Obituary

Gowrie – James E. Sawdy 78, passed away Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 at Shady Oaks Care Center, Lake City. Memorial Services were held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Palmer Funeral Home, Gowrie, with Pastor Jim Davis officiating. Burial was at Gowrie Township Cemetery with Military Rites by the Iowa Army Honor Guard and VFW Post #1856 of Ft. Dodge.

Jim is survived by his sons, Fred (Kathy) Sawdy of Urbandale, and Jim Sawdy of Gowrie; daughter Deb Skow of Humboldt; 8 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Donna Weibusch of Coon Rapids, MN, Violet Weibusch of Shakopee, MN, Carol DeMarais of Coon Rapids, MN, and Betty Baham of Walker, LA; brothers, Harvey Harmsen of Brainerd, MN, and Robert (Rose) Harmsen of Cushing, MN; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, James P. and Frances S. (Puelston) Sawdy; stepfather Harvey Harmsen; and sisters, Edna Schirmers, and LaVerne Gramm.

James E. Sawdy was born November 25, 1940 at Minneapolis, Minnesota. On June 23, 1961 he was united in marriage to Dorothy Elaine Richeson at Anoka, Minnesota. They established their home in Gowrie in 1963. Jim was employed for Buske Industries for many years. Jim was a member of VFW Post #1856 of Ft Dodge and Peterson Post #431 of Gowrie. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.

Services for Betty Jean Lingren were held 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 22, 2019 at the Pilot Mound United Methodist Church. Visitation was after 1:00 p.m. Thursday with family present from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. also at the church. Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson was in charge of the arrangements. Rev. Phillip Berger officiated the service. Honorary casket bearers were: Stan Jones, Gene Crouch, Rich Larson and Steve Smith. Casket bearers were: Alan Lingren, Darrell Lingren, Tom Good, Randy Good, Deck Crouch and Sean Whalen. Musicians were: Cheryl Lingren, Allison McGuire and Carol Shivers. Songs chosen were; There Is A Savior, The Lord’s Prayer and I’ll Be Seeing You. Interment took place at Lawn Cemetery in Boxholm, Iowa. Following the services at the cemetery was a luncheon at the church. Betty Jean Lingren, daughter of Marion Merkle Wirtz and Mildred Violet Williams Wirtz, was born February 17, 1926 in Boone County, Iowa, and died November 18, 2019, at the Israel Hospice House in Ames, Iowa at the age of 93 years. She attended and graduated from the Jordan Consolidated School in 1943. She then attended the Boone Junior College for one year. During World War II, Betty worked for 18 months in the Signal Corps of the War Department in Washington, DC, translating code from the Pacific. From December of 1945 until April of 1947, Betty worked as secretary to the superintendent of Jordan Consolidated School. On November 8, 1946, Betty was united in marriage with Earl Floyd Lingren at the Prairie Center Church north of Jordan, Iowa. To this union, five children were born: Steven, Stanley, Melinda, Machelle, and Lorna. After their marriage, the couple lived in Betty’s Grandma Williams’ apartment in Boone, Iowa, later moving to their own apartment. In 1948, they moved north of Boone to start farming, and moved to rural Pilot Mound in 1953. In 1969, they moved to their present farm, and in 1996, the couple built their retirement home on the farm, though they never really retired. Two years ago, Betty moved to the Grand View Care Center in Dayton, Iowa. Betty was a member of the Pilot Mound United Methodist Church and the American Legion Auxiliary. She was awarded the Honorary State 4-H Member Award in 1988, and she, Earl and Stanley were honored as Master Pork Producers in 1994. Betty was also a 4-H leader and Sunday School teacher for many years. In 1983, Betty, Earl and their sons were given the Meritorious Service to 4-H Award. Betty worked side-by-side with Earl on the farm as well as caring for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also maintained all of the bookwork for the farms and livestock. She proved to be a wonderful role model, having always been a guiding hand in the lives of her grandchildren. Her pride and joy were her grandchildren and she didn’t miss an opportunity to brag about them. Her hobbies included baking pies, overseeing the grandchildren’s 4-H projects, sewing, flower gardening and canning vegetables from her numerous gardens. Betty was preceded in death by husband Earl on November 21, 2008; her father Marion in 1975; her mother Mildred on January 14, 2000; a daughter Machelle Peggy, in infancy; her brother Bill Wirtz; sisters Ruth Swanson and Kay Richards, and her brother-in-law Kenny Richards. She is survived by two sons: Steven (Chris) Lingren of Ogden and Stan (Cheryl) Lingren of Pilot Mound; two daughters: Melinda (Tom) Heater of Jefferson and Lorna (Rob) Scott of Pilot Mound; sixteen grandchildren: Jenifer (Brent) Badger of Bagley; Jessica Savits (Mark Hamilton) of Jefferson; Jessica Bruere (Jason Lemmert) of Bondurant; Nicole (Jay) Shearer of Bettendorf; Rick Geisler (Kelly McElwee) of Sheridan, Wyoming; Emily (Ben) Shivers of Bondurant; Brooke (Dana) Vote of Denton, Nebraska; Allison (Andy) McGuire of Oskaloosa; Alexa (Tyler) Pickering of Kansas City, Missouri; and Bryce, Aaliyah, Vanessa, Ebony, Viatris, Kaleb and Nate Scott all of Pilot Mound. She is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren: Kamden, Abigail, Brock and Elise Badger; Ty and Lily Shearer; Briana Bruere, Tinley and Sutton Vote, and Brody Shivers; two sisters: Joan McDonald and Judy (Gary) Calsyn; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. 

Memorials in her name may be sent to Hastings Funeral Home - Box 204 - Perry, IA 50220

Marvin M. Fiala, 87, of Moorland passed away Friday, November 22, 2019 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home.

A visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home. A private family service will be held at a later date. Burial will be in Elkhorn Township Cemetery south of Fort Dodge.

Marvin is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Lou of Moorland; son Mark (Teresa) Fiala of Oskaloosa, daughter Anne (Bruce) Kofta of Waterloo, son Ted (Sandy) Fiala of Moorland and son Chris (Kristi) Fiala of Granger; grandchildren Matthew (Anne Marie) Kofta, Sarah Kofta, Michael (Shannon) Kofta, Adam Fiala, Branden (Becca) Fiala, Hannah Fiala, Kelsey Fiala, and Kyle Fiala; great- grandchildren Mason, Olivia, Cohen and Walker; sister Earlene Reeves of Fort Dodge and brother Irv (DyAnn) Fiala of Callender.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vic and Clara (Jondle) Fiala; grandson Alex Fiala; and brother-in-law, Larry Reeves. 

Marvin M. Fiala was born November 24, 1931 on the family farm south of Moorland. He graduated from Moorland Consolidated School in 1950. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and served from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War. On April 27, 1957, he was united in marriage to Mary Lou Macken. Marv farmed in the Moorland and Otho area most of his life and ran a corn sheller for over 16 years. He served on the Roberts COOP Board. Marvin enjoyed fishing, hunting, bird watching, gardening, playing cards, and gambling. Most of all he loved family get togethers and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be left to family discretion.