Stories from Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Feb. 2, 1928 -- Jan. 21, 2015 Betty Roy, age 86, passed peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Jan. 21, 2015, at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. Betty was born on Feb. 2, 1928, to her parents Alfred and Edith Ponder in Little Wigbourough, England...

Sept. 2, 1941 -- Jan. 18, 2015 God, I don't mean to bother you none. It's been a spell since I talked to you last. I reckon I ought to thank you for all that you've done 'cause this ol' cowboy has had quite a past. My bones hurt, I'm getting too old. You've been really good to me...

Oct. 23, 1932 -- Jan. 21, 2015 A funeral service for Florence Luehring, 82, of Terril, was held Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Terril. Burial was at Fairview Cemetery. Florence Ann Luehring, the daughter of Irene (Whaley) and Harry Straight, was born Oct. 23, 1932, in Storm Lake...

Dec. 6, 1950 -- Jan. 23, 2015 Joseph "Joe" John Janecek III, age 64, lived in Spirit Lake with his wife, Cher. Joe passed away of heart failure Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 at Lakes Regional Hospital in Spirit Lake. Joe was born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Dec. ...

April 2, 1943 -- Jan. 19, 2015 Karen Lee Kelly, age 71, died peacefully in College Station, Texas on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Karen was born April 2, 1943, in Lake Park. She was the eldest of five children born to Leon Leitch and Carley (Kladstrup) Leitch. ...

March 3, 1928 -- Jan. 18, 2015 Marvin Sump, age 86, of Sutherland, passed away Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, at the Orange City Hospital in Orange City. He was born on March 3, 1928, in Sutherland to Ernest and Lilly Sump. Marv graduated from Calumet High School in 1946. ...

Jan. 5, 2015 -- Jan. 16, 2015 A private family service was held for Owen Wayne Otkin on Jan. 19, 2015, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Owen Wayne Otkin was born at 9:19 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2015, to the parents of Taylor Raymond and Trevor Otkin, at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Owen welcomed the world at 23 weeks gestation and spent his 10 days of life in the NICU at Avera. Owen weighed 1 pound and 4 ounces and was 12 inches long...

March 15, 1940 -- Jan. 21, 2015 Philip C. Houser, age 74 of Eau Claire, Wisconsin passed away Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, at the Bloomer Community Memorial Hospital in Bloomer, Wisconsin. Philip Houser was born in Spirit Lake on March 15, 1940. He married Rita Sanderson on June 21, 1964. ...

The Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team announced two more signees for the 2015-16 season: Austin Egeland, from Estherville, and Mitchell Sparks, from Carmel, Indiana. Egeland is coming off an outstanding junior campaign going 3-4 with a 2.43 ERA in 40 1/3 innings pitched and 36 strikeouts. Mitchell is a transfer this year into Carmel High School, which has had 19 and 20 wins the last two seasons under Coach Dan Roman...

Oct. 21, 1918 -- Jan. 16, 2015 A funeral service for Robert (Bob) Watt, 96 of Milford was held Jan. 20, 2015, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Interment was at Milford Cemetery. Robert (Bob) Dale Watt was born Oct. 21, 1918, in Wright County, Vernon Township, Dows, Iowa. He was the son of George Herbert (Bert) and Stella Wescott Watt. He was their middle child having an older sister, Ruth Granau and a younger sister, Mable Ackerman. He graduated from Popejoy High School in 1935...

April 1, 1968 -- Jan. 15, 2015 A funeral service for Ron Pomrenke, 46 of Milford was held Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Milford. Ronald Lee Pomrenke, the son of Edwin and Sharon Pomrenke, was born April 1, 1968 in Sheldon. He graduated from Sheldon High School in 1987...

March 23, 1919 -- Jan. 17, 2015 A funeral service for Velma Anderson, age 95, of Spirit Lake was held Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake. Burial was at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery in Spirit Lake. Velma Eileen (Kester) Anderson passed away at the age of 95 on Jan. 17, 2015, in Chaska, Minnesota...

Several people recently asked how the high school remodeling/construction project is progressing. The notes below may be helpful. The remodeling work in the media center, new classroom, middle school wrestling room, and athletic store rooms are substantially complete and are currently being used by students and staff. ...

The 35th annual U of O Winter Games were held Jan. 23-25. Below are the results from a number of the weekend events. BROOMBALL -- 16 TEAMS First Place -- Fairmont Martins of Fairmont, Minnesota Second -- Designated Drinkers of Sibley Third --Winkelhox of Hull...