of Troop 104 in Lenox. Scouting was a big part of his

life and being a part of the various scouting activities enabled him to be a part

of the local children's lives. He also served as a drummer in a Scottish Bagpipe Band.

Dave was an extremely well read man who enjoyed the outdoors and fly-fishing

when he could. He loved the water, boating, fishing and was a certified scuba diver.

Dave loved when the family would get together, especially at Christmas time where he

even enjoyed putting up the lights! Dave loved his family dearly, his wife, children

and especially his grandchildren. Even with the unpredictability of his job over the

years, Dave always had time for his family and their activities, He always put the

enjoyment of others ahead of himself. He was a man of standards, always needing

things to be done just right. Dave was also an avid NWMSU Bearcat fan who

thoroughly enjoyed going to the Saturday afternoon football games.

Left to cherish Dave's memory are his loving wife Janet of Bedford; his mother

Betty Holben of Lenox; four children, Thomas Holben and wife Mistie and their

daughter Natalie of Coin; Jeni Murphy and husband James and their children, Max

and Samantha of Bedford; Joni Jackson and husband Chad and their children Dylon,

Kylie and Ashlyn of Bedford; and Jeremy Holben and wife Amie and their children

Grant and Bradie of Maryville, Missouri; a sister, Janet Sue Peterson and husband

Chuck and their children Shannon, Jordan and Ashley of Council Bluffs.

Preceding Dave in death are his father Gene in 1983 and a sister Jeanne in 2000.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 12, 2003

Larson, Naomi Ruth Smith -

Funeral services for Naomi Larson, (wife of Dean 'Jinx' Larson) age 81 of

Bedford, who died Sunday, February 2, 2003 were held Wednesday,

February 5, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. at the Ritchie Funeral Home with Pastor Ted

DeHass officiating. Interment was held at the Fairview Cemetery in Bedford.

Memorials can be given in Naomi's name. Arrangements Were entrusted

to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.

Naomi Ruth Larson was born August 3, 1921, in rural Hopkins, Missouri the

daughter of Leslie Evans Smith and Aura Mae Phillips Smith.

Naomi grew up in the Hopkins area attending rural schools. After school, Naomi

worked in various homes taking care of housework and other chores. She and

her sister Mabel moved to Bedford where they both worked for Cudahy's

Packing Company in the butter room. She met Dean 'Jinx' Larson and the

couple was united in marriage on January 20, 1949 in Clarinda, Iowa. After their

marriage the couple and their family lived on various farms around Taylor County,

eventually moving into Bedford in 1962.

Naomi was a kind and loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her life revolved

around her family, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She enjoyed gardening, canning and was a wonderful cook, well known for her

caramel dumplings. As was their custom for many years, Naomi would fill out

the grocery list and Dean would head off to the store, always being sure nothing

went to waste. At the Larson household, there were never any leftovers!

Left to cherish Naomi's memory are her husband, William Dean Larson of Bedford;

ten children, Richard Larson of Bedford; Martha Larson of Bedford; Karen Riedel and

husband Ron of Siam; Jean Waterbury of Sioux City; Linda Onumbu and husband

John of Omaha, Nebraska; Janice Fleharty and husband Rod of Corning; Tom Larson

of Bedford; Ann Snyder and husband Terry of Gravity; Robert Larson of Bedford;

and Diana Christie and husband Randy of Bedford; fifteen grandchildren and five

greatgrandchildren.

Preceding Naomi in death are her parents Leslie Evans Smith and Aura Mae Smith; a

son, Eldon Lee Larson in 1984; three brothers, Eugene Smith; Ellis Smith; Lawrence

(Jake) Smith; and a sister, Mabel Grace.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 12, 2003

McCreight, Floy Helen -

Floy McCreight, age 84, died Thursday, February 6, 2003, at

Clarinda Regional Health Center, Clarinda, Iowa. Funeral services

will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, February 10, 2003, at Walker

Merrick Funeral Home with Rev. Mark Wright officiating. There

is open visitation at the funeral home. Burial will be in West

Fairview Cemetery, Lenox, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to

the Trinity Presbyterian Church or to the Clarinda Public Library.

Walker-Merrick Funeral Home, Clarinda, Iowa, is in charge of

arrangements.

