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The 2017 State Track Meet held Thursday through Saturday, May 18-20 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines brought to a close the Iowa high school track season, and an end to the high school track careers for half the Waukon boys track team members competing in the season grand finale. Seniors Tyler O’Neill, Blain Swenson, Brandon Regan and Hunter Jensen all made their final go-rounds on a high school track with completion of this season’s State Meet, but it was junior Mitchell Snitker who produced the track Tribe’s greatest highlight with his medal-winning finish in the 400 meter hurdles.

The 2017 State Track Meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines Thursday through Saturday, May 18-20 put the icing on another historic cake for the core group of girls who seem to be involved in nearly every historic aspect of Kee girls athletics in recent times. That icing, however, may not have always tasted as sweet as those Kee track girls may have wanted.

The Lady Hawks were able to bring home a couple medals from their nine State Meet qualifications, but were also within a spot or two of doing so in many more, as the Kee tracksters were able to garner finishes within the top half of their respective event fields in all but two of their nine event efforts. A sixth-place medal won by sophomore Katie Brennan in the 3000 meter run and an eighth-place medal won by senior Courtney Cooper in the shot put were among the greatest highlights for the Hawks in this season’s final go-round.

Hedy R. Leas, 89, of Waukon died Saturday, May 20, 2017 at Guttenberg Care Center in Guttenberg. Memorial services will be held Friday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at Rossville Presbyterian Church in Rossville with Pastor Tim Rupert officiating. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, May 25 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Memorials may be made to the Rossville Presbyterian Church or to Veterans Memorial Healthcare Foundation.

Hedy Rose Leas was born November 23, 1927 in rural Clayton County, the daughter of Wilhelm and Emilie Theodora (Denninghoff) Buerger. Her parents lived on several different farms in northeast Iowa when she was young so she attended a number of different country schools before graduating  from Waukon High School in 1946. Hedy started her working career at the Dubuque battery factory and then worked at the Northwestern Bell Telephone office in La Crosse, WI before spending many years working in the Allamakee County Engineer's Office in Waukon.

Robert “Bob” Darling, 89, of Strawberry Point passed away Monday, May 15, 2017 at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Mason City. Funeral Service was held Friday, May 19 at the United Methodist Church in Strawberry Point, with Rev. Mary Green officiating. Interment with Military Rites was held in Cass Township Cemetery in Strawberry Point.

He was born June 4, 1927 in Jefferson, MN, the son of Lysander and Clara (Meyers) Darling. Bob attended high school in New Albin.

Bob was united in marriage to Dixie Mae Irons in 1951. Four children were blessed to this union. They later divorced. November 6, 1967, Bob was united in marriage to Dorothy Wilhelm. She preceded him in death in 2001.

Bob joined the United States Navy and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Following discharge from the Navy, he worked as an inseminator in the Charles City and Strawberry Point areas.

Gerald R. Blong, 83, of Waukon died Thursday, May 18, 2017 at his home. Funeral services were held Monday, May 22 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial was at St. John's Catholic Cemetery, Ft. Atkinson.
Gerald Raymond Blong was born October 11, 1933 at his parents’ home in rural Ft. Atkinson, the son of Edward and Vera (Kuhn) Blong. He was baptized October 14, 1933 and confirmed October 12, 1942 at St. John's Catholic Church in Ft. Atkinson. At the age of 14, Gerald quit school to operate the family farm so his brothers and sisters could continue their schooling and later attend college. Later, he earned his GED. Gerald was a lifelong farmer in the rural areas near Cresco and Harmony, MN, installed flooring and drove for Hawkeye Stages in Decorah for several years.

Gerald met Janette Monroe Ryder at a singles support group in Decorah; they were married November 2, 1990 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.

Howard J. Solberg, age 86, died peacefully at his home in rural New Albin Sunday, May 14, 2017 surrounded by his family. Funeral services were held Thursday, May 18 at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Wheatland. Rev. Paul Burgess officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery with military honors by the VFW Post 5603, New Albin.

Howard Julius Solberg was born January 3, 1931 at home in Irish Hollow, rural New Albin to George and Martha (Rudnick) Solberg. He was baptized at St. Peter's Evangelical and Reformed Church in New Albin. Howard attended the Irish Hollow School through fourth grade, and then his family moved to Wheatland, also in rural New Albin, where Howard finished school through eighth grade. He was confirmed at St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church in Wheatland, rural New Albin.

Ruth A. Schlitter, 88, of Oelwein, formerly of Allison, died Saturday morning, May 20, 2017 at Grandview Health Care Center in Oelwein. Celebration of Life Funeral Service was held Tuesday, May 23 at Grace United Methodist Church, Oelwein with Pastor Connie Markle officiating. Interment was at the Monona City Cemetery, Monona.

Ruth Ann Swenson was born January 11, 1929 in Post Township, Allamakee County, the daughter of Lloyd and Cora (Leppert) Swenson.  She graduated from Waukon High School in the Class of 1947.
Ruth was united in marriage to Robert H. Schlitter October 1, 1947 at the Evangelical Church Parsonage in Monona. She worked at Veterans Memorial Hospital and the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon.  Ruth and her family moved to Allison in 1971 where she was the office manager for the Allison Care Center, retiring in 1999. Bob and Ruth moved to Oelwein in 2009.

Donald A. Winters, 84, of Lansing died Sunday, May 14, 2017 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. A private family graveside service with military honors will be held at a later date at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Donald Arthur Winters was born February 6, 1933 on a farm in rural Waukon, the son of Marvin Le Roy and Rosena Lena (Rolfs) Winters. He attended country schools. For a while, Don’s family lived on a farm outside of Riceville, where his father ran the cheese factory.

Don worked a variety of jobs throughout his life. Besides helping farm and making cheese at the Volney Cheese Factory, he worked at the Shell service station in Monona, was a farm hand for farmers around Allamakee and Clayton counties, worked on the assembly line at the Charles City Oliver Plant, drove a cheese delivery truck to the Bridgeport, WI cheese factory, picked up milk from farmers, and loaded box cars for Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids.

Bryce Jay Neverman, 71, of Guttenberg died at the Guttenberg Care Center in Guttenberg Saturday, May 13, 2017. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 at Tueke-Allyn Funeral Home in Guttenberg. There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.

Bryce was born April 14, 1946 in Luana, the son of Arno “Gus” and Helen (Hinman) Neverman. Bryce was raised in the area and attended Garnavillo High School with the Class of 1964. Bryce served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1965 until 1967, serving in Vietnam.

November 18, 1967, Bryce was united in marriage to Marilyn “Mitz” Rodenberg.  One daughter was born to this union. Together they resided in Guttenberg. They divorced in 1983.

In July of 1989, Bryce married Diane Fox in Las Vegas, NV. Together they lived in Springdale, AR. They divorced in 2015 and Bryce moved back to Guttenberg.

Leon “Mike” Kubitz, 57, of Lansing died Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at Gundersen Lutheran Health System in La Crosse, WI. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 18 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, New Albin with Rev. John Moser as the Celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery, New Albin. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 17 from 4-8 p.m. with a Scripture Service at 3:45 p.m. at the New Albin Community Center, New Albin and one hour before services at the church Thursday.

Leon was born October 13, 1959 to Richard and Teresa (Mitchell) Kubitz in La Crosse, WI. He graduated from Caledonia High School in 1978.

Mike was united in marriage with Sarah Radcliff May 3, 2008 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, New Albin. Mike worked in the logging business his entire career. He owned his own logging business and at the time of his death he was working for Root River Hardwoods in Preston, MN.