Kenneth Lavern Conn, 1953-2009

Daily Iowegian – 11 August 2009

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  Kenneth Lavern "Bud" Conn, 55, of Rathbun passed away at Mercy Medical Center on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2008 in Des Moines. He was born the son of Kenneth L. and Wortha Marie (Franklin) Conn on Sept. 11, 1953 in Iowa City. Kenneth's early childhood was spent in Jerome and later in Cincinnati, Iowa.

  He was employed by Kaiser Corp for 11 years as the head mechanic and later went to International Union of Operating Engineers No. 234B as a heavy machine operator. Kenneth spent a lot of his free time fishing the rivers and hunting the land.

  He is preceded in death by: his parents, an infant brother Kenneth Preston Conn and an infant son.

  Kenneth is survived by: his son, Aaron Conn and his wife, Elizabeth of Centerville; daughters, Misty Houser and her husband Michael of Lewisville, Texas and Melissa McMahon of Albia; sisters, Wortha DeVore and her husband Robert of Plano, Sandra Mowry and her husband Ernie of Eldon, Mo. and Cindy Robb and her husband, Harold of Diagonal; brothers, Donald Conn of Knoxville, Edward Conn and his wife, Sherry of Moravia and Tom Conn and his wife, Brenda of Rathbun; grandsons, Zack, Kyle and Blake Houser of Lewisville, Texas, and Skyler McMahon of Albia; granddaughter Shyann McMahon of Albia; and many nieces and nephews.

  Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11 from 3-8 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m.

  Memorials can be made to the Conn family and can be mailed to or left at the funeral home. The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Centerville is caring for the Conn family at this time and condolences can be sent at: schmidtfamilyfuneralhome.com.  Copyright © 1999-2010 cnhi, inc.

William Joe Clark, 1938-2010

Daily Iowegian - 9 March 2010

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  W. Joe Clark, 72, of Centerville, died Thursday, March 4, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center in Centerville.
  Joe was born Jan. 18, 1938, the son of Bill and Ruth (Hixenbaugh) Clark in Centerville. He grew up in Plano and graduated from Centerville High School. He married Judith Katherine Butkovich July 30, 1959 in Camanche. She preceded him in death on Jan. 30, 1982. Joe was in the US National Guard for over 12 years. He worked for Mitchell and Chebuhar several years before going to work for Appanoose County driving a rock truck. Joe enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and was an avid NASCAR fan.

William Joe Clark

  Joe is survived by his children, Cheryl (Ronny) Kirkland of Centerville, Joe (Tracy) Clark of Centerville; grandchildren, Jennifer Kirkland of Cincinnati, Amanda (Clint) Wells of Cincinnati, Nathan Kirkland of Centerville, Niki Brunning of Loveland, Colo., Michael Clark, Dakota Clark and Zachary Clark all of Centerville; a great-grandchild, Leo Wells of Cincinnati; and siblings, Roger (Jill) Clark of Centerville and Bruce (Ruth) Clark of Centerville.
  He was preceded in death by his wife and parents.

  A Memorial service will be held 10:30 Wednesday morning, March 10, at Lange Funeral Home, Centerville, with Pastor Kay Singley officiating. Interment of the cremains will follow at the Numa Cemetery in Numa. A memorial has been established to the Centinental St. Joe and may be left or mailed to the Lange Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at www.langefh.com.

His Journey's Just Begun

Don't think of him as gone away

his journey's just begun,

life holds so many facets-

this earth is only one.

Just think of him as resting

from the sorrows and the tears

in a place of warmth and comfort

where there are no days and years.

Think how he must be wishing

that we could know today

how nothing but our sadness

can really pass away.

And think of him as living

in the hearts of those he touched...

for nothing loved is ever lost-

and he was loved so much.

E. Brenneman

Ella Krojacic Starcevich, 1892-1946

Daily Iowegian - 14 December 1946

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  Mrs. Ella Starcevich was born May 13, 1892, in Yugoslavia. She came to this country at the age of five years. She was a citizen of the United States. She went to school here; was a resident of Appanoose county for 49 years.

