Obituary
Gary S. Hall, 79
Gary S. Hall, 79
Farnhamville - Gary S. Hall, 79, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Farnhamville with Pastor Aaron Zimmerman officiating. Burial will follow in Reading Township Cemetery in Farnhamville. There will be a visitation from 10:00 AM until the time of the service on Friday. Laufersweiler Palmer & Sons Funeral Home in Gowrie is serving the family.
Gary is survived by his daughters, Denise (Ryan) Moore of Gowrie, Darci (Jeff) Nemmers of Fort Dodge, grandchildren, Breann Moore (Tyler Price and Ashley Bates), Blair (Damon) Wynes, Baylee Moore (Blake Richmond), Jeff (Charity) Nemmers Jr., Trey (Kaylin) Thiele, Madeleine (Elliot) McLarty, John Nemmers, 15 great-grandchildren with 4 on the way, brother, Mike Hall of Cedar Rapids, sister, Shelly (Bill) Berger of Jefferson, brothers and sisters-in-law, Richard and Pamela Goodrich of Pleasant Hill, George and Paula Henry of Salem, VA, and nieces and nephews.
Gary is preceded in death by his wife, Sheila, parents, Raymond and Roberta (Schumann) Hall, grandchild, Catherine Nemmers, and sister-in-law, Vicki Hall.
Gary S. Hall was born on February 7, 1947, in Holstein, Iowa, and graduated from Prairie Community High School in Gowrie. Gary was united in marriage with Sheila Bowers on October 10, 1969, and the couple established their home in Farnhamville. He was employed with Farmers Co-op in Farnhamville for 35 years, retiring in 2009. Gary loved watching NASCAR and attending car shows. He was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.
Evolue Eleanor Baxter, 103
Evolue Eleanor Baxter, 103
Evolue Eleanor Baxter, 103, passed away Monday, February 9, 2026, at West Ridge Care Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A celebration of life will be held at Windsor Heights Lutheran Church on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM.
Evolue was born November 29, 1922, in Gowrie, Iowa to Roy and Etta (Soderbeck) Carlson. She graduated in 1940 from Gowrie High School and moved to Des Moines where she attended the American Institute of Business. She met Loren Baxter at AIB and in 1944 they were married. They welcomed their first son Craig, who passed away at age eight. A second son, Rodd, was born three years later. Evolue retired from the West Des Moines School District.
She was devoted to her Lutheran Faith, as a former member of Zion Lutheran Church, Gowrie, Iowa, and First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa, and Windsor Heights Lutheran Church.
Evolue enjoyed gatherings with friends, dining out, playing cards, bridge and pitch were her favorites. She enjoyed attending local sports, I-Cubs, and cheering on the “Lovable Losers”, the Chicago Cubs, as well as the Iowa Hawkeyes.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Loren and son, Craig. Evolue is survived by her son, Rodd and daughter-in-law Kerstin Braun, along with her many relatives and friends.
Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.iowacremation.com under Recent Obituaries.
Jennifer Sue Sorenson Morrill, 80
Jennifer Sue Sorenson Morrill, 80
Jennifer Sue Sorenson Morrill, 80
Jennifer Sue Sorenson Morrill, aged 80, went to be home with the Lord on March 4, 2026, after a long health battle. She passed away peacefully, in her sleep, on her birthday. Being with her Lord and Savior Jesus - what a wonderful birthday present for her.
She was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and grew up on a farm with her three sisters. She later graduated from Luther College in Iowa, where she met her future husband, Bill Saetveit. They married in 1968, moved to Indiana, and then to Denver, Colorado.
Jennifer was a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful daughters, Amy and Stacy. She then eventually worked as an Administrative Professional in the Pulmonary Division at the University of Colorado Medical Center.
She is survived by her two daughters: Amy and Stacy; her four grandchildren: Logan, Blake, Simon and Alex; her two sisters: Jeri Peffer and Jane Mosher; and many other loved ones. She is preceded in death by her parents Alvin and Bethel Sorenson, and her sister Judy Sorenson Paski.
Jennifer enjoyed time with family, traveling, sewing, painting, and other crafts, and loved shopping on QVC!
The family will be having a small, private service, and thanks you in advance for your thoughts and prayers.
If so led, those wishing to honor Jennifer’s life can make a donation to the Alzheimer’s research organization of their choice.
Local News
Drive Your Tractor to School Day Celebrates Agriculture at Southeast Valley
For some students at Southeast Valley High School, Thursday’s drive to class came with a clutch, a cab, and a deep connection to family tradition, as Central Plains FFA members arrived at school in nearly two dozen tractors.
