Obituaries

Suzanne R. Hagemeier, 81, of Harlingen, TX was called to be with our Lord the morning of February 14, 2021. A memorial service was held Saturday, August 28 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, Mason City with Pastor Cody Schwichtenberg officiating. Interment was held prior in Elmwood-St Joseph Cemetery, Mason City.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you please make a donation to a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be left for the family at the funeral home website, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com.

Suzanne was born January 11, 1940 in Mason City to Ted and Helen Thornblade. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, friend and teacher.

Anna Lucille Hanson, former long-time resident of Postville, passed away August 22, 2021 at the Woodridge Supportive Living facility in Galesburg, IL at the age of 95. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Bridget Catholic Church in Postville Friday, August 27. Interment followed at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lansing.

Lucille was born in Waukon to John and Mabel Huffman (Dougherty) of Rossville February 27, 1926. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Catholic Church in nearby Cherry Mound and graduated from Waukon High School in 1943.

After graduation, she worked as a secretary at the Lansing button factory for 11 years. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Ralph Hanson, who had just returned from Army service in the European Theater. After an eight-year courtship, they married June 19, 1954 at St. Pius Catholic Church, Cherry Mound. They started a family with Lucille as a housewife and Ralph partnering in a Lansing grocery store.

Mary E. Zoll, 94, formerly of Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, died Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Stonehill Communities in Dubuque. A visitation will be held from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, August 31 at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Dubuque followed by a Mass of Celebration at 11 a.m. Burial will be at a later date at Hanover in rural Allamakee County.

Mary was born May 22, 1927 in Hanover as the second eldest child of Joseph and Loreta O’Malley. She was formerly married to James Zoll of Waukon.

Mary worked cleaning St. Pat’s School and used her talents as a seamstress to make ends meet while raising her four children by herself in Waukon. She moved to Cedar Rapids, bought a house and worked for Rockwell Collins until her retirement. She had fond memories of her time with members of the Rockwell Collins Craft Club through the years. Upon her retirement, she became part owner of Poor Sports Bar and Grill in Hiawatha.

Dorothy Ann Thompson, 82, was born March 4, 1939 in Waukon, the daughter of Henry and Edna (Brink) Thornton. She passed away unexpectedly at her home in Johnston Friday, August 13, 2021. A Celebration of Life service was held Wednesday, August 18 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines with cremation following.

Dorothy loved to travel with her former husband, Al Thompson. They lived in Minnesota for 20 years, before she moved to California and lived there for another 20 years. Dorothy also lived in Arizona and Johnston most recently, and jokingly referred to herself as a “snowbird” as she wintered in Arizona, even when traveling there just from California.

Marjorie M. Held, 97, of Waukon died Sunday, August 15, 2021 at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon. Graveside services will be held Thursday, August 26 at 11 a.m. at Bethlehem Presbyterian Cemetery in rural Postville with Karla Johnson officiating. A celebration of Marjorie’s life will be held at a later date.

Condolences can be sent to Linda Sweeney at 3612 W. 3rd Street, Anacortes, WA, 98221. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Good Samaritan Society in Waukon or Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Mac Ellis Greentree, 77, of rural Postville lost his battle with cancer Sunday, August 15, 2021 at home with his loved ones by his side. Memorial services were held Sunday, August 22 at Salem United Church of Christ in rural Waukon with Pastor Sue Klimstra officiating, and burial was in the church cemetery.

Mac Ellis Greentree was born April 30, 1944 in Kenton, OH to Carl and Mary Bell (Ellis) Greentree. When Mac was 14, he and his family moved to Iowa; he loved to tell the story about how his dad answered an ad in the Hoard’s Dairyman magazine for a herdsman job in Oelwein. So, he loaded the whole family into a ’57 Chevy, including Mac’s two brothers, his grandmother, and the family dog. They drove all the way to Iowa in February during the middle of a snow storm.

John Costello, known to his friends as “Coz” and to many of his family as “Twinney,” passed away, at the age of 79, August 18, 2021, surrounded by his family, who he loved dearly. A Celebration of John’s life was held Sunday, August 22 at TJ Hunter’s Banquet Hall in Lansing.

John and his identical twin brother, Tom, were adopted by Irene and John Costello in 1942 where they lived in Chicago, IL with their parents and sister, Patricia. John endured his share of tragedy as a child, losing his father at the age of 11 and his twin brother at 14.

John enlisted in the Army after high school. After serving his country, John married his soulmate, Sharon Zeimet, November 21, 1964. John and Sharon lived in Chicago, IL for five years before moving to Lansing in 1969. John worked at a local gas station fixing cars, pumping gas, and yes, washing windows; something he didn’t do around the house.

Ann-Elise Bakkum, 88, of Waukon died Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. A joint funeral service will be held for her and her daughter, DiAnn Bakkum, Sunday, August 22 at 1 p.m. at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating and burial in the church cemetery.

Friends may greet the family from 11:30 a.m. until the time of services Sunday at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of plants and flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church, Good Samaritan Society or Veterans Memorial Hospital, all in Waukon, or to a hospice of your choice.

DiAnn L. Bakkum, 49, of Waukon died Saturday, August 7, 2021 at her home. A joint funeral service will be held for her and her mom, Ann-Elise Bakkum, Sunday, August 22 at 1 p.m. at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating. Burial of ashes will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may greet the family from 11:30 a.m. until the time of services Sunday at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers and plants, the family requests memorials be made to a church or hospice of your choice.

DiAnn Lynn Bakkum was born October 16, 1971 in Waukon, the daughter of Orville Raymond and Ann-Elise (Hagen) Bakkum. She was baptized and confirmed at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon and graduated from Waukon High School. DiAnn earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Eunice L. (Rekward) Hager, 78, passed away Sunday, August 8, 2021 at Messiah Village in Mechanicsburg, PA. A celebration of life service was held Saturday, August 14 in her church, Monaghan Presbyterian Church, Dillsburg, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to Mechanicsburg Meals on Wheels, 201 East Green Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 or the Susquehanna Chorale, P.O. Box 397, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Eunice was born January 1, 1943 in Waukon, the daughter of the late Wallace and Luella (Gaare) Rekward. She was a graduate of Luther College in Decorah where she earned her degree in music education. She began her music teaching career in Wisconsin before moving to Pennsylvania, where she taught for over a decade at Northern High School in Dillsburg. She later worked as the Performing Arts Coordinator at Messiah University. After leaving full-time employment at Messiah, she returned to work there part-time as the Cultural Series Coordinator.