Obituaries, March 21, 2007

MARTHA ROSE VIESSMAN, 92, of Adrian, died Tuesday, March 20, 2007, at Arnold Memorial Health Care Center-Nursing Home, Adrian.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, and 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church, Adrian.

The service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church, with the Rev. John Strunk officiating. Burial will be in the Adrian Cemetery.

LEE MCKLEMURRY, 75, of Eufaula, died Monday, Feb. 26, 2007, at his home.

Born Feb. 28, 1932, in McComb, Miss., he was the son of Johnny and Edna Case McKlemurry. He married Peggy Schneider.

He lived most of his life in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area and also lived in Clayton, Ala., before moving to Indian Hills on Lake Eufaula in 2000. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years service, having served during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. After his military retirement, he was employed by General Telephone in Florida. He was a member of the Liberty United Methodist Church.

Surviving is his wife; three sons, Douglas (Melissa) McKlemurry, Lutz, Fla., Joel McKlemurry, Graham, North Carolina, and Todd (Karen) McKlemurry, Abbeville, Ala.; two sisters, Genevieve Travis, Tallahassee, Fla., and Dorris MeNoir, Nederland, Texas; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The service was 11 a.m. March 3 at the Abbeville United Methodist Church. Burial was in the Abbeville United Methodist Cemetery.

DELWYN DOPPENBERG, 42, of Sibley, Iowa, died Friday, March 16, 2007, at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Born Dec. 17, 1964, in Sibley, he was the son of Gerrit and Joellen Vander Broek Doppenberg.

He grew up in Sibley, where he attended Sibley Christian Grade School and graduated from Faith Christian High School, Bigelow. He graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon, Iowa, with a degree in auto body. He worked for Sather Cookie Company, Round Lake, for 11 years. He was presently working for Exo Pack, Sibley, where he had worked for 11 years. He was a member of the Sibley Christian Reformed Church, where he served on the church council as a deacon.

Surviving are his parents, Sioux Falls; two brothers, Calvin (Carol) Doppenberg, Charleston, S.C., and Alan (Laura) Doppenberg, Sioux Falls; three sisters, Patty (Alan) Slykhuis, Springfield, S.D., Vickie (Christopher) Taylor, Kansas City, Mo., and Beverly (Matthew) Beimers, Langley, British Columbia; and two grandmothers, Anna Vander Broek, Edgerton, and Willemina Doppenberg, Edgerton.

The service is 10:30 a.m. today at the Sibley Christian Reformed Church, with a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m., with the Rev. David Van Buren officiating. Burial will be in the Chandler Memorial Cemetery, Chandler.

Andringa Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

FLORENCE BRUMMER, 89, of Jeffers, formerly of Storden, died Sunday, March 18, 2007, at Westbrook Good Samaritan Center.

Born Sept. 19, 1917, in Graettinger, Iowa, she was the daughter of Jurgen and Mary Flier Ruther. She married John Brummer Feb. 6, 1935. He preceded her in death.

She moved with her family to Allendorf, Iowa, and later to Elk Township north of Worthington, where she attended Sunnyside Country School through the eighth grade. After marriage, the couple farmed in Worthington, Ocheyedan and Harris, Iowa. In 1953, they farmed in the Jeffers-Storden area of Cottonwood County. She was an active member of the Jeffers United Methodist Church, where she sang in the church choir and was a member of the Dorcas Circle.

Surviving are seven children, Mae (Kenneth) Barker, Kandiyohi, Betty (Donald) Freese, Edina, Carol (P. Dale) Bassett, Sanborn, Harold (Lynn) Brummer, Rollingstone, Alice (Paul) Hoffman, Worthington, Ben (Lisa) Brummer, Westbrook, and Wanda (James) Walgren, White Bear Lake; 18 grandchildren; seven step grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and seven step great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at LaCanne Family Funeral Home, Jeffers, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, Jeffers.

The service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, Jeffers, with the Rev. Clinton Firstbrook III officiating. Burial will be in Jeffers Cemetery.

MARVINE RICKABAUGH, 94, of Okoboji, formerly of Harris, Iowa, died Saturday, March 17, 2007, at Milford, Iowa, Nursing Center.

