Obituaries

Virgil L. Kerschner, 49, of rural Washington, died Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, at his home, following a sudden illness.    The body has been cremated.  A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.  A general memorial fund has been established.  Beatty Funeral Home in Washington is handling the arrangements.    Mr. Kerschner was born Aug. 15, 1960, in Kansas, the son of Virgil and Peggy Lee (Weir)

TAMA ? Susan Elizabeth Dowd Mohler, 61, of Marion, died Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, in Pleasantview in Kalona, after a two-year battle from lung cancer.    A visitation for friends and family will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama, with a time for sharing memories at 6:30 p.m.  Private burial services will be held at a later date.  Memorials may be directed to the Lung

BRIGHTON ? Jack E. Knerr, 75, former of Brighton, died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in the United Presbyterian Home in Washington, following a brief illness.    Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the First Church of God in Brighton with the Rev. Ryan Meader officiating.  Burial will be in Sandy Hook Cemetery near Brighton.  Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the Gould Funeral Home in

WELLMAN  David Arthur McClellen, 87, of Wellman, died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.    Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Powell Funeral Home in Wellman with the Rev. Rich Pippert officiating.  Burial will be in the Wellman Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.  A memorial fund has been established for Asbury United

Betty L. Chance, 78, of Washington, died Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Parkview Manor in Wellman, following a lengthy illness.    Celebration of life services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington with the Rev. Don Collings officiating.  Burial will be at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington.  Visitation will begin at noon Tuesday at the funeral home where the family

RICHLAND ? John Alfred Hadley, 90, of Richland, died Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, in the VA Medical Center in Iowa City.    Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28, at Trinity Friends Church in Richland with the Rev. Tim Hadley and the Rev. Tim McGuire officiating.  Burial will be in Richland Friends Cemetery.  Visitation with the family will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Mother Cabrini Parish Center in

FAIRFIELD ? Jerry Joe ?Termite? Pohren, 53, of Lockridge, died Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, in Keosauqua, from carbon monoxide poisoning.Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the New Sweden United Methodist Church, west of Four Corners in rural Lockridge, with the Rev. Diane Brokken and the Rev. Peggy Egbert officiating. Friends may call at the Raymond Funeral Home in Fairfield from Tuesday until 11

KEOTA ? Richard L. ?Swede? Smothers, 79, of Keota, died Friday, Sept 18, 2009, in Maplewood Manor in Keota.Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. today at Powell Funeral Home in Keota, with the Rev. Dennis Hopes officiating. Burial was at Keota Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Compassus Hospice or the Keota Volunteer Fire Department.Mr. Smothers was born May 24, 1930, near Wellman, the son of Emmett and Laura

Ivan Verland Jarvis, 94, of Washington, died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in his residence following a brief illness.    Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington with the Rev. Julie Poulsen officiating.  Burial with military honors conducted by Washington American Legion Post 29 will be at Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington.  Visitation will begin at noon Friday at

Richmond, IowaAug. 21, 2009To the editor:    We found an article by Jeff Thomann, County Sanitarian in the Fall Home Improvement paper put out by the Kalona News quite interesting. In it he states, and we quote, ?Since much of Washington County has clay soil, said Thomann, the most common system for Washington County uses sand filters. The wastewater first enters the septic tank, where most of the solids settle.