Floy Helen McCreight was born March 26, 1918, near

Creston, Iowa in Union County to Elmer O. McCreight and Bessie

(Ramsey) McCreight. Two years later, the family moved to a farm

north of Clearfield, Iowa. Floy attended Clearfield grade school

and graduated from Clearfield High School. She received her

bachelor's degree from Tarkio College, Tarkio, Missouri and her

Masters degree in Elementary Education from Northwest Missouri

State University, Maryville, Missouri. Floy was an elementary

teacher for 43 years, retiring in 1983. She taught one year in a

rural school in Ringgold County, Iowa, three years in Humboldt,

Nebraska, and 39 years in the Clarinda Community School. She

was an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Honor Society

for Teachers, Page-Taylor Retired Teacher's Association and the

Business and Profession Women's Club. Floy was also an active

member of the Trinity Presbyterian Church, Clarinda, Iowa.

Preceding Floy in death were her parents, sisters: Alda

McCreight in infancy, Mildred Young and a brother Loraine

McCreight. Survivors included brothers: Duane L. McCreight of

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania and Rev. Ray A. McCreight of Beaver,

Pennsylvania, nieces: Shirley (McCreight) Fair of Imperial,

Pennsylvania and Sharon (McCreight) Schmidt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 12, 2003

Murdock, David Roger -

A rural Corning man who was well known to many Lenox

area golfers passed away on Feb. 2, 2003, at Clarke County

Hospital in Osceola. Funeral services for David Roger Murdock,

age 63, are scheduled for Feb. 7 at Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family

Funeral Service in Corning. Visitation is scheduled for Feb. 6, 11

a.m. - 8 p.m., with family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m. at the

funeral home. Memorials may be made in his name.

Known to most as Roger, he was a member of the Lenox

Country Club, the Pine Valley Golf Course, the IBEW Labor

Union, and attended the Methodist Church in Corning.

He was born on August 10, 1939, in Corning to Kenneth Earl

Murdock and Ester Mildred Stillinger. He graduated from Corning

High School in 1956.

Roger was married to Elaine C. Briggs in 1962, and the couple

later divorced. Survivors include sons David (wife Darcie)

Murdock of Bloomington, Minn., and Bryan (wife Amy) Murdock

of Forest Lake, Minn.

Roger was honorably discharged from the US Navy on Jan.

l4, 1963.  He was a telecommunication specialist for the Burlington

Northern Railroad for 37 years before he retired in July 2001. He

was a regular participant in Wednesday men's golf night at the

Lenox course.

Other survivors include brothers Richard (wife Kathleen)

Murdock of Corning and Robert (wife Lorry) Murdock of Moline,

Ill.; sister Carolyn (husband Robert) Greening of Lisle, Ill.; sister-in-

law Phyllis Murdock of Independence, Ill.; and five

grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and a

brother, Randall Murdock.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 5, 2003

Rusco, Bernadine Marie Barry -

Memorial services for Bernadine Rusco, age 85 of Bedford, who died

Thursday, February 6, 2003 were held Sunday, February 9, 2003 at

6:00 p.m. at the Ritchie Funeral Home with Father Dan Siepker officiating.

Burial of the ashes will be held in the Athelstan Cemetery. Memorials

can be given in Bea's name. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie

Funeral Home of Bedford.

Bernadine Marie Rusco was born November 5, 1917, in Adams County, Iowa

the daughter of Michael E. Barry and Julia E. McConkey Barry. At the age

of six months Bea, along with her parents and brother Johnny and sister

Helen, moved to Massena, Iowa where she lived for twenty years. In 1937,

Bea graduated from Massena High School. After graduation, Bea moved to

Des Moines where she lived for about two years.

She returned to Corning to work and this is where she met Royal Paul Rusco.

They were married in 1940 and in 1941 their son, Jimmy Joe was born.

The family moved to Lenox in 1948 where Bea and Royal both worked for the

telephone company. Later Royal went to work for the Lenox Community School.

They moved to California for a short time, returning to Iowa to live in Bedford.

In 1990, Royal passed away and in 1992, Bea moved back to Lenox.

Bea was a member of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lenox and the American

Legion Ladies Auxiliary. Bea also enjoyed fishing, sewing and embroidery work. She

loved playing cards and spending time with her family. In her later years, Bea was

active in the churchwomen's guild. She also enjoyed traveling, having visited New

York with her sister and niece.

Left to cherish Bea's memory are her son, Jimmy Joe, and a granddaughter,

Deidre K. Rusco, both of Bedford; a sister, Helen Mack of Des Moines; and several

nieces and nephews.

Preceding Bea in death are her parents, Michael and Julia; her husband Royal and

a brother Johnny.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 12, 2003

Sinning, W H (Bill) -

W H (Bill) Sinning, 86, of Corning, Iowa died on February 16, 2003 at the

Corning Nursing & Rehab Center.