The annual Drive Your Tractor to School event, organized by the school’s Central Plains FFA chapter, gives students the opportunity to showcase agriculture’s important role in the community while celebrating their involvement in farming.
“I drove a Case IH 8920 Magnum,” said Southeast Valley sophomore Lane Ahlers. “This tractor gets used on my family’s farm to run the sprayer, round baler, manure spreader, fertilizer spreader, and the disc.”
Students brought a wide range of tractors to the event, from modern equipment to vintage models with deep family roots. Emilia Bloomquist, a junior, and Landon Bloomquist, a sophomore, showcased their great-grandfather’s 1948 and 1952 Ford tractors. Read More...
Harcourt Residents Step Up During March 15 Blizzard as Stranded Motorists Find Shelter
A major late‑season winter storm swept across Iowa on Sunday, March 15, 2026, bringing blizzard‑like conditions, heavy snow, and hazardous travel statewide. Much of Iowa spent the day under a blizzard warning as strong winds and heavy snow created white‑out conditions and dangerous roads. The storm became one of the strongest late‑season blizzards the state had seen in years, causing widespread travel disruptions yet, fortunately, no fatal crashes were reported.
Among the most significant impacts was the shutdown of Interstate 35. Both northbound and southbound lanes were closed from the Minnesota border as part of a multi‑state travel emergency confirmed by both Minnesota and Iowa DOT. The closure affected more than 100 miles of interstate, leaving many travelers stranded and seeking help wherever they could find it. Read More...
Farnhamville Emergency Services Host Successful Pork Loin Dinner Fundraiser
The Volunteer Farnhamville Ambulance and Reading-Cedar Fire Department hosted their annual Dine-In and Drive-Thru Pork Loin Dinner on Sunday, March 22nd at the Farnhamville Community Room, drawing a strong turnout from community members in support of local emergency services.
This year’s event served as a fundraiser for much-needed equipment upgrades for both departments. Proceeds from the dinner will go toward the purchase of new extrication tools for the fire department and a new defibrillator for the ambulance service—both critical pieces of equipment that help first responders provide life-saving care. Read more...
Sports
SV Boys Track Finishes Runner-Up, Breaks Record at Humboldt Indoor
The Southeast Valley Boys’ track & field team traveled to Humboldt on Friday, March 20th for their final indoor meet of the season. The Jaguars finished 2nd in the team standings scoring 112.5 points behind host team Humboldt who scored 128.5. Forest City was 3rd with 72.5.
The Jaguars had a pair of first place finishes. The shuttle hurdle relay team of Alex Burger, Casey Hanson, Kolton Ollinger and Colin Johnson won in a time of 34.57 setting the school record in the 60m shuttle hurdle relay. Colin Johnson also won the 60m high hurdles in a time of 8.77. Alex was second in that race running 8.98 followed by Kolton who was 4th (9.44) Freshman Coledon Mapel took 5th in the same race running 9.55.
Second place individual finishes went to Logan Jaeschke in the 200m dash (24.87), Lincoln Akins in the 1600m run (4:55.64) and August Akins in the 800m run (2:26.29). A pair of relays also took 2nd place in the meet. The 4 x 800m relay of Landon Vote, August Akins, Ethan Tucker and Logan Bintz finished in a season best of 9:42.97 and the 4 x 200m relay team of Casey, Logan, Bryce Harrison and Keelan Wellman in 1:40.08. Read More...
Southeast Valley Girls Track Competes at Indoor Meets, Prepares for Outdoor Season
The Southeast Valley girls track and field team has been busy over the past few weeks, competing in a pair of indoor meets as they prepare for the upcoming outdoor season.
The Jaguars first traveled to Ames on Friday, March 13th to compete in the Iowa Track Coaches Association Indoor State Championships in the 2A division. The meet featured a highly selective field, with entries based on performances from the previous season.
Despite the competitive nature of the event, Southeast Valley had strong representation across multiple events. Qualifiers included Mae Searcy and Madelyn Farley in the 60-meter hurdles, Avrie Hanson in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash, and Charlotte Blair in the 800-meter run. The Jaguars also qualified three relay teams: the shuttle hurdle relay of Mae Searcy, Charlotte Blair, Sage Lane, and Madelyn Farley; the 4x100-meter relay consisting of Avrie Hanson, Mae Searcy, Madelyn Farley, and Sage Lane; and another relay team made up of Charlotte Blair, Addi Lundquist, Emily Wilson, and Sage Lane. Read More...