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This November, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) will celebrate five outstanding alumni and two retirees for their outstanding career achievements and exemplary service to their communities. The first ceremony, scheduled for November 5, celebrates three NICC Calmar campus alumni and the late William “Bill” Wermers, NICC accounting instructor. The second ceremony, to be held November 19, will honor two Peosta campus alumni and retired NICC communication instructor James L. Brimeyer.

After graduation from Northeast Iowa Community College, the alumni inductees achieved outstanding success in their careers and service to the community. Recipients of the Outstanding Retiree Award will be honored for their service to the College, leadership and advocacy in the community.

The Waukon Wellness Center will be holding its Fifth Annual “Turkey Trot” 5K Run/Walk Thanksgiving Day, November 22 at 8:30 a.m., beginning and ending at the Waukon Wellness Center. The Center is located directly across from Waukon High School at 1220 Third Avenue NW in Waukon.

All runners and walkers are welcome to join in this traditional pre-feast workout. The event is being held in part this year to help fund the new community tennis court project planned for location diagonally across the street from the Wellness Center near the new concession stand.

On a night where only light rain fell throughout most of the game, it was the Waukon football team that provided the thunder and lightning in storming to a 40-11 wash-out of Union of La Porte City Friday, October 26 in the opening round of the Class 2A State Play-Offs. Having lit up the scoreboard near the 40-point range or above in its previous seven games of an eight-game win streak heading into the play-offs, the grid Tribe wasn’t quite sure what to expect in facing a Union team with which it has a lot of recent football history but which has ridden a bit of a roller coaster to a 6-3 regular season but an 11th consecutive State Play-Off appearance as well.

The improvement the Waukon volleyball team has made late in this season has continued to show itself in the net Tribe’s start to postseason tournament play. Although still showing obvious improvement traveling down that postseason road, that road and any chance to show further improvement this season came to a close in the Indians’ second-round Class 3A Region 8 match-up Tuesday, October 23 at 13th-rated New Hampton.

Brennan and Meyer run to All-State finishes among Class 1A’s top-15 elite

The Kee girls cross country team returned to the scene of its greatest accomplishment from last season, looking to make another mark among the Class 1A elite at this season’s Iowa High School State Cross Country Meet held at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course near Fort Dodge Saturday, October 27. Returning with four of their top five scored runners from last season’s third-place team finish, the Lady Hawks were poised to do just that and ended up just shy of equaling last season’s accomplishment, finishing fourth in this season’s field of Class 1A’s 15 best teams by a mere three points behind last season’s Class 1A champion, Hudson.

For the second consecutive season, the Waukon girls cross country team wrapped up its season where all high school cross country teams would love to be, the Iowa High School State Cross Country Meet held at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course near Fort Dodge Saturday, October 27. Competing for the second consecutive season and just the second time at the season grand finale since Iowa high school girls switched to the 5K cross country distance, the Indians had the ironic experience of scoring fewer team points at this season’s State Meet but ultimately finishing two spots further back in the final team standings, the distance Tribe ultimately placing 11th in the 15-team Class 2A field after scoring 238 team points, four fewer than last season’s total of 242 points that placed the Lady Indians ninth overall.

Walter Germann, Jr., 85, of rural Postville died Monday, October 29, 2018 at his home. Graveside services will be held Friday, November 2 at Smithfield Cemetery in rural Monona with Pastor Duane Smith officiating. Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, November 1 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon and also from 10-11 a.m. Friday, November 2 at the funeral home.

Walter Germann, Jr. was born January 3, 1933 in rural Clermont, the son of Walter, Sr. and Marjorie (Heubner) Germann. December 31, 1947, he was baptized at First Baptist Church in Elgin. Walter attended country school and graduated from Clermont High School in 1952. October 22, 1958, he was married to LaVon Kurth at St. John Lutheran Church in Farmersburg by the Rev. Steege. Walter started farming with his father, living in the same house until 1974. He and LaVon then moved their family to a farm in Franklin Township, north of Postville, where he was living at the time of his death.

Sharon K. Ingalls, 69, of New Albin passed away from lung cancer Monday, October 22, 2018 at 12:32 p.m. at her home. Consecration of the ground at the burial site at St. John’s Wheatland United Church of Christ, rural New Albin and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials can be sent to Don Ingalls, 103 Pleasant Avenue, New Albin, IA 52160. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family with arrangements.

Norma R. Smrcina, 84, of Waukon died Friday, October 26, 2018 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services were held Monday, October 29 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Inurnment was at Calvary Cemetery, Prairie du Chien, WI.

Norma Rita Smrcina was born April 5, 1934 in Bloomington, WI, the daughter of Henry and Mary (Errthum) Crubel. She grew up in Bloomington and attended the Catholic school through the eighth grade, at which point she was needed at home to help take care of her five brothers. Norma also worked in Prairie du Chien, WI as a telephone operator.

Geraldine H. Connor, age 92, of Waukon passed away October 24, 2018. Funeral Mass will take place Wednesday, October 31 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with visitation held for one hour prior to the Funeral Mass, from 10-11 a.m., at St. Patrick Church. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. The family requests that memorials be made to St. Patrick School in Waukon.

Geraldine was born July 5, 1926 in Dubuque to Francis and Helen Kimmich Kurt. She was baptized in Dubuque. Up until the age of five she lived in her grandparents’ home. Geraldine always remembered that time with her Grandma Kimmich very fondly. In 1933 her family moved to Waukon, where she attended school until her graduation in 1944 at St. Patrick’s School. During her teen years and up to her marriage, Geraldine worked at Hale’s Drugstore. She met her future husband there.