Obituaries

Monica Monserud, 78, of Waterville passed away peacefully Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. A celebration of life will be held Friday, August 7 from 2-5 p.m. at the Waterville Community Center with a meal served throughout. A prayer service will follow at 5:30 p.m. with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. A private family graveside service will be at Waterville Cemetery. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Monica Mary Rose Monserud was born September 24, 1947, to Joe and Alberta (Hammell) Troendle. She was the sixth of 12 children, growing up in a large, close-knit family, where she learned the importance of hard work, loyalty, resilience, and always looking out for one another. She attended country school before graduating from St. George High School in Lansing, carrying those small-town values with her throughout her life.

Jay A. Schneider, 71, of Waukon died Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at his home in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Thursday, August 6 at 1 p.m. at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Inurnment will be at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 12 p.m. until time of services at the funeral home Thursday.

Jay Allen Schneider was born December 27, 1954, in Iowa to parents Lloyd and Helen (Hartong) Schneider. He was baptized and confirmed at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon. Jay graduated from Waukon High School in 1973, and attended NIACC in Mason City for a degree in auto mechanics.

Gary LaVern Johnson, age 79, of Dubuque passed away July 21, 2026, at 12:47 p.m., at MercyOne Dubuque after a brief illness. Family and friends will gather Sunday, August 16 from 12-3 p.m. at the Waterville Church for a celebration of life.

He was born a twin October 18, 1946 in Waukon to Melva Adeline (Grangaard) Johnson and Donald Milton Johnson. His twin brother James Alan died shortly after birth. His mother and younger brother David passed in a car accident in December of 1958. His father Don then passed in June of 1970, “just when he was getting interesting”.

He graduated from Dubuque Senior High, Class of 1964. Gary then entered the Navy at age 17 and proudly served aboard the USS Bristol (DD-857), returning home and marrying his high school sweetheart, Sandra K. Good, in November of 1967. Their son James was born in 1972. Sandra and Gary later divorced in 1977.

Rose Ella (Egan) Valley, 89, of Waukon passed away peacefully Monday, July 27, 2026, surrounded by family members at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 1 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Ben Valentine and Fr. Donald Hawes officiating. Burial was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Rose Ella Valley was born Monday, December 7, 1936, to Timothy B. and Mary M. (Donahue) Egan on her parents’ farm in Linton Township, rural Harpers Ferry. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius the V Catholic Church, Cherry Mound. Rose Ella attended Linton No. 1 School and after her dad died, she farmed the family farm in Linton Township, raising dairy cows and crops before she met the man of her dreams, Harold Valley. They were married at St. Pius the V, Cherry Mound June 5, 1956. Harold and Rose Ella were married for 45 years, and four children were born to this union: Tim, Rita, Karen, and Kevin.

Joanne P. Kehr, 96, of Lansing died peacefully Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Thornton Manor in Lansing, surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 1 at 11 a.m. at United Methodist Church, with Pastor James “Buck” Buckhahn officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, both in Lansing. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until time of services at the church Saturday. The service will be live streamed on the website of the church, lansingiowaumc.org, under the Worship Live Stream tab.

Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Mt. Hosmer Park, Gustave F. Kerndt VFW, or Auxiliary Post 5981, c/o Don Peters, 664 Center Street, Lansing, IA 52151; or Thornton Manor - patient recreation department, 1329 Main Street, Lansing, IA, 52151.

Bonnie L. Sanderman, 93, of Cedar Falls, formerly of Waukon, died Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at NewAldaya Lifescapes in Cedar Falls, surrounded by the love of her family. Funeral services were held Sunday, July 26 at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Cathy Jurgens officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Memorials can be made to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

Bonna Lee “Bonnie” Sanderman was born August 13, 1932, at her grandmother’s home in Ludlow Township, in rural Waukon, the daughter of Walter and Evangeline (Stock) Grotegut. Bonnie graduated from Waukon High School in 1950. July 10, 1951, she married the love of her life, Neil Sanderman, and together they raised three children. She enjoyed farm life, but she also possessed a quiet determination to continue learning.

Marlys Ann (Hackbarth) Smith, 87, of Monona died Monday, July 20, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. A Private Graveside Service was held at Monona Cemetery, Monona. Memorials in her honor may be directed to Little Bulldog Preschool and MFL Ambulance Service. Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Monona assisted the family with services.

Marlys was born March 27, 1939 at home in Morgan Township in Franklin County, Iowa, the oldest daughter of Verlynn and Leona (Gorder) Hackbarth. She was baptized and confirmed in the Morgan Methodist Church, which was a quarter mile from her home.

Marlys attended school in Dows and graduated in 1957. She was active in band, chorus, and class plays. She went to Ellsworth Jr. College and received her two-year degree to teach. She worked for a principal, took care of four young children, and cooked and cleaned for a family to pay for her education.

Harold Francis Nelson of Marysville, WA passed away April 12, 2026 at home, surrounded by loved ones. Harold was laid to rest in the Arlington, WA cemetery.

He was born in Iowa September 17, 1931 in the farmhouse of his maternal grandparents. He is the son of Albert Oke Nelson and Leona Marie Mettille.

Harold was raised on his parents’ farm in Houston County, MN. He attended school in a one-room schoolhouse from grades 1-8. The school was almost two miles from his home.  His only method of transportation to and from school was by walking those miles over hills and fields in all kinds of weather.

At the age of 20, Harold joined the United States Air Force. He completed his basic training in Texas at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX and Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX. He was then assigned to the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Paine Field, Everett, WA where he served as a jet mechanic and was quickly promoted to Crew Chief.

Robert L. Livingston, 86, of Harpers Ferry died Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 8, 2026, at St. Ann’s-St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Paint Rock Cemetery, Harpers Ferry.

Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday, August 8 at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Robert “Bob” Livingston was born November 9, 1939, in La Crosse, WI, the oldest child of Leo and Ruth (Ferring) Livingston of Harpers Ferry. Bob began school at St. Joseph’s one-room country school (located next to Paint Rock Cemetery) and graduated in 1957 from Waterville High School. At 17 years old, he joined the U.S. Army for two years - one year in the States and one year near Paris, France.

Debra Joan Taylor, 68, passed peacefully July 14, 2026, surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with glioblastoma. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, July 26 from 3-6:30 p.m. at Coffee On The River, located at 61 South Front Street, Lansing. All friends and family are welcome to attend.

Debra was born July 2, 1958, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI to Alfred and Jean (Swancutt) Miller. She is survived by her loving husband and best friend, Richard C. Taylor; her children, Melissa (Nick) Hammell, Justin (Carly) Taylor, and Amanda Taylor (Nick Zabeli); her cherished grandchildren, Isabelle Hammell, Leona Hammell, and Remi Zabeli; her sister Cheryl Ganske; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, dear friends, and countless lives she touched throughout the years.

She will be missed beyond words and remembered with endless smiles.