News Center newsletter

To the Editor:

Here we go again. At 90 years of age it gets harder all the time. I appreciate all editorials, even though I highly disagree with some. It takes time and effort to put your thoughts together.

I like what Trump has done so far and hate the Republicans who throw logs in his way. These Rinos have to go, make sure of that the next chance we get - election day.

Trump won big, and the big help came from Christians and Evangelics - 82% for and 18% against. I really wonder what kind of Christians the 18% are. Are they for killing babies, throwing the Bible and Ten Commandments out, no mention of Christ in schools, ministers forbidden to be involved in politics? All of the above, and there could be more, are inspired by the devil. The 82% of supporters of Trump flock to his meetings, nearly 30,000 in Florida, where he spoke for 117 minutes. By the way, Hillary called them deplorable.

Calvin James Shindoll, 92, of Waukon passed away peacefully March 4, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon to be with his “best girl”, his wife Margaret who preceded him death in 2011. Remembrance services will be held Friday, March 10 at 11 a.m. at Zion United Church of Christ, Waukon with Pastor Samantha Houser officiating. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Visitation with family in celebration of his life will be at Martin Funeral Home Thursday, March 9 from 4-8 p.m.

Larry “Oz” L. Johnson, 68, of Decorah died Friday, March 3, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 9 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden and Pastor Steve Oden officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Larry “Oz” Lynn Johnson was born January 7, 1949 in Waukon, the son of Roger Charles and Norma June (Berg) Johnson. In 1968, he graduated from Waukon High School, where he was an All-Conference baseball player. Larry married Sharon Marti December 7, 1968 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon.

Margaret Holmes Eaton, 97, of Urbandale passed away February 26, 2017. Services will be held Friday, March 10 at Plymouth United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines at 1:30 p.m. Family will greet friends following the service.  A gravesite service will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m.

Margaret was a strong, determined, energetic and positive individual. Born in Waterloo to Richard and Florence (Hotchkiss) Holmes September 9, 1919, she graduated from West High School in 1937 and from Grinnell College in 1942. She then moved to Knoxville, TN to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Her college sweetheart, Mayhew “Make” Eaton, had moved to Detroit, MI for his career. After a brief long distance relationship, the couple married May 3, 1943 and made their home in Detroit, Waterloo and finally back to Waukon, Make’s hometown.  Margaret’s career then became homemaker and volunteer extraordinaire.

Hazel H. Rissman, 92, of Waukon died Friday, March 3, 2017 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, March 6 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial was at Lansing Ridge Cemetery, rural Lansing.

Hazel Helen Rissman was born May 11, 1924 in Ludlow Township, rural Waukon on the farm of her parents, Clarence and Alvina (Nagel) Klocke. She was baptized and confirmed at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in rural Postville, attended Ludlow # 7 country school and Waukon High School. Hazel worked as a hired girl for Amanda Stock and Bernice Clark.

November 4, 1943, she married Harvey Rissman at Bethlehem Presbyterian Parsonage. They farmed together in Makee Township before moving into Waukon in 1980. She also worked for the Allamakee School District as the head baker for 13 years and at Northern Engraving. Hazel moved to Evergreen Courts assisted living in 2015.

Daniel J. Otting, 81, of Waukon died Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, March 4 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Memorials can be made to St. Patrick School, Veterans Memorial Hospital or Good Samaritan Center, all in Waukon.

Daniel Joseph Otting was born August 11, 1935 at his grandmother’s house in Bernard. He was the son of John “Jack” and Melitta (Melloy) Otting. He graduated from St. Patrick’s North Garryowen. Dan was raised on a farm and after high school he ran the farm after his father was injured; it was an experience that stuck with him throughout his life. From 1958-1960, Dan served in the U.S. Army with the 2nd Missile Battalion, 71st Artillery in Taiwan.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation gifted a new cardiac rehabilitation system to the hospital with the funds raised through the many donations made during the community campaign held one year ago. This new telemetry system enhances the hospital’s Chronic Heart Failure and Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program by providing more reliable, accurate patient monitoring.

During exercise sessions, the nursing staff can focus more attention on patients while the system records and displays essential patient data and alerts staff to changes in an electrocardiogram (ECG). Updates can be made to patient information, plan of care, and progress notes without interrupting patient monitoring and reports can be easily generated for individual sessions or across multiple sessions.

by Diane Butikofer, RN, ER Supervisor at Veterans Memorial Hospital

Individuals who experience any type of chest pain need to take that pain very seriously and seek medical assistance. There is always the possibility that pain may be caused by a heart attack or some other form of heart disease and must not be ignored. Immediate medical attention is the only way to stop or decrease the damage to the heart.

The common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include the following:

1. Any type of chest pain. It may be a crushing pain, a feeling of heaviness such as an elephant standing on one’s chest, or even a squeezing of the chest.
2. Pain that radiates down the arm, or other areas of the body such as the neck, jaw or shoulders.
3. Weakness or shortness of breath, nausea, light headedness and/or possible sweating.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Wednesday, March 8 at 2 p.m. This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss, whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief. Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

The next local LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, March 2 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held the first Thursday of every other month in Waukon, falling on the odd-numbered months, to allow for more donors to give.

The donation process is simple:
1. Eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of fluids at least four hours prior to donating.
2. Bring proper identification, such as a donor card or a driver’s license.
3. Complete a health history questionnaire and screening interview.
4. Receive a brief health check by trained staff. This includes a check of blood pressure, pulse, temperature and blood iron levels.
5. Sit back while a unit of blood, approximately one pint, is collected. This process takes around 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy refreshments while relaxing for 10-15 minutes before leaving the facility.