Woods Funeral Home

 OELWEIN-Patricia Mae Curley, Oelwein formerly of Clayton and Fairbank, died Saturday, May 25th at Mercy Plus in Oelwein, after a brief illness

She was born on December 14, 1930 in Waterloo, Iowa, daughter of Louis and Wilda (Duffy) Meier.

She graduated from Immaculate Conception High School Fairbank and Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa.  She worked as an elementary school teacher for almost 20 years and owned antique stores in Fairbank and Clayton, Iowa.  She also sold antiques in the Southern United States with her husband, Jim.  She was an avid Gardener in her homes in Oelwein, and especially on the banks of the Mississippi in Clayton.

She married James Gordon Curley on October 14, 1953 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fairbank.

Survived by-four sons; Michael and Keith (Tammy) of Fairbank, Tim (Martha Saldinger) of Silver Spring MD, and Russell (Judy) of Hamilton, OH. One sister, Shirley Rechkemmer of Oelwein.  Eight Grand children and 8 great-grandchildren.

Preceeed in death by- her parents, her sister Helen Rath, and her nephew Rick Fuller.

Services: at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 30th,at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fairbank, with burial in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery.  Visitation on Wednesday from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. scripture service.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fairbank; Jack L. Duffy passed away Sunday April 28, 2013 at Oelwein Care Center of natural causes.

He was born June 4, 1927 in rural Dunkerton, the son of Leo and Anna (Kane) Duffy.

Jack married Dorothy Kane on October 24, 1949 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fairbank, Ia. Jack started out as a farmer and then worked as a mechanic, he also worked many years as a plumber and electrician and most recently worked for the City of Fairbank and retired after 18 years. Jack was a lifelong member of I.C. Church and was a longtime member of the Fairbank Knights of Columbus, he was also a longtime member of the Fairbank Fire Department.

Survived by; his wife, Dorothy, four sons; Mike (Judy), Tim (Jeanette), Tony (Sherry) all of Fairbank and Ted (Susan) of LaCrescent, Mn.  Four daughters; Clarice (Steve) Levey of Lindstrom, Mn. Carol Duffy of Cedar Falls, Nancy (Rich) Wallace of Cedar Rapids and Norma (Kevin) Westendorf of Readlyn, one daughter in-law; Nina Duffy of Dibble, Ok.  27 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren with one on the way. Four sisters; Gladys Mahoney of Oelwein, Kaye Nelson of Rockford, Il. Bettie Anderson of Harlan, and Audrey Selander of Birmingham, Mi.

Preceded by; his parents, one son Mark Duffy, two grandchildren; Christopher Wallace and Joshua Menuey, one brother; Warren Duffy and one sister; Sister Mary Carol Duffy.

Services; 10:30 am Thursday May 2, 2013 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fairbank with burial in the church cemetery. Public visitation from 3-7 pm at the funeral home.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fairbank:  A memorial service for Bob Lorber will be held at Woods Funeral Home, Fairbank at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 18, with visitation for an hour before the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to the  Oran Volunteer Fire Department.

Dunkerton- Mae LaVon Miller, age 93 died on Tuesday February 5, 2013 at Mercy Living Plus in Oelwein, Iowa of natural causes.

She was born on May 28, 1919 in Butler County, Iowa near the town of Dumont, the daughter of Ernest and Emma (Lind) Griner.

Mae married Paul Miller on November 28, 1940 in Butler County in the same house where she was born and raised. They made their home in Bristow. In 1949 they moved to Plainfield where they both worked at Hartman’s locker. In 1955 they moved to Dunkerton where they operated a locker. In the late 1950’s they purchased and operated Paul’s Drive Inn until 1971.

Survived by; one daughter; Carolyn (Norman) Clubine of Dunkerton, one son; Jim (Linda) Miller of Fairbank, six grandchildren; Cathy (Bobby) Rigdon, Carma (Stewart) May, Carla (Tom Hill) Clubine, Carol (Bob) Westendorf, Thad (Paula) Miller and Deedrie (Andy) LaFollette, 13 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren, one brother; E.J. Griner of Rush City, Minnesota and several nieces and nephews.

Preceded by; her parents and her husband Paul, one brother; Wilfred Griner and his wife Fleta, one sister; Elvera Henning and her husband George and one sister-in-law; Miriam Griner.