  She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Krojacic. Two sisters, Mrs. Mary Blozevich, of Mystic, Iowa, and Mrs. Antonia Starcevich of Jerome, Iowa, and one brother, Julian Krojacic, of California, survive. Two brothers and two sisters are deceased.

  She united in marriage to Paul Starcevich on April 5, 1908. To this union two children were born: Mary K. Starcevich and Tony M. Starcevich. She had been in poor health for the last two years.

  Mrs. Starcevich was a patient at the St. Bernard hospital of Council Bluffs for three weeks. She passed away there Dec. 6, at 10:29 p.m.

  Funeral services were held at St. Mary's church in Centerville, Dec. 9, 1946, at 9 a.m. Burial at Oakland Cemetery.

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Card of Thanks

  We wish to thank our friends and neighbors for their most thoughtful acts and kind deeds during the sickness and laying to rest of our wife and mother.

Paul Starcevich and Family

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  The Editor sincerely appreciates the contribution of the above obituary to The Jerome Journal by Marion Zemo of Centerville, Iowa.

Paul Matthew Starcevich, 1910-1991

Daily Iowegian - 7 May 1991

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  Paul Matt Starcevich, 81, an Arvada, Colo. resident, died Friday, May 3, 1991, at the Lutheran Medical Center in Wheatridge, Colo.

  He was born on Jan. 10, 1910, in Jerome, the son of Anton and Louise Starcevich. He was united in marriage to Honora Workman in May of 1932. Three children were born into this union.

  He was a World War II Army veteran. He was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Centerville, and the St. Annes Parish in Arvada, Colo. He was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus in Centerville. He was an owner and operator of a restaurant.

  Survivors include two sons, Andrew and wife, Linda, of Aurora, Colo., and Edward of Phoenix, Ariz.; one daughter, Mrs. Bob (Mary Lou) Venzke of Arvada; seven grandchildren; one brother, Frank of Jerome; three sisters, Mrs. George (Anna) Buban of Cincinnati, Mrs. Bruno (Louise) Thomas of Washington, Ill. and Mrs. John (Helen) Sacco of Centerville.

  He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Vinko and two sisters, Mrs. Frank (Mary) Zemo and Mrs. Harold (Marie) Risher.

  A scripture service will be held on Friday evening, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Duley Funeral home in Centerville, with the Rev. Al Ebach conducting the services.

  Funeral mass will be held Saturday, May 11, 1991, at 9:30 a.m. at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Centerville, with the Rev. Al Ebach officiating.

  Interment will be in the Jerome Cemetery, west of Jerome.

  Friends may call beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 10 at the Duley Funeral Home in Centerville for an open visitation.

  A memorial may be given in his memory to the St. Mary's Catholic Church or the Jerome Reunion, and may be left at the Duley Funeral Home.

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  The Editor sincerely appreciates the contribution of the above obituary to The Jerome Journal by Marion Zemo of Centerville, Iowa.

Seymour 1959-1960 Warriorettes

One of the "Sweet Sixteen"

The 1959-1960 Warriorettes were the last SHS team

to go to the Iowa State Girls' Basketball Tournament

  The Seymour Warriorettes of 1959-1960 have made basketball history which places them on a par with great Seymour teams that preceeded them in State Tournament play. Basketball fans all over the state will never forget the dramatic way the Warrioretts outplayed the Gladbrook champions for the first half of their game.

  However it is not for their won and lost record alone that the Seymour Community School District is proud of the Warriorettes. In appearance and conduct these girls have at all times been fine young ladies,. The effort and determination with which these girls have worked for years, under the guidance of their fine coach, Mr. Klett, should prove an inspiration for future teams.

  The season ends and the cheers die away, but we salute the Warriorettes of 1959-60 as they take their place in the record books--a great girls' team in the finest Seymour tradition.

Click to Enlarge

Row One: Inez Sell, Sandra Legg, Carol Zeitler, 
Mary Powers, Linda Morrow, Audrey Mace.

