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The Kee girls basketball team battled through a rare winless week, falling to a pair of Upper Iowa Conference leaders at home in a pair of close battles this past week. The Lady Hawks first fell at home to Central Elkader by a 39-32 final result Tuesday, December 17 before coming up short against Class 2A sixth-rated MFL/MarMac, 51-41, Friday, December 20.

Holding a 6-3 season record that includes an even 3-3 Upper Iowa Conference mark, the Kee girls are now on their holiday break. The Lady Hawks will return to the court in the new year Friday, January 3 at home against North Fayette Valley.

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The Waukon girls basketball team faced the top two teams in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) this past week and had its early-season unblemished NEIC mark turned even, but not until after two close battles with those ranked league leaders. The Lady Indians first went toe-to-toe with Class 3A fifth-rated Crestwood before surrendering just a 57-56 defeat at home Tuesday, December 17 and then played Class 4A 11th-rated Waverly-Shell Rock nearly as close before falling by a 48-39 final result in Waverly Friday, December 20.

Falling to a 6-3 season record, including a 2-2 mark in Northeast Iowa Conference play, the Lady Indians are now on their holiday break. The Waukon girls will resume their schedule in the new year Friday, January 3 at Decorah.

For more complete coverage, pick up this week's print edition or subscribe to our e-edition by clicking here.

William E. “Bill” Gruber of Marion passed away December 21, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, surrounded by his family. The family will greet friends from 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 26 at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, December 27 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, officiated by Father Dennis Juhl. Burial will take place at Oak Shade Cemetery with military honors provided by the Marion American Legion Post # 298 and the Iowa National Guard.

Cecelia “Ann” Collins, age 78, died Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah after a brief illness. A celebration of Ann’s life was held Friday, December 20 at Wellington Place, Decorah with Rev. Melissa Bills presiding. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Galena, IL.

Ann was born in Dubuque June 19, 1941 to Elmer and “Dolly” (Elizabeth Wellendorf) Collins. If you ever met Ann, she would not forget you. She was a friend to everyone and always had a compliment to share. She had a special talent of remembering names and birthdays of every person she met. She loved calling in birthdays to 100.5 and was a wonderful joy to be around. Ann will be missed greatly by all who knew her.

Iva N. Althoff, 94, of Lansing, formerly of Waukon, died Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Thornton Manor in Lansing. Funeral services were held Friday, December 20 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Iva Nell Kurdelmeier Althoff was born April 14, 1925 in the small village of Clayton Center, the daughter of William and Margarite (Adams) Kurdelmeier. Margarite was 16 years old at the time of Ivy’s birth. There was no way of knowing at that time the shortened version of her birth name, Ivy, would end up sounding like a description of her life, I.V.

Ivy left home and moved to her aunt’s home in Dubuque, where she finished high school and worked at various jobs. After graduating, she attended registered nurse’s (RN) training at Finely Hospital in Dubuque. It was while Ivy was walking to school that she met Cletus C. Althoff, who offered to help carry her clarinet.

The staff of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) pledged over $16,000 this last year to the VMH Health Care Foundation’s annual appeal campaign. The total raised in personal staff contributions was used to purchase equipment and furnishings identified by the staff that is needed in the hospital to better serve the community.

“I am once again overwhelmed by our staff’s generosity this past year,” states Mike Myers, hospital administrator. “Our staff members on the Culture Committee took a leadership role in identifying hospital-wide needs, setting a financial goal, and organizing this employee campaign which was extremely successful. This process is an indication of the great dedication the hospital staff has to the service of our patients.”

This fund drive is held each fall for all staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and consistently raises over $14,000 each year for upgrades in equipment and furnishings recommended by the staff.

Veterans Memorial Hospital offers Urgent Care in addition to 24 hour a day Emergency Room (ER) services over the holidays. Each and every day, 24 hours a day, the hospital’s ER is staffed with an emergency provider to see the ER patients with little waiting. Urgent Care is offered every day as well including every week night, on the weekends and holidays when the local clinic is closed. Urgent Care is designed for treating injuries or illnesses requiring immediate care, but not serious enough to require an emergency department visit.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, January 13, and those classes will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings, all beginning at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more on. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions.  Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will not hold a regular meeting during the month of December. The group will begin holding its regular monthly meetings again in January.

For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call Angie Mettille, RN, Diabetes Educator at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Eddie Knuppe by Sheila Snitker Family, Elaine Knuppe, Vicky Phipps Family, Carrie and Shane Sievers Family and Deb and Terry Johnson.

Memorials were also received in memory of Bernadine Jones by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Sigard and Barb Ness, JC and Natalie Kelly, Patsy Kerndt, Dorothy and Dave Sandry, and Brian and Denise Wullner.

In addition, the following memorials were received in memory of Jim Nordheim:  Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Bob and Karen Fossum, Mary Jo Nordheim, Janet Ellingson, Wayne and Nona Sawyer, John and Lorna Kerndt, Ed and Ann Roed, Brian and Denise Wullner and Sheila Clair.