Services; Monday, February 11, 2013 @ 10:30 am at First United Methodist Church in Dunkerton, with burial in Fairview Cemetery also in Dunkerton. Public visitation on Sunday, February 10 from 2-5 pm at the funeral home and for one hour before services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fairbank: Darlene Ann Miller age 84 died on January 9, 2013 at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo of natural causes. She was born on April 2, 1928 the daughter of Charles and Katherine (Brown) Stock in rural Butler County, Iowa.

Darlene married LeRoy Miller on June 5, 1945 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Waterloo. She worked at Hinson Manufacturing in Waterloo for a number of years, but spent the majority of her working years in the furniture and floor covering business. Darlene and LeRoy owned and operated Miller and Wife Floor Covering in Fairbank.

Survived by: four sons; Dave (Jan) of Norwalk, Dennis (Connie) of Arvada, Colorado, Mike (Kathy) of Fairbank and Gary (Pam) of Rosemount, Minnesota and one daughter, Kathy (Chris) Miller of Cedar Falls, 12 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters, Agnes (Cletus) Wheeler of Dunkerton, Sharon Davis of Waterloo and Diana Johnson of San Jose, California and one brother, Dub (Judi) Stock of San Jose, California.

Preceeded by: her parents, her husband, four sisters; Evelyn (Parkhurst) Heater, Carol Humphrey, Javonne Bailey and Shirley Lienhard, three brothers; Robert, Bernie and Butch Stock, one grandson, one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter.

Services: Saturday January 12, 2013 @ 10:30 am at Immaculate Conception Church, Fairbank.

Visitation: Friday January 11 from 3-7 pm at the funeral home with a 3:30 pm parish rosary and a 6:30 pm scripture service.

Burial: at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Fairbank.

Memorials: may be directed to the Fairbank American Legion Veterans Memorial Fund.

Fairbank: Edna Fern McGrane age 88,died Tuesday January 1, 2013 at Mercy Living Plus in Oelwein, Iowa of natural causes.

She was born November 12, 1924 in Fairbank, the daughter of Ralph and Gertrude (Kalm) Brant. Edna attended and graduated from the Fairbank School, she married Charles Brant December 29, 1944 at St. Mary’s Church in Waterloo, Iowa, they later divorced.

Edna worked for the Post Office in Fairbank and Waterloo, she retired after 24 years of service.

Survived by: three sons; Charles Larry (Christy) McGrane of Washburn, Terry (Janet) McGrane of Fairbank and Robert McGrane of Fairbank, two daughters; Sharon Shields of Fairbank and Tammy (Bill) Meister of Independence, 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. One brother; Oren (Anita) Brant of Waterloo.

Preceeded by: her parents, two brothers and their spouses Kenneth & Kathleen Brant and Milon & Thelma Brant.

Services: Saturday January 5, 2013 @ 10:30 am at Woods Funeral Home with visitation on Friday, January 4, from 4-7 pm and for 1 hour before services at the funeral home.

Inurnment: at a later date in the Fairbank Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fairbank: Patricia Marie Necker age 80 died Sunday December 30, 2012 at St. Lukes Hospital in Cedar Rapids after a brief illness.

She was born November 5, 1932 in rural Dunkerton, Black Hawk county the daughter of Jerome and Grace (O’Neel) Harn.

She married Willis Necker September 12, 1951 at Immaculate Conception Church in Fairbank, he died in 1967. Pat was a lifelong member of I.C. Church, along with raising her four children she worked at K-Mart in Oelwein for 15 years until her health forced her to retire.

Survived by: two sons; William of Oelwein and Timothy (Diana) of Liberty, Missouri and one daughter; Jeanette (Dick) Kester of Jesup, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, one sister Ellen Kremer of Jesup, two brothers-in-law; Clair (Carol) Levendusky and Lawrence Levendusky both of Waterloo.

Preceeded by: her parents, her husband, her daughter Jo and son-in-law Tom Ritter, two sisters; Betty Williamson & Darlene Heth, two brothers ; Alphonsus & Robert Harn and a brother-in-law; Joe Kremer.