Row Two: Colleen Donald, Juanita Cox, Jan Stiles, Coach Duane Klett, Manager Beverly Long, Chaperone Margaret Shubat, Becky Alley, Linda Monteith, Kay Burns. 
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From the 1960 Tomahawk  
Yearbook of the Seymour Community School

Seymour High School - Class of 1950

Seymour Herald - 14 January 2010

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Click on Picture to Enlarge

  The SHS Class of 1950 will be marking their 60th reunion at the alumni banquet Saturday, May 29, 2010. Classmates are making plans for the reunion weekend.  There were 36 members in the graduating class -- ten of whom are deceased. 

Student Poem Written In Early 1950s

Seymour Herald - 28 January 2010

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Seymour High School Poem

Listen my children and you shall hear

Of times now past but still held dear,

At Seymour High, oh! What a yen

To be half as smart again

As I thought I was through my senior year.

E. O. Berge was the big shot down there

To judge or to counsel, a fellow most fair

He'd outshine most coaches with plenty to spare

At yankin' up trouser legs, none could compare

And I'd not for a minute have anyone think

He didn't turn more than a delicate pink

When some of us managed to get in his hair.

Ruth Henderson, teacher and principal, too

'Twas her keepin' at us that pulled us through

(You know) I'll bet when she gets to heaven's gate

She'll have her excuse as to why she's late

She'd had to pack all her bugs and her cook books too.

Maurice Stamps is a fellow I shall never forget

My ain't and my tain'ts didn't make me his pet.

He was a whale of a football coach.

Turned out track men above reproach

We seniors at play time could sure make him sweat.

Now that music man's name was something like Meyer

Of tootin and singin he just never did tire

He's wield that baton both this way and that

Or suddenly yell, "Can't you tell you're flat?"

But for him we marched on through dust or thru mire.

Now under Miss Banning my time was well spent

Tho' I don't just recall who was the 1st president.

She got all the news, right in the makin'

And oh! how she struggled with that picture takin!

With less than the best she would not be content.

By golly, there's one thing I sure owe to Max (Akers)

How to add and subtract for Uncle Sam's tax

He went a courtin' and did all right

Taught his teams to sew the games up tight

How he thrilled when he heard us yell, "Give 'em the ax."

There was one, name Gray who was sharp as a knife

Sure knew his business you bet your sweet life

He's say, "Now you debit this, you credit that"

Gave me a typewriter that couldn't spell cat.

I wonder if he ever found him a wife.

From down in Missouri came another big man

For Manual Arts teachers you couldn't beat Dan

He was the one that taught us to drive

Believe it or not he came out alive

Course when he drove along all the people ran.

To join these teachers--maybe just for sport

Iowa State sent its mayor to Pammel Court

He taught us Ag's alll the charm

To be found alivin' on the farm

And I'll tell you, for words, he never was short.

Then there was a teacher, how could I forget

Always writin that shorthand--bet she is yet

All right, Calm down and I mean you

Course she talked louder than any two

She as one of the funniest people I ever met.

Oh! but it's not just the teachers that I can recall

I liked the homecomings we had every fall

That place was a riot carnival night

I worked on the banquet with all my might

Oh, I'd stew and I'd fret but I loved it all.

Early History of Seymour

The Lone Tree Press - 28 March 1886

Reprinted in The Seymour Herald - 31 December 2009

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  The town of Seymour was laid out in March, 1871, by J. C. Fox, William Wade, Hiram Evans and H. S. Rogers. The first engine that ever came into Wayne county crossed the line on the 29th of March, 1871, at 10:49 a.m. it being engine No. 150 or "Old Dollar and a Half" as the boys still call her. She still pulls freight on this division of the C.R.I. and P. John Keller erected the first house in town on the 14th day of March, of the same year.

  Soon after several business houses and residences were put up. On Saturday, April 2, 1872, the electors of Seymour presented a petition signed by twelve legal voters of the town asking the school board of the district township of Walnut to grant an independent district of Seymour.

  A list of children of school age was taken September 10, 1872, showing in the district a total of 89. The building was completed and school began January 13, 1873. L. M. McNeff being employed as teacher for four months at $40 per month.

  The school house was used as a place of worship until church buildings were built. The Presbyterian, Methodist and Christian churches were built in 1874. The Baptist since that time.

  (We are able to present the early history of Seymour by favor of J. C. Fox.)

