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Creed Welch breaks nearly century-old long jump record with leap of 22’0.75”

The Waukon boys track team ran, threw and jumped its way to a pair of runner-up team finishes on the tracks of fellow Northeast Iowa Conference squads this past week. The Indians finished behind the host squad at the Decorah Relays Monday, April 12 and did likewise behind Clear Lake at the New Hampton Invitational Thursday, April 15.

At the April 12 Decorah meet, history was made when the longest-standing record in Waukon High School boys track history was finally broken after nearly standing for nearly a century in the school record books. A long jump distance of 21’10” posted by Noel Robey in 1924 was finally bettered 97 years later when Indian senior Creed Welch launched a leap of 22’0.75” on that cool, breezy afternoon to win that event.

The Waukon boys golf team played a very busy early part of this past week, ultimately recording its first meet wins of the season. The golf Tribe first fell at Waverly-Shell Rock, 203-149, Monday, April 12 before tallying 190 strokes to defeat both MFL/MarMac (192) and Postville (256) in a non-conference road triangular at Tri-City Golf Course near Luana to hold a 2-3 meet record on the season.

The Indians were next scheduled to play at Decorah Monday, April 19 before playing their first home meet Tuesday, April 20 against Caledonia, MN. The golf Tribe will then host Crestwood Monday, April 26 before playing at Sumner-Fredericksburg Tuesday, April 27 and then hosting New Hampton Friday, April 30.

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In what turned out to be its only competition of this past week, the Kee girls track team made the most of that lone opportunity at the MFL/MarMac Invitational Thursday, April 15, winning the meet by more than 40 points. The Lady Hawks claimed victory in 10 of the meet’s events to rack up 153 team points on the way to that title, winning five of the six individual non-hurdle running events and four of the six non-hurdle relays as well.

Prior to that dominant performance, the Kee track girls were also scheduled to compete in the Waukon Early Bird Invitational Tuesday, April 13. That meet was called off due to cold and windy conditions.

Nancy Kay (Pape) Wirkler, 52, of Waukon passed away Monday, April 19, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Thursday, April 22 at the Gospel Hall in Garnavillo. Burial followed in Garnavillo Cemetery.

Nancy was born December 12, 1968 to Gerald and Marilyn (Dickman) Pape in Prairie du Chien, WI. She was raised on a dairy farm in Hickory Creek valley and graduated from MFL Community School in 1987.

Nancy was united in marriage to Robert Wirkler February 12, 1988 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Luana. She milked cows and raised cattle with her husband for 12 years before they made the tough decision to move on to other occupations. Nancy loved children and enjoyed her years providing care to her nephew until he started school and nieces when needed. She was most recently employed at TASC in Waukon.

Larry Patrick Lamborn, 72, of Luana died Friday, April 9, 2021 peacefully in his sleep at his home in Luana. Funeral Service was held Thursday, April 15 at Living Faith United Methodist Parish in Monona with Rev. Deb Parkison as the officiant. Burial with Military Rites followed at Smithfield Cemetery, Monona.

Larry was born March 17, 1949 in Waukon to Lloyd and Noraline (Borcherding) Lamborn. He graduated from MFL High School with the class of 1967 and attended college in Calmar for Farm Management.

Larry was united in marriage to Jane Clark June 27, 1970 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Waukon. Three children, Alan, Lori and Mark, were born to this union.

Walter Robert Hammell, 96, of Caledonia, MN died April 17, 2021 at his home. Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. at the Four Seasons Community Center, 900 North Kingston Street, Caledonia, MN. A private family funeral will be held Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia.

The family kindly asks that face masks be worn and social distancing be practiced. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia.

Walter was born May 11, 1924. He attended Iowa #5 School in Allamakee County. June 25, 1946, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth (Betty) Byrnes at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Hanover. They farmed on the Sand Cove near New Albin until they moved to Minnesota in 1969 where he farmed on Jefferson Ridge, outside Caledonia. Later in life, he moved into Caledonia.

Nancy Jane Barry, 72, of Lansing died Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Memorial Mass was held Friday, April 16 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing with Rev. John Moser as the Celebrant. Inurnment followed at Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing.

Nancy Jane was born November 29, 1948 in Grinnell. She was daughter number three of John Leland Barr and Laura Jean (Hammer) Barr. Nancy grew up in rural Grinnell. In 1967 she graduated from Grinnell High School and she continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City.  Her education at Morningside included a semester at the United Nations in New York City and a semester in France. She received her B.A. degree in 1971.

Friends and family are invited to attend an internment service and Celebration of Life for Connie Snitker May 15, 2021 at 2 p.m. in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lansing. Guests will be greeted by Connie’s son, Jason Snitker of Ventnor City, NJ; her brother, Wayne Snitker and family of Clarksville, TN; and her sister, Carrie Stilwell (nee Snitker) and family of Naples, FL.

Music will be provided by singer Kevin Johnson. Pastor Laura Gentry will preside over the scripture, blessing and eulogy.

Following the Celebration of Life there will be refreshments offered in downtown Lansing.

Memorials can be sent to:

American Heart Association National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231.

Condolences can be sent to Jason Snitker at 6101 Monmouth Avenue, Apt. 101, Ventnor City, NJ 08406.

Lila Ann Brandos Garcia passed away June 29, 2020 in Dolan Springs, AZ of heart congestion. She still has many relatives in the Brandos, Ralston and Sass families in northeast Iowa.

Lila Ann Brandos was born April 13, 1933 in Cedar Rapids to Lawrence and Florence (Ralston) Brandos, who was an Allamakee County native. Lila had five brothers and three sisters. She is survived by her six children, Linda, Lois, Paulette, Paul, Kathleen and Eric, along with 12 grandchildren.

Anyone wishing to share condolences or family history may call her daughter, Linda Dreier, at 951-277-2355.
 

To the Editor:

Hate is a pretty strong word. It’s been used a lot lately. Maybe we should tone it down a little. I would like to rebut a few items from Mr. Johnson’s letter.

A total of 30,573 false or misleading statements from President Trump during his four-year tenure. Mr. Johnson says, “Who cares?” Wow, we should all care. Truth is the foundation of democracy. We citizens should expect the truth from our country’s highest official. Much of what we are living with now, the fracturing of our society, the anger and mistrust, has been brought on by those lies, spoken or tweeted. Once stated, never corrected and, sadly, believed.

And they continue, the name calling and accusations. Biden is a liberal. Well, look it up. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary says, “one who is open minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional or established forms or ways, an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights.”