Obituaries

Mary Elmina Engel, 99, of Keosauqua, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at Van Buren County Hospital.      A memorial service will be held at a later date.      Memorials may be made to Faith United Methodist Church in Libertyville.      Arrangements are in the care of Raymond Funeral Home.      Mrs. Engel was born Dec. 27, 1909, in Libertyville, the daughter of Jonathan Fred and Jessie Conner McElderry. She married

Ezra E. Fritts, 90, of Fairfield, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at Jefferson County Hospital in Fairfield.       A funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, with the Rev. Dave Peterson officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.      Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Behner Funeral Home.      Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, to

Fred "Bud" Otto Schmitter Jr., 71, of Libertyville, died Monday, Jan. 19, 2009, at Hospice of Wapello County.      A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Raymond Funeral Home in Fairfield, with the Rev. David Albert officiating. Interment will be at Batavia Cemetery.      Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.      Memorials may be made to the oncology center at the Ottumwa Regional

Julia M. Bruders, 76, of Fairfield, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, at home.      A memorial service will be held at a later date. The body has been cremated.      Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield.      Memorials and cards may be sent to 1300 W. Jackson Ave., No. 6, Fairfield 52556.      Mrs. Bruders was born Feb. 28, 1932, in Chadron, Neb., the daughter of Elmer and Rosie

Edwin C. Emerson, 92, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, at Union Park Health Services in Des Moines.      A service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hamilton Funeral Home in Des Moines. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Ottumwa Cemetery.      Open visitation is from 5-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.      Memorials may be made to Emerson Memorial for Archives, Area 24 of Alcoholics Anonymous, care of Hamilton

Patrick Connor Morton, age 13, of Fairfield, IA, died Friday, January 16, 2009 at his home.      Memorial services will be held 10:30 AM, Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at the Prairie View United Methodist Church west of Richland with Rev. Dave Nolte officiating. Burial of cremains will be at a later date.      The family requests memorials be made in lieu of flowers to Camp Courageous. Cards and memorials may be sent

Mary E. Nixon, 89, of Cantril, died at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, at Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.      A service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua, with the Rev. Jerry Caughron officiating. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in Cantril.      Open visitation began at 2 p.m. today at the funeral home, where family will be present from 4-5 p.m.      Memorials to

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Tatum Ashcraft, 4, of Springfield, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, in the St. Louis Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.      Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 21, in the Klingner-Cope Family Funeral Home in Springfield with the Rev. Mike Mendenhall officiating. Burial will follow in White Chapel Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the family in care of the funeral home.  

KEOTA - Myrle M. Sondag, 89, of Iowa City, formerly of Keota, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, following a brief illness.      Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at the Powell Funeral Home in Keota with the Rev. Dennis Hopes officiating. Burial was at Bethel Cemetery in rural Sigourney. A memorial fund has been established for the American Heart Association.      Mrs.

Doris Jean Peiffer, 77, of Fairfield, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at Jefferson County Hospital in Fairfield.      A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield, with the Rev. Stephen Page officiating. Interment will be in Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington, Iowa.      Visitation with the family will be from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.      Memorials may be made to Polishville