Woods Funeral Home

Oran: Russell Frederick Cummings age 86 passed away Saturday, March 10, 2018 at Parkview Assisted Living in Fairbank. He was born May 13, 1931 near Dunkerton. He was the son of Floyd and Grace (Turner) Cummings. Russell attended and graduated from Oran High School. After high school he served in the United States Army from 1952-1954 during the Korean War. When he returned home from the war he attended Iowa State Teacher’s College from 1954-1955. Russell was employed by Lorber Construction of Oran for many years until his retirement. He was a volunteer firefighter for the Oran Fire Department for 40 years. He was also a loyal member of the First Baptist Church of Fairbank for over 50 years, where he helped out with the care and maintenance of the church. Russell was known by many as the “Mayor of Oran.” He enjoyed and was honored to go on an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit the Korean War Memorial. Russell is survived by a brother, Merlyn (Helen) Cummings of Santa Barbara, California, one nephew; David, four nieces; Kathy, Karen, Kris and Janice and his special family Doris Parizek, Diane Neil, Mel and Judy Neil and their families. He was preceded in death by brothers, Everett, Dale (Beverly) Cummings and special family members; Larry Parizek, Dale Neil, Dennis (Brenda) Neil.

Funeral Services: 10:30 am Thursday, March 15, 2018 at the United Methodist Church, Fairbank.

Visitation: 4:00-7:00 pm Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at Woods Funeral Home, Fairbank.

Military Rites: Conducted by the Fairbank American Legion Fortsch-Duffy Post 552.

Firefighter Honor Guard: Conducted by the Buchanan County Honor Guard assisted by the Oran Volunteer Fire Department.

Interment: Fairview Cemetery Dunkerton, Iowa.

Memorials may be directed to: Oran Fire Department, Fairbank First Baptist Church or Parkview Assisted Living.

Oelwein: Jim Leehey age 74 passed away at his home Thursday, December 21, 2017. He was born December 13, 1943 in Oelwein, the son of Joseph and Anna Mae (Taylor) Leehey. Jim grew up in the Fairbank area and graduated from Wapsie Valley Community Schools.  After high school Jim served in the United States Army from 1961-1962. After his time in the Army Jim started driving truck and eventually started his own trucking business which he owned and operated right up until his health prevented him from working.

Survived by: his wife; Alice, three daughters; Tammy (Mark) Keith, Andrea (Bill) Williams and Rhonda (Lauren) Andrews. four step-sons; Don (Mona) Cook, Dennis (Melody) Cook, Tom (Jeanette) Cook and Scott Cook, one daughter-in-law; Dawn Cook along with 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers; Timothy (Julie) Leehey and Michael (Joann) Leehey, three sisters; Patricia (Wade) Tuchshenner, Bonnie Westendorf and Joann Hughson.

Preceded in death by: his parents, one son; Nicholas Leehey, one step-son; Douglas Cook and one great-grandson; Jordan Johnson. Along with two brothers-in-law; Robert Hughson and Don Westendorf.

Funeral Services: 11:00 am Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at Woods Funeral Home, Fairbank.

Visitation: 9:30-11:00 am Wednesday December 27, 2017 at the funeral home.

Military Rites by: Fairbank American Legion Fortsch-Duffy Post 552.

Inurnment: Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Fairbank.

Memorials: to the family.

Evansdale: Mike Curtis age 66 passed away December 12, 2017 at his home of natural causes. Mike was born July 29, 1951 in Waterloo the son of Jack and Verna (Wierck) Curtis. He attended and graduated from East High School in Waterloo Class of 1969. After high school Mike served in the United States Navy for four years. When he returned home from the Navy he went to work at John Deere in Waterloo for seven years. After his employment at John Deere he enrolled in the Air frame and Power Plants Course at Hawkeye Institute of Technology. Mike was most recently employed at Schumacher Elevator in Denver. He was a member of the UAW Local 838 and was a longtime member of the Evansdale AMVETS Post 31.

Survived by: his father; Jack Curtis of Evansdale, his daughter; Stephanie (Chuck) Woodley of Auburn, AL, two brothers; Pete (Luci) Curtis and Christopher (Jenni) Curtis both of Evansdale, two sisters; Susan (Larry Oberheu) Curtis of Waterloo and Meladee (Sheldon) Rokusek of Elk Run Heights, Mike is also survived by two nieces Sunshine Huisman and Kayla Curtis and one nephew; Brady Rokusek along with his special friend “Syrup”

Preceded in death by: his mother.

Services: 2:30 pm Saturday, December 16, 2017 at Woods Funeral Home 400 Lakeside Drive, Fairbank.

Visitation: 1:00-2:30 pm Saturday, December 16 at the funeral home.

Burial: Fairbank Cemetery

Military Rites: conducted by the Evansdale AMVETS Post 31

Memorials: in lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in his name.

