Obituaries

Nicholas Leo Reed, age 49, of Washington, died Monday, March 3, 2008 at his home following a courageous 5 month battle with colon cancer.      Mass of the Resurrection will be held 11:00 am Friday March 7, 2008 at St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Ed O'Melia officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm Thursday at the Jones - Eden Funeral Home and from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm at St. James Catholic

Doris Fae Thrasher, 88, died Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, at Parkview Care Center in Fairfield.      A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Johnson Funeral Chapel in Ottumwa, with the Rev. Dennis Doud officiating. Burial will be in Shaul Cemetery.      Open visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral chapel.      Memorials may be made to Church of the Brethren and may be sent

BURLINGTON - Evelyn Mae Johnson, 75, of Burlington, died Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.      Mrs. Johnson was born July 26, 1932, in Burlington, the daughter of Lee Arthur and Armeda (Wills) Dameron. She married Howard Johnson on May 18, 1952 in Burlington.

Ray "Ed" McWhirter, 78, of Batavia, died Sunday, March 2, 2008, at Jefferson County Hospital in Fairfield.      A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield, with the Rev. Danny Cary officiating. Following the service, the body will be cremated, and burial of the cremains will be at a later date.      Family visitation will be from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.      Memo

Eloise Virginia Hazen, 93, of Washington, died Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, in the United Presbyterian Home in Washington following a lengthy illness.      Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 8, in the Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington with the Rev. Kitch Shatzer officiating. Burial will be in Oregon Township Cemetery in Ainsworth. Visitation will begin at noon Friday in the funeral home where

KALONA - Alphonse "Zeke" Kleopfer, 80, of Kalona, died Saturday, March 1, 2008, in his home after a long illness from pulmonary fibrosis.      Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 4, in the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Richmond with the Rev. Rich Adam officiating. Burial will be in Holy Trinity Cemetery in Richmond. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today in the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona

Velma G. Burr, 96, of Douds, died at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, at Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.      A funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at Pedrick Funeral Home in Douds, with the Rev. Len Garrison officiating. Burial will be in Mount Moriah Cemetery north of Douds.      Open visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, where family will be present from 4-6 p.m.      Memo

SILVIS, Ill. - Virginia Crane, 78, of East Moline, Ill., died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, in St. Anthony's Continuing Care Center in Rock Island.      Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1 in Schroder Mortuary in Silvis. Burial will be in Greenview Memorial Gardens in East Moline. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's

Joye Lucille Gentzler, 79, of rural Ainsworth, formerly of Columbus Junction, died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, following declining health.      Graveside services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 7, in the Columbus City Cemetery in Columbus City with the Rev. Cathy Whitlach officiating. No visitation is scheduled. A general memorial fund has been established. The Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington is

KALONA - Urban F. Metz, 84, of Riverside, died on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, in his home.      Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 1 in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Riverside with the Rev. Rich Adam officiating. Burial will be in St. Vincent's Cemetery in Riverside. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today in the Peterseim Funeral Service in Kalona with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Memorials may be