She was born Nov. 15, 1912, in Decatur, Ill., and married Richard Rickabaugh July 30, 1933. He preceded her in death.

She spent her childhood in Osceola and Lyon Counties in Iowa and graduated from Sibley High School in 1930. She then attended Mankato Commercial College. After marriage, the couple lived in Harris, Iowa, where they resided until January 1968. She was the bookkeeper for her husband's sand, gravel and soft water service for 30 years. She was also the bookkeeper for the Okoboji Amusement Company for many years. In 1968, they moved permanently to their home in West Okoboji, where they spent their summers. Winters were spent in North Miami Beach, Fla.

Surviving are two sons, Donald (Arlene) Rickabaugh, Little Rock, Iowa, and Robert Rickabaugh, Okoboji; seven grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church, Harris.

The service will be 2 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church, Harris, with the Rev. Chris Ebbers officiating. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Harris.

Turner Funeral Home, Spirit Lake, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.

HAROLD EDWARD THOMAS, 88, of Worthington, died Sunday, March 18, 2007, at Worthington Regional Hospital.

Born June 28, 1918, in Ocheyedan, Iowa, he was the son of John and Marie Johnson Thomas. He married Esther Christensen March 18, 1944. She preceded him in death.

He attended country school for one year in Indian Lake Township and then moved to Worthington, where he graduated from Worthington High School. In 1940, he entered the National Guard and was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska. He transferred to the U.S. Air Force and flew 13 missions over Europe in a B-17 Tail Gunner. After marriage, the couple settled in Worthington, where he worked for Worthington Ford as a tune-up man, as service manger for eight years and then in sales until his retirement in 1980. They wintered in Mesa, Ariz., for 22 years. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion and the Worthington Country Club.

Surviving is a sister, Lucille DesCombaz, Minneapolis; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

The service will be 2 p.m. today at First Lutheran Church, Worthington, with the Rev. Richard Ricker officiating. A private burial of cremains will be noon today in Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Benson Funeral Home, Worthington, is in charge of arrangements.

MAVIS NINA GRAPEVINE, 87, of Windom, died Monday, March 19, 2007, at Sanford Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Born May 16, 1919, in Cottonwood County, she was the daughter of Elmo and Mathilda Kingery Petterson. She married Edward Grapevine April 21, 1943.

She received her early education in Dale Township and later graduated from Jeffers in 1938. After marriage, the couple lived in Storden, Windom, Westbrook, Moorhead, Spencer, Iowa, and Humbolt before moving back to Windom in 1983. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Windom, where she was active in Ladies Aid and other activities. She worked the voting polls during election time.

Surviving are her husband; two children, Jonette (Jerry) Tielbur, Spencer, and Gary (Sue) Grapevine, Sanborn, Iowa; eight grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at LaCanne Family Funeral Home, Windom, and from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, Windom.

The service will be 2:30 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, Windom, with the Rev. Susan Guyer-Birch officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Windom.

Memorials are preferred in her memory to the donor's choice.

CHARLES "CHUCK" LEE ENGEBRETSON, 70, of Slayton, died Monday, March 12, 2007, at the Banner Baywood Medical Center, Mesa, Ariz.

Born March 31, 1936, in Slayton, he was the son of Allen and Minnie Weigand Engebretson. He married Betty Hintermeister Nov. 23, 1957.

He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Slayton High School in 1954, then attended SDSU Ag School in Brookings, S.D. After marriage, the couple farmed the Engebretson family farm -- the fourth generation to do so. He was semi-retired but remained a vital part of the family farming organization. The couple wintered in Mesa for many years. He attended Skandia Free Church, rural Balaton.

Surviving are his wife; a son, Mike (Gail) Engebretson, Slayton; a daughter, Diane Engebretson, Kansas City, Mo.; a sister, Marilyn Mankey, Carroll, Iowa; and two grandsons.

Visitation will be 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Skandia Free Church.

The service will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Skandia Free Church, with the Rev. Ray Shepard officiating. Burial will be in Slayton Memorial Gardens.

Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is in charge of arrangements.