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A happy Homecoming slipped away from the Kee football team in the late minutes of their Friday, October 2 hosting of Springville for that annual celebration.

Facing a high-powered Oriole squad that ranks near the top-five among Eight-Player teams in scoring this season with a scoring average of just over 60 points per games, the Hawks were faced with the task of stopping - or at least matching - that firepower. Through three-and-a-half quarters of play, Kee’s gridders did just that - even fighting back from a 30-8 third quarter deficit, but Springville’s offense combined with some Kee misfortune denied any further comeback and resulted in the 50-30 Hawk defeat.

James “Jim” H. Johnson, 85, of Waukon died peacefully Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 10 at First Baptist Church in Waukon with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. A private burial with military honors was held at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon.

Condolences may be sent to Helen Johnson at 430 Fourth Street SE, Waukon, IA 52172. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon handled the arrangements.

Heidi J. Jones Trotter, 60, of Lansing died Saturday, October 3, 2020 at her home. A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, October 7 at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon. A celebration of life will be Thursday, October 8, starting at 3 p.m., at Milty’s in Lansing.

In consideration of concerns regarding COVID-19, social distancing and wearing of masks is encouraged. Condolences may be sent to Amy McCabe at 429 South Front Street, Lansing, IA 52151.

Heidi Jo Jones Trotter was born November 15, 1959 in Prairie du Chien, WI, the daughter of Herman LeRoy and Arlene Lauryane (Fish) Jones. Heidi attended Allamakee County schools and later earned her GED. She married Wayne Kelly and they later divorced.

Vernis C. Haberichter, 89, of Waukon died Saturday, October 2, 2020 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 7 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser, Fr. Mark Osterhaus, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Fr. Bernard Grady officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. until time of services Wednesday at the church. In consideration of concerns regarding COVID-19, social distancing and wearing of masks is encouraged. Condolences can be sent to Sheri Rowe at 236 East Main Street, Fredericksburg, IA 50630. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Thomas “Tom” G. Kinley, 82, of Harpers Ferry died Thursday, October 1, 2020 at his home. A funeral service for immediate family members will be held at Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial with military honors will be at St. Pius Cherry Mound Cemetery in rural Harpers Ferry. Condolences can be sent to Janice Kinley, 411 Ion Road, Harpers Ferry, IA 52146.

Thomas George Kinley was born July 3, 1938 in Waukon, the son of Harold and Florence (Waters) Kinley. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius at Cherry Mound Catholic Church and attended Ion country school, both in rural Harpers Ferry. Tom served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956-1959, where he was a sharpshooter. After the service, he lived in Texas for a short time.

Richard E. Howe, 59, of Waukon died Thursday October 1, 2020 as a result of a semi truck accident south of Waukon. Memorial services were held Tuesday, October 6 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated in support of Denise and Jeremiah. Condolences may be sent to Denise Howe at 107 Third Avenue SW, Waukon, IA 52172. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Richard Edmond Howe was born August 23, 1961 in Waukon, the son of Kenneth and Margie (Anderson) Howe. He was baptized and confirmed at St Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, attended St. Patrick Catholic School, and graduated from Waukon High School in 1979. November 24, 2007, he married Denise Pearson at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon.

The local COVID-19 numbers are again on the rise. Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care declares that “masks are a must” when it comes to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and should be worn by everyone whenever outside the home.

Sheryl Darling-Mooney, RN of Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Public Health Department states, “We can still enjoy those outdoor, fall activities, but we must follow the safety guidelines outlined by the CDC. Masks really do work to stop the spread of COVID-19 so please wear them in public places, especially the grocery and convenience stores.”

Mooney adds, “Always physically distance from one another even when you are wearing a mask and wash your hands frequently. No one wants to be quarantined for two weeks, so please always take these precautions to keep yourself and others safe.”

Below are the recommendations on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 from the Iowa Department of Public Health:

The local blood drives continue to be held during COVID-19 since the need for blood is in more demand than ever. Life Serve team members only report to work if they are healthy and only healthy donors are eligible to give blood.

Blood drives are essential medical services and not considered mass gatherings. The number of donors is limited to ensure donor separation and staff has strict cleaning and disinfection schedules. Other measures are also in place to ensure the safety of the blood supply so these lifesaving donations can continue during COVID-19.

The next blood drive will be held Monday, October 5 from Noon to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Veterans Memorial Hospital, in cooperation with the American Heart Association, is offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for lay people (those not working in healthcare). These individuals would include child care providers, Wednesday, October 21 from 5-8 p.m.

The CPR class, which will cover adult, child and infant CPR, will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital. The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same. Upon successful completion of the class, the participant will receive an electronic card certifying them in Heartsaver CPR AED for a two-year time period. This class does not include a first aid certification.

Pre-registration plus minimum of three participants is required for the class to be held. All participants will be required to physically distance during the class and wear a mask. They will also be screened at the hospital main entrance when they enter the building.

The Caregiver Support Group meetings that were held monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon continue to be held through conference calls during COVID-19. Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging is offering weekly Caregiver Support Group conference calls every Monday from 10-11 a.m.

To join a call, just dial 1-800-264-8432. Then enter the participant code 961847# to be connected to the support group conference call, joining other caregivers.

Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging is reaching out to extend this program during COVID-19. Contact Kelly Kuennen of Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging at 800-779-8707 with questions.