Obituaries

    Geneva “Jimmie” Henningsen, 83, died Monday, May 5, 2008, at the Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.
    Memorial services will be held Friday, May 9, at 11 a.m. at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 North 4th Street, Clear Lake.  A private family inurnment will take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.
    Memorials may be made to the local First Church of Christ Scientist in Clear Lake.
    Jimmie was born Sept. 2, 1924, the daughter of Lauritz Lorenz and Etneta (Reeder) Predmore Henningsen in Grundy County, Dike, Iowa.  She graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1942, and then attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and Webber College, in Babson Park, Fla. where she graduated in 1949.  She then worked as a part owner, secretary, bookkeeper, and livery manager at the Touristville Boat Company from 1937 to 1953.  After that she worked as an office secretary for 17 years at several local insurance companies.
    Aunt Jimmie was an aunt to more than just her own nieces and nephews.  She was actively involved in the lives of the Stanton and Davis children, in addition to the Haddy and Henningsen children.  She had a passion for knitting and every birthday and Christmas would create unique sweaters for all of her nieces and nephews.  Aunt Jimmie loved spending time tending to her enormous flower garden, and caring for her pets.
    She is survived by her niece, Lauralee (Gary) Calgaard, Clear Lake; nephew, Michael (Lisa) Haddy, Houston, Texas; nieces, Tryal Jane (David) Spencer, Rogers, Ark., and Celeste (Norman) Knights, Sheridan, Ill.; many great-nieces and nephews, several cousins, and her special caregivers and friends, Deb Frampton, Willie Grimm and Lisa Fox.
    Jimmie was preceded in death by her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Juanita and Frank “Speck” Haddy; and brother and sister-in-law, Argel and Adalou Henningsen.

    LaDonna J. Gorman, 72, died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.
    A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 10, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 North Adams, Mason City, with the Rev. Jon M. Seda officiating.  Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City.
    Visitation will be held Friday from 5 until 7 p.m. with a scriptural wake service at 6:30 p.m. at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd Street N.E., Mason City.
    In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to LaDonna Gorman Memorial Fund or Hospice of North Iowa.
    LaDonna J. Trudeau was born July 6, 1935, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Bernard and Goldie (Erickson) Trudeau.  She graduated from Mason City High School in 1953.
    After school she worked for the North Western Bell Telephone Company.  LaDonna was united in marriage to Donald Ruby. A couple of years into their marriage he was killed in a car accident.  LaDonna was united in marriage to John Bakkum. To this union four children were born.  In 1958, they moved and made their home in California. There she raised her family and worked as a certified nursing assistant for various hospitals and worked at an answering service.  Later LaDonna was united in marriage to Frank Gorman. After his death she moved back to Mason City to take care of her family.
    LaDonna’s greatest love was spending time with her family and friends.  She was an avid reader she greatly enjoyed shopping and loved animals.  She was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church.
    LaDonna is survived by her children Debra (Paul) Velardi, Palm Desert, Calif., Donna (Jeff) Rench, Manly, Iowa, Mark Gorman, Mason City and Bonnie (Billy) Nalley, Boaz, Ky.; grandchildren, Christopher, Jonathan, Stanley (Kelly), Nichole (Johnny) Angela (Matt) Jennifer, and Jossie; great-grandchildren, Ariel, Haley, Justina, Bailee, Ashley, Skylar, Kaitlynn, Sydney, Jesse, JJ, and Lorin; brother, Douglas Trudeau, Albuquerque, N.M.; sister, Bonnie Bernemann, Clear Lake; aunt and uncle, Clifford “Kip” and Ruth Trudo; special family friend, Marilyn Bakkum, Mason City; her beloved and faithful companion dog, Buddy, along with several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
    LaDonna is preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Donald Ruby, John Bakkum, and Frank Gorman, and one infant brother.

