Obituaries

Joella J. Gerdes, 81, of Washington, died Sunday, April 11, 2004, at Halcyon House in Washington, following a lengthy illness.      Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14, at Jones-Eden Funeral Home in Washington, with the Rev. Scott Nesbitt officiating. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery. Visitation will begin at noon on Tuesday, at the funeral home, with family present from 6 to 8 p.m.

Samuel C. Osier, 40, died as the result of an accident near his home in Van Meter on Saturday, April 10, 2004.      A Time of Remembrance will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 16 at Caldwell-Raddatz Funeral Home in Urbandale. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Chanci and Marina, both of Van

Bonita "Bonnie" NaDene Richenberger, 73, of Plano, Texas, died on Friday, April 9, 2004, in Plano.      The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13 at the Richardson Church of the Nazarene, with Pastor Scott Daniels officiating. Burial will be in Ridgeview Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in McKinney, Texas. A memorial has been

Brad Douglas Holtgrewe, 51, of Altoona, formerly of Mt. Pleasant, died of heart failure on Thursday, April 8, 2004.      The funeral service was held at Grace Church in Altoona today, with the Revs. Phil Whinfield and Dan Hayton officiating. Burial was in Altoona Cemetery. A memorial has been established to Grace Church. Altoona Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.Survivors include his wife, the former Linda

BURLINGTON-Samuel Isador Houseal, 84, of Burlington, died Thursday, April 8, 2004, at Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Iowa City.      Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13, at Hass Funeral Home in Burlington, with the Rev. Patrick J. Hilgendorf officiating. A graveside committal service will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14, at Elm Grove Cemetery. Visitation began this

KALONA-Tatyana A. Watkins, 4 months, of Kalona, died Thursday, April 8, 2004, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, of cancer.      Celebration of Life services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, at Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona, with the Rev. Chuck Rogness officiating. A private family burial will be in Sharon Hill Cemetery in Kalona. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on

Harold R. Richards, 88, of Ottumwa, died on April 10, 2004, at the Veterans Hospital in Iowa City.      The memorial service will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 15 at the Johnson Funeral Chapel in Ottumwa with members of the VFW officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery with graveside military services by the VFW post 775 and the O.B. Nelson Post #3 of the American Legion. Visitation will begin at noon

HARPER-William V. "Bill" Besser, 72, of Harper, died Thursday, April 8, 2004, at University Hospital in Iowa City, following a lengthy illness.      A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 12, at Holy Trinity Parish-St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Harper, with the Rev. Marty Goetz officiating. Burial will be in St. Elizabeth Cemetery in Harper. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on

Helen P. Simmons, 79, of Burlington died at 2:44 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2004, at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington.      The funeral service was at 1:30 p.m. today at Lunning Chapel in Burlington, with the Rev. Dr. Forrest Krummel officiating. Burial was in Aspen Grove Cemetery. A memorial has been established.Survivors include a daughter, Roberta Jean Merriner of Kansas City, Mo.; a sister, Madge

Chanthaphone "Gee" Dary, 24, of Mt. Pleasant, died at 8:38 a.m. on Friday, April 9, 2004, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.      The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13 at the Beatty Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant, followed by a funeral procession to the crematory in Burlington. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. There will be no family