The services was held on Wednesday February 19, at the Presbyterian

Church in Corning with Pastor Ben Rummer officiating.  Interment was in

Frankville Cemetery near Postville.   Memorials were made in her name. 

Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements.

Bill was born on February 26, 1916 at Guthrie Center, Iowa to Henry F

Sinning and Bertha Lubbers.  He attended and graduated from Webster

City High School with the class of 1933.  He attended Buena Vista College and

the University of Dubuque and he graduated with a BS degree.  He

attended the University of Dubuque Seminary from 1936-1939 and was

ordained.  He married Jean Margaret Brandt.

Bill grew up in Kamrar, Iowa and lived in Frankville, Rossville, Corning

and Emory.  He served two terms as mayor of Corning from 1968 - 1972.

He was a member of the Corning Rotary for 49 years, served as past

President Dubuque University Alumni-Service to Community Award;

Stated Clerk and Treasurer of Corning Presbytery from 1956-1959 of

S. W. Iowa from 1959-1977, Des Moines Presbytery in 1978, Synod

Vice Moderator in 1954, Chrm Synod Vocation Dept. from 1969-1972,

Synod Council from  1967-1972, Synod Board of College Visitors from

1967-1971, and he received the Paul Harris Fellow award in 1993.

Survivors include wife Jean Sinning of Corning; daughter, Diane and

husband David Bradley of Danville, CA; Judy and husband Michael Storin

of Aurora, CO; son, David Sinning of Turtle, OK, and significant other,

Jenny Boswell of Corning; sisters, Mildred and husband Lloyd Fonken of

Ft. Dodge, IA and Marjorie Sinning of Cedar Falls; sister-in-law, Elinor

Sinning of Rudd, IA. Bill also had 6 grandchildren.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 19, 2003

Swartz, Madeline Hook -

Funeral services for Madeline Swartz, age 83 of Bedford, who died

Thursday, February 6, 2003 were held Monday, February 10, 2003 at

10:30 a.m. at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Bedford with Pastor Ted DeHass

officiating. Interment was held in the Lexington Cemetery. Memorials

can be given in Madeline's name. Arrangements were entrusted

to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.

Madeline Swartz was born June 11, 1919 in Harrison County, Missouri

the daughter of Thomas Ransom Hook and Minnie Elsie (Glenn) Hook.

Madeline grew up in Harrison County where she attended Martinsville

schools, graduating with the Class of 1937.

On February 11, 1940, she was united in marriage to Wayne Edward

Swartz at the Martinsville, Missouri minister's home. They had a double

ceremony with Wayne's  brother, Raymon and Madeline's cousin, Veta Lois.

To this union two sons were born, Ronald Wayne and Gary Kyle. Madeline

and Wayne resided in the Bethany, Missouri area for several years

before moving to Iowa. The couple lived north of Griswold where Wayne

worked for area farmers until the early 1950's when Wayne rented a farm

in the Clarinda area. In 1960, Madeline and Wayne purchased a farm

northeast of Bedford. Together Madeline and Wayne farmed the land

until 1995 when they retired and moved into Bedford.

Madeline was a life-long member of the Martinsville Christian Church, and

she belonged to several neighborhood clubs. Madeline enjoyed embroidery,

crocheting and numerous other hand work.

Over the years, she spent many hours in her garden, growing and canning

the produce and tending to her flowers. Her family was very important

to her and she always looked forward to spending the holidays together,

especially Christmas. There was always plenty of food at Madeline's house,

no one ever went home hungry, especially when she made her famous

butter horn rolls. Madeline was a kind and gentle woman who always had a

good sense of humor and much compassion for others.

Left to cherish Madeline's memory are her son Gary Swartz and wife

Marsha of Bedford; a daughter-in-law, Zelda Swartz of Grant, Iowa;

a brother, Gayle Hook and wife Dolores of Kansas City, Missouri; four

grandchildren, Lori Riley and husband John of Johnston, Iowa; Lisa Jobe

and husband Joe of Jefferson City, Missouri; Jeremy Swartz and wife

Susan of Bedford; and Justin Swartz of Grant, Iowa; five great-grand

children, Kristin and Jenna Riley; Delaney and Levi Jobe and Kyla Swartz;

along with a host of other family members and friends.

Preceding Madeline in death were her parents, Thomas Hook and Minnie

(Glenn) Hook; her husband Wayne Swartz; a son, Ronald Swartz;

and a brother, Kyle Hook.

Lenox Time Table, Lenox, Iowa Wednesday February 12, 2003