News Center newsletter

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.

Alberta Troendle of Lansing will be celebrating her 100th birthday Saturday, March 11 at an open house hosted by her children. She has 12 children, 41 grandchildren, 105 great-grandchildren and 36 great-great-grandchildren.

The open house is scheduled to be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center in Lansing. Alberta requests no gifts, but a visit would be welcome.

For those unable to attend the open house, cards and well wishes may be sent to her in celebration of the occasion at 1329 Main Street, Apartment 315, Lansing, IA 52151.

Heath and Jill Hesse of Tipton announce the birth of their son, Lennon Thomas Hesse, born February 13, 2017 in Iowa City. He weighed 5 lbs. 13 ozs. at the time of his birth. He joins a big brother, Sid, and a big sister, Veda.
Grandparents are Tom and Jeri Humpal of Ridgeway and Randy and Lori Hesse of Waukon. Great-grandparents are LaVonne Hesse and Bob and Agnes Anderson, all of Waukon.
 

Brian and Amanda Streeper of Waterville announce the birth of their son, Japheth Bennen Streeper, born February 16, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 8 lbs. 10 ozs. and measured 21-1/2 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins siblings, August (6), Ivy (3-1/2) and Sutton (2).

Grandparents are Nick and LuAnn Rolling of Waterville and Doug and Nancy Streeper of Solon. Great-grandparents are Kenneth and Marilyn Streeper of Anamosa and Alice Rolling of Moorland.
 

Matt and Shelby Preston of Guttenberg announce the birth of their daughter, Harper Kayla Preston, born February 16, 2017 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 7 lbs. 8 ozs. and measured 20-1/4 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins a sister, Eleanora (15 months).

Grandparents are Rich and Deb Preston of Guttenberg and David and Karla Hammel of Dorchester.