Fairbank: Janet Ann Gunderson, age 80, passed away on December 3, 2017, at Unity Point Health Allen Hospital in Waterloo. She was born in Lansing, Iowa, on August 27, 1937, the daughter of Ray and Della (Severson) Spinner. Jan graduated from St. Patrick’s School in Waukon in 1955. She married Ralph Gunderson on May 23, 1959, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waterloo, Iowa. From this union, six children were born. Jan is survived by five daughters: Laura (Ross) Kane of Westminster, Colorado; Leslie (Fred) Frost of Fairbank; Terri (Kraig) Grimes of Sumner; Jill Weihe of Truman, Minnesota; and Amy (Jim) Meyer of Fairbank; and one son: Eric (Brenna) Gunderson of Elk River, Minnesota. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three brothers-in-law: Tom (Mary Lou) Benson of Tripoli, Gordon Halverson of Des Moines, Dean (Clarion) Gunderson of Postville; and three sisters-in-law: Katie Spinner of Iowa City, Kay Gunderson of Postville, and Betty Holm of Waverly. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son-in-law Tory Weihe; three brothers: Raymond (Alice) Spinner, Donald (Myrt) Spinner and Michael Spinner; four sisters: Sister Magdelle Spinner, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration; Kay (Dennis) O’Malley; Mary Lou Halverson; and Patricia Benson. Jan was a member of the Fairbank American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. She enjoyed golfing, reading, playing cards, and, most of all, spending time with and cooking for her family and friends.

Services: 10:30 am Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fairbank.

Visitation: 4:00-7:00 PM Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at Woods Funeral Home, with a parish rosary at 4:30 PM.

Inurnment: Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Fairbank.

Memorials: may be directed to the family.

Harpers Ferry: Owen Kenneth Brickman age 79 passed away Thursday, November 16, 2017 at Gunderson Medical Center in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Owen was born May 24, 1938 in rural Oelwein the son of Walter and Velma (Cummings) Brickman. He graduated from the eighth grade at St. John’s Lutheran School in Fairbank and then continued his education and graduated from high school in Oelwein. Owen was sort of a jack of all trades he worked construction for a number of years he then worked at H&H Tool and Die in Cedar Falls and then at Quality Craft in Independence. Owen married Evelyn “Evie” (Ohl) Zuck on August 6, 1972 in Galena, Illinois they then made their home in rural Oelwein. Owen and Evie also had a cabin in Harpers Ferry where they liked to spend the majority of their time. In the year 2000 they decided to sell their home in the country and move to Harpers Ferry that way Owen could fish any day he wanted to. He was quite the handyman he enjoyed fixing anything for anyone from boat motors to golf carts, Owen enjoyed helping people and giving them hard time while doing it. Hands down his favorite hobby was fishing, he loved to fish and truly enjoyed life on the Mississippi.

Survived by: his wife, Evie, five daughters; Linda Trumblee of Independence, Bev (Lonnie) Lehs of Randalia, Kelly Brickman of Cedar Rapids, Dodie Brickman of Cedar Falls and Darcy Ott of Marion, three sons; Jim (Terri) Zuck of Oelwein, Tim Brickman of Harpers Ferry and Brent Brickman of Anchorage, Alaska. 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews. Owen is also survived by his sister Bernice (George) Wikstrom of Racine, Wisconsin.

Preceded by: his parents, two brothers; Roger Brickman in infancy, Marc Brickman and sister-in-law Sue Brickman.

Services: 11:00 am Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at Woods Funeral Home, Fairbank.

Visitation: 10:00-11:00 am Tuesday November 21, 2017 at Woods Funeral Home.

Interment: Fairbank Cemetery

Memorials: to the family.

Fairbank: Kyong Cha Ross age 77 passed away Saturday, August 12, 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. Kyong was born June 22, 1940 in Pusan, South Korea the daughter of Yong So and Kim (Okcha) Song. She met David Ross while he was deployed to South Korea during the Vietnam War. After David’s deployment they came back to the United States and were married on May 27, 1971 at the United Methodist Church in Fairbank, Iowa. They made their home in Iowa City, IA where she worked for Oral-B for almost 30 years. In 2012 they moved to Fairbank to be closer to David’s family. Song enjoyed cooking, gardening, shopping and occasional trips to the casino. She also enjoyed watching sports especially the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Chicago Cubs. Song was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her daughter Jennifer (Tim) Owens of Sun Prairie, WI and a son Bryan Ross of Portland, OR, two grandchildren; Ross and Lee Owens, three sisters and one brother in South Korea along with her brothers and sisters in law; Lonnie and Laura Ross, Barb and Tracy Gruetzmacher all of Fairbank and Peggy and Steve Niemann of Fredricksburg along with many nieces and nephews.

Services: 10:30 am Saturday August 19, 2017 at the United Methodist Church, Fairbank, IA

Visitation: 4:00-7:00 pm Friday August 18 at Woods Funeral Home, Fairbank and for one hour before services at the church.

Interment: Fairbank Cemetery

Memorials: to the family