Soldiers Here - 1907

The Seymour Press - 22 August 1907

Reprinted in The Seymour Herald - 31 December 2009

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  The 13th U. S. Cavalry consisting of 265 men and 300 horses arrived in this city about 5:10 last Friday evening. They camped at the Isaac Condra farm east of the city. There were four companies, A, B. C, D. Major Lewis was in command of this squadron. Captain Fitshugh Lee and Lieutenant Philip Sheridan, personal aids of President Roosevelt, were making this trip to take pictures and report the journey to President Roosevelt.

  They pitched their tents in short order and there were quite a large number of the town and country people out to see them that evening, the road was lined with teams until quite late. People stayed at the grounds until they were given notice to leave owing to the late hour.

  We would be safe in saying most every girl old and young had a beau that night. The soldier boys remarked that night that it was not hard for them to get a girl. We think that some of the girls who were out until after eleven o'clock with some of the soldiers should have been home with their parents and the parents should have been looking after their daughters.

  Kermit Roosevelt who was to have joined the party did not arrive and we understand he would meet them at Fort Sheridan, Ill., after they were in the fort.

Iowa's Century & Heritage Farms

Seymour Herald - 11 February 2010

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Eligible Farms Encouraged to Apply to be Recognized

As Century or Heritage Farm

  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged eligible farms to apply for the 2010 Century and Heritage Farms Program. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau and recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.

  "When you think of all the challenges and unexpected obstacles that face farmers each year, it gives you a greater appreciation of the dedication and perseverance of these families that have kept their farm in the same family for 100 or 150 years," Northey said. "These awards are just a chance to recognize their hard work and commitment."

  Farm families seeking to qualify for the Century or Heritage Farms Progarm must submit an application no later than June 1, 2010.

  Applications are available on the Department's website and clicking on the Century Farms or Heritage Farms link under "Hot Topics." 

  Applications may also be requested from Linda Rosky, Coordinator of the Century and Heritage Farms Program via email at LindaRosky@IowaAgriculture.gov, phone at 515-281-3645 or by writing to Century or Heritage Farms Program, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Henry A. Wallace Building, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319.

  The 2010 Century Farms Program ceremony will likely be held at the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, August 17th and the Heritage Farms Progarm ceremony will likely be held Thursday, August 19th.

  Last year 297 Century Farms and 66 Heritage Farms were recognized. As a result, more than 16,500 farms have been recognized through the Century Farms Program since it was created in 1976. The Heritage Farms Program was created just three years ago and has recognized 392 farms.

  "Century and Heritage Farm recognitions at the Iowa State Fair are a great celebration of Iowa agriculture and the families that care for the land and produce our food," Northey said. "I hope eligible families will take the time to apply and then come down to the State Fair to be recognized.

Lowe-Glenn Engagement

Seymour Herald - 18 February 2010

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  Ashley Lowe and J.R. Glenn will be married March 19 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Parents of the couple are Greg and Carolyn Lowe and John Glenn and the Late Diana Glenn.

  A 2002 SCHS graduate, Ashley graduated from Creighton University and is currently employed as a pharmacist in Marshalltown. Glenn, also a 2002 SCHS graduate, graduated from Simpson College and is a teacher and coach at BGM High School in Brooklyn.

  A reception will be held June 5.

Don Ervin - HS Bowling Team Coach

Seymour Herald - 25 February 2010

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  Don Ervin, coach of the Fort Dodge High School Girls and Boys Bowling Teams, is pictured center back.  Ervin grew up on a farm just west of Jerome, attended the Jerome School and graduated from Seymour Community High School.  His teams qualified for the 2010 Iowa State Bowling Tournament.

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Letter to the Editor

  I sent one of these pictures to Mr. Stamps thanking him for all that he did in my life to make this possible. My brother, Jim, and I have talked at length on our trip to Seymour, how very blessed we were to have grown up on a farm east of Seymour and attended Seymour school. I know and I'm sure I speak for Jim that had not it been for people like Mr. Stamps, Mr. Berge and Miss Banning life would have been different.

  Jim made the comment, had he been in a school like Valley or Roosevelt, he would have been another face in the crowd instead of playing varsity basketball.

Your friend, Don Ervin