Services; Friday, January 4, 2013 @ 10:30 am at Immaculate Conception Church in Fairbank, with burial at the church cemetery. Visitation on Thursday January 3 from 3-7 pm with a 3;30 pm parish rosary and a 6:30 pm scripture service.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Fairbank-Evea “Eve” Mina Krueger Stainbrook,99 formerly of Fairbank died Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at ABCM Rehabiltation Centers of Indpendence-East.

Services will be Monday, December 17, 2012 @ 10:30 am at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Fairbank. Visitation will be on Sunday December 16 from 3-7 pm at the funeral home, and for one hour before services at the church. Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church or Cedar Valley Hospice.

She was born June 8, 19103 near Jesup, Iowa the daughter of Albert Henry and Dora Elizabeth Ferch Krueger. She graduated from Pitze’s Beauty school in 1932. As a beautician, she owned and operated shops in Independence and Fairbank for 76 years. In 1934 she married Neil Lane and they were later divorced. She married Lawrence Stainbrook in 1945, they farmed near Fairbank. Lawrence died in 1975. In 1998 she was chosen by KCRG-TV as one of “9 who care” for outstanding volunteer work. Her civic and charitable contributions included 50 year member of the Fairbank Tourist Club, Commercial Club, American Auxillary and St. John’s Lutheran Church. She was a tireless worker, who gave generously to her family, her church and her community.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Betsy Bryant of El Cerrito, CA. two grandsons, David Lane of San Diego, CA. and Neil LAne of Seattle WA. A granddaughter-in-law Amalia Lane and two great-grandsons, Tomas and Felipe Lane of El Cerritto, CA. a sister-in-law, Ruth Krueger of Sherwood, AK. a brother-in-law Robert Lehman of Dubuque. Also nieces and nephews, Kent Yeager, Mark, Brian and Grant Lehman, Lynda Hoiltz, Barb Nash, Jan Neal, Merle Krueger, Don and Richard Mease.

She was preceded in death by her son, George Lane in 2006, three brothers, William (in infancy), Thomas and Delmar Krueger and two sisters, Dorothy Yeager Lehman and Edith Mease.

Cedar Rapids-Albert ‘Red” L. Avis, 74, of Cedar Rapids passed  away peacefully December 8, 2012 from a short battle with melanoma cancer.  He never complained

Visitation will be Tuesday, December 11, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Woods Funeral Home in Fairbank, Iowa with graveside services following at Immaculate Conception Cemetery.

He was born January 3,at Independence, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Helen Avis.

He married Janet Shields June 2, 1962 at Immaculate Conception Church, Fairbank, Iowa.

Albert retired from Quaker Oats May 1996 after 38 years.

Albert is survived by his wife of 50 years, Janet, daughters, Diane and Susan of Cedar Rapids, a brother Charles (Judy) Avis of Todville and mother in-law Vi Shields of Oelwein,

He is preceded in death by his parents and a brother Ronald.

He enjoyed visiting with people, mushroom hunting, fishing and going to the casino.

Memorials may be directed to the family or St. Lukes Hospice.

The family would like to thank Dr. Warren and St Lukes Hospice for his care.

FAIRBANK: Myrtle Betts died Wednesday December, 5, 2012 at Oelwein Care center of natural causes.

She was born November 10, 1912 in Oelwein, Ia. the daughter of Elmer and Edith (Goeller) Cummings.

Myrtle worked as a cook at the Hometown Cafe in Fairbank for many years and the she was a cook for the Fairbank Elementery School for 23 years.

She is survived by one son, Howard (Suzanne) Betts of Riverside, California, one daughter, Karen Betts of Fairbank, one grandson, Kory (Kimberli) Betts of Cedar Rapids and four great-grandsons; Joshua, Ryan, Austin and Nicholas. She is also survived by a guardian daughter Mildred (Glen) Larson of Astoria, Ok. and seven guardian grandchildren; Steve, Lynette, David, Roberta, Mike, Kevin and Dan. Along with several guardian great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband,three sisters; Martha Bradley, Esther Theisen and Vera Lehmkul and one brother Lawrence Cummings and one guardian daughter Mary Niebuhr, one guardian grand-daughter; Glenda Larson and one guardian grandson, Darrel Niebuhr

Services will be on Monday December 10 @ 10:30 am at the United Methodist Church in Fairbank. Visitation will be on Sunday December 9 from 4-7 pm at the funeral home and for one hour before sevices at the church. Inurnment will be in the Fairbank Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the family.