    Betty Jean Schroeder, 84, Clear Lake, died Friday, May 2, 2008 at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.
    A funeral service for Betty was held Monday, May 5, at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess and Rev. Thomas Healey officiating.
    The family of Betty Jean Schroeder has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Opportunity Village in Clear Lake in her memory.
    Betty Jean Schroeder was born on Oct. 4, 1923, in rural Holland, Neb., the daughter of Berend and Theresa (Drent) Lefferdink.  She attended rural country school and graduated from Panama High School.  Betty also attended Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Neb.  Betty began her working career for the State of Nebraska as an IBM operator.  She was united in marriage to Ralph Schroeder on May 12, 1945, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  After their marriage, Betty taught high school in St. Croix, Virgin Islands.  Betty was a supportive wife while her husband earned his masters degree in science by working for the University of Nebraska.  She was also a supportive wife, mother, and grandmother, and also a partner with her husband in the social service work.
    Betty enjoyed cooking, traveling, entertaining, was passionate about music, enjoyed sending birthday greetings for people over the age of 65 at Zion Lutheran Church, and was quick to help others in their distress, but her greatest love and enjoyment was her family and grandchildren.
    Betty was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, a church organist for 13 years in Rockford, Ill. and Holland, Neb., and also was a member of the Tri T Club, and Bridge Club.
    Betty and Ralph chose to retire in Clear Lake, and have lived here for 33 years.
    Left to cherish her memory is her husband, Ralph Schroeder of Clear Lake; three children, Ralph (Deborah) Schroeder of Holland, Mich., Reg (Kathy) Schroeder of Omaha, Neb., and Randy (Jean) Schroeder of Holland; eight grandchildren, Matthew (Shahna) Schroeder of Washington, D.C., Joanna Schroeder-Stoilkovich and her husband Ivan of Malibu, Calif., Ryan (Jacci) Schroeder of Louisville, Ky., Amanda Schroeder of Denver, Colo., Cory (Tracey) Schroeder of Hudsonville, Mich., Kelly Schroeder and her fiancé, Justin Wendzel, of Richland, Mich., and Maude and Madeline Ashley of Holland; great-grandchildren, Amira Schroeder, Izac and Boden Stoilkovich, Emma and Nora Schroeder, and Owen Nienhuis; three sisters, Gladys DeVries of Aurora, Colo., Crystal Sterk and Evelyn Lefferdink of Denver, Colo.; a sister-in-law, Bernice Lefferdink of Ft. Collins, Colo.; many extended family members and friends.
    She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Glen and Vernon Lefferdink.
    Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

    Lillian Kay “Lilly” Cannon, daughter of Alan and Amanda Cannon, and belonging to God, was born May 1, 2008 at 9:35 p.m.  She stayed long enough to touch our hearts before she died at 10:35 p.m. at the Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa.  A graveside service was held Monday, May 5, at the Clear Lake Cemetery.   Family suggests memorials to Lilly Cannon Memorial Fund..
     Lilly is survived by her parents, Alan and Amanda Barnett Cannon, Charles City, Iowa; brother, Samuel Cannon, Charles City; maternal grandparents, Pam and Dave Grill, Clear Lake; maternal great-grandmother, Florence Russell, Clear Lake; paternal grandparents, Rod and Verlene Dunlavey, Traer, Iowa; paternal great-grandparents, Veronica Goodale, Manly, Iowa and Clairice Cannon, Mason City, and JoAnne Dunlavey, Traer; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
     Lilly was preceded in death by her maternal great-grandfather, Daren Russell; great-grandparents, Esther and Leonard Grill; paternal grandfather, Michael Cannon; paternal great-grandfathers, William Goodale, Earl Cannon and Wayne Dunlavey.
    Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.

    Louise Ockerman, 83, of Cherokee, Iowa, formerly of Adel, Iowa, passed away Thursday evening, May 1, 2008 in the Careage Hills in Cherokee.
    Memorial services will be held Saturday, May 10, 10:30 a.m. at the First Christian Church at Adel.  Pastor Tony Thurston will officiate.  The family will be present at the church on Saturday morning from 9:30 a.m. until service time.  Burial will be at the Corydon Cemetery at Corydon, Iowa at 2 p.m. on Saturday.  The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee is assisting the family with the arrangements.   On line condolences may be sent to www.boothbyfuneral.com
    Louise was born on July 22, 1924 at Corydon, to Orville and Eva Myree (Clark) Bone.  She graduated from Corydon High School in 1942.  She was married to Robert H. Ockerman on April 11, 1942 at Princeton, Mo.  She had worked for Guardsman Life Insurance Co. in Des Moines, Iowa retiring in 1982.   She had lived in Cherokee the past four years, prior to this in Fort Dodge, Clear Lake, Postville, Des Moines, Iowa and Mesa, Az.  Louise entered Careage Hills in February of 2006.  She was a member of the United Methodist Church and the American Legion Auxiliary.  She enjoyed time spent with her family and doing genealogy.
    She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert; a grandson, David Ockerman and a sister, Margaret Ramsey.
    She is survived by two sons,  Robert Ockerman and his wife, Mary, of Adel, Iowa, Richard Ockerman and his wife, Diana, of Cherokee, Iowa; one daughter, Cheryl  Ramsey of Denver, Iowa; six grandchildren, Jeff Ockerman and wife, Tammy, of Adel, Jennifer Marshall and her husband, Kevin, of Alta, Iowa, Douglas Ockerman of Aurelia, Iowa, Margaret Ann Horn, Cady Horn and Tom Horn all of Denver; nine great-grandchildren, Scott, Stephanie and Austin Ockerman, Kyle Lee, Katie and Tessa Ockerman, Dylan Ockerman, Bryleigh and Brayden Marshall; a granddaughter-in-law, Shari Ockerman of Boise, Idaho; three sisters, Evelyn Duckworth of Arizona, Bernadine McGee of Arizona; Beverly Couchman and her husband, Paul of Ames, Iowa, and one brother, Ed Bone and his wife, Edie, of Belvidere, Ill.