Obituaries

Cecil Mitchell, age 73, of Forest City, died on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.Funeral service will be 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the United Methodist Church in Forest City, with Pastor Jerald Swanberg and Pastor Steve Hansen officiating. Burial will be at Madison Township Cemetery in Forest City. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, at the funeral home

KALONA - Esther Anna Ropp, 88, of Kalona died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006 in the Pleasantview Home in Kalona from cancer.      Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 in the Sunnyside Mennonite Church in Kalona with the Rev. John King, the Rev. Floyd Helmuth and the Rev. David L. Yoder officiating. Burial will be in East Union Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday in the church, where the family

KALONA - Donald E. Showalter, 76, of Kalona died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006 in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City of renal failure.      Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 in the East Union Mennonite Church in rural Kalona. Burial will be in East Union Cemetery, rural Kalona. Visitation will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona, with the family present

Andrew Lee Smithburg, age 25 of Burkburnett, TX, formerly of Fairfield, passed away Friday, December 1, 2006 in Burkburnett.      Visitation with the family present will be held from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Sunday, December 10, 2006 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield, IA. Friends may sign a Book of Condolence beginning at noon on Sunday, or send online condolences at www.behnerfh.com.      Funeral services will be

Dodds E. "Chip" Charleston, 50, of Mount Pleasant, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City from injuries sustained in a car accident.      A private service will be held by the family.Additional memorial services have been scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday at the Iowa Wesleyan College chapel in Mount Pleasant and 8 p.m. Sunday in the upstairs room at Revelations in Fairfield. 

Frank LeRoy Ferrel Sr., 85, of Kilbourne, died at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006, at Jefferson County Hospital in Fairfield.      A funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Pedrick Funeral Home in Douds, with the Rev. Michael Mosier officiating. Cremation will follow the service, with private burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery north of Douds.      Open visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home,

Cecelia Judy, 91, of Donnellson, and formerly of West Point, died at 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Donnellson Health Center.Funeral services are pending at the Schmitz-Lynk Funerla Home in West Point.

Helen Dickman, 91, of Mt. Pleasant, and formerly of Danville, died Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Park Place Long Term Care Unit.Arrangements are pending at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel in Mt. Pleasant.

Leo Courtney Hollingsworth, 87, of Danville, died on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Great River Medical Center in West Burlington.The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Honts Funeral Home in Winfield, with Pastor Paul Hooks officiating. Burial will follow at the Trinity Cemetery. Friends may call from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday at the Honts Funeral Home, where the family will meet with friends.

Dodds E. "Chip" Charleston, 50, of Mt. Pleasant, died on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from injuries sustained in a car accident.Open visitation will be held from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel in Mt. Pleasant. There will be no family visitation time. Private services will be held by the family. The Charleston Education Fund has been