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Lawrence “Larry” Ewing, age 69, of Elma died Monday, February 24, 2025, at his home. A private family burial will be held at a later date at the Rossville Cemetery in Rossville.

Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton has been entrusted with all of Lawrence’s funeral arrangements.

Lawrence Joseph Ewing was born December 7, 1955 in Waukon, the son of William and Anna Marie (Billmyer) Ewing. He graduated from Waukon Senior High School in 1974.

Lawrence worked in the autobody and auto mechanics field during high school and after graduation. He made his home in Des Moines for many years where he worked for Anderson Erickson Dairy, the Marriott Hotel, Aamco Transmission and Dee - Zee. In 2012 he returned to northeast Iowa, where he made his home in Elma. He was employed by Sparboe Farms and held a few other odd jobs until his retirement.

Raymond George Riek, 79, of Waukon died Monday, February 24, 2025, at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services with military honors were held Friday, February 28 at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waukon. Burial will be at a later date in the church cemetery.

Raymond George Riek was born March 4, 1945, the son of George and Alida (Aure) Riek. He was baptized and confirmed at Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church and graduated from Waukon High School in 1963. Raymond served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963-1967, serving three years in France and one year in Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX.

Marjorie Grace Swanson passed away peacefully February 9, 2025 at the Cortland Healthcare Center in Cortland, OH. Funeral Service was held Saturday, February 15 at United Church of Christ in Chamberlain, SD with Rev. Jim Oleson officiating. Interment was in Pukwana Cemetery, Pukwana, SD.

Marjorie Grace Swanson was born March 1, 1934 to Russell Sr. and Myrtle (Caylor) Moline. Marjorie was the second of eight children and the oldest girl. She grew up as a farm girl, helping with the gardening, canning, cooking and other chores involved in taking care of a large family. She loved style and was a very talented seamstress, designing and sewing her clothes. She was also a talented artist with pencil and watercolors.

Deborah “Deb” Sickles, 76, of Dorchester passed away February 24, 2025 at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.

Deborah Sue Johnson was born to Harlan and Elinor Kannenberg-Johnson June 30, 1948 in Waukon. Deb graduated from Waukon High School in 1966. She worked at the Lansing Button Factory while going to school at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) to become a beautician,  graduating in 1969. She then pursued her career at Althea’s beauty shop in Waukon for 30-plus years, later owning and operating the salon until she retired in 2004.

This month, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Community and Home Care - Allamakee County Public Health is joining forces with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) to raise awareness about the risks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and encourage Iowans to talk with their healthcare providers about vaccines available to protect against serious illness. Each year, RSV leads to thousands of emergency department visits and hospitalizations, particularly among infants, young children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems.

“RSV can cause severe complications, but vaccines offer a critical opportunity to reduce illness and save lives,” said Sheryl Darling-Mooney, Public Health Supervisor. “By talking to your healthcare provider, you can ask questions and learn which vaccines are recommended for you and your family, helping everyone stay healthy and safe.”

Over 950,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. Since February is National Heart Month, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) provides the following facts and tips on heart health:
• 250,000 people die within one hour of onset of a heart attack.
• 60-70% of those individuals are male.
• Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women and men.
• 75-80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home.
• Bystander CPR does improve the outcome once someone has arrested.
• Traditional CPR courses are not reaching those who live with high-risk populations.
• Rapid defibrillation is the most important treatment for victims.
• For every minute delay in defibrillation there is a 10% loss for chance of survival.
• In the case of heart attack, “Time is Muscle.”
• In the case of stroke, “Time is Brain Tissue.”

Shared by Brandy Strub, Dietitian, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Monday, February 24 through Sunday, March 2 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Eating disorders are definitely something to be concerned about. There are many health complications associated with an eating disorder such as heart attacks, kidney failure, electrolyte imbalances, osteoporosis and premature death, including suicide.

The sooner an eating disorder can be detected and treated, the better. The following information is shared from the “Report: Economic Costs of Eating Disorders”, conducted by Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED), in collaboration with the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and Deloitte Access Economics.  Those agencies state approximately 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, and 9% (277,830) of Iowans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.

The local Grief Support Group will be holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon Tuesday, March 11, at 4 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital.

Make note of the 4 p.m. start time, with Grief Support Group meetings returning to the 5 p.m. start time in the spring. 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 meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Speech - Language Pathologist Steven Mazzafield offers a Stroke Support Group for individuals who have experienced a stroke, as well as caregivers and family members affected by stroke. Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of every month at 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital. The next Stroke Support Group meeting will be held Thursday, March 6 at 2 p.m.

The Stroke Support Group provides opportunities to share tips, tricks, or trials among participants, offer support for caregivers, and provide an opportunity for socialization.

While strokes can happen at any age, risk of stroke is greatest as we get older with the majority of strokes occurring after the age of 70. Risk factors for stroke include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, binge drinking, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

February is Heart Month and an opportunity to consider giving back to the heart of the community by making an appointment to give blood. The next local blood drive is scheduled to be held Monday, March 3, from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Blood donations play a vital role in heart surgeries, emergency treatment and other medical needs that impact lives. Donating blood is a loving gesture that supports those who rely on the generosity of others.