1944-2025

Jane Rae Clarke, 81, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Guthrie County Hospital. Born on Jan. 8, 1944, in Perry, Jane was the only child of Vermyl Holmes Shick and Wilda Maxine (Danekas) Shick. She spent her childhood in Rippey and later Lanyon, where she developed a love for the outdoors and the close-knit spirit of rural life.

After graduating from Prairie Community High School in 1962, Jane attended college in Northern Iowa before making a bold move to St. Louis in 1965. There, she began her career with Monsanto Company, building a life of independence and adventure. It was in St. Louis that she met and married William Clarke on Jan. 7, 1967, beginning a lifelong partnership filled with love, laughter and travel. Together, they raised two sons, Sean William and Brian Matthew, and created a home full of warmth and memories.

In 1976, Jane and Bill returned to Iowa, settling on a farm near Jefferson in 1977. Her childhood passions for water sports and nature remained a central part of her life, leading to their purchase of a home on Lake Panorama in 1987 where they ultimately retired to. Whether she was water skiing, jet skiing with her beloved basset hound Rosie, or simply enjoying an afternoon at the lake with iced tea and good company, Jane embraced every moment with joy. She and Bill also cherished their years wintering in Arizona and later in Naples, Florida.

Jane’s love of games and camaraderie showed through her time playing bridge, board games and, later, online games with friends, her children and grandkids. Her appreciation for antiques and collectibles, passed down from her parents, led to many treasured finds over the years. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson and found happiness in simple pleasures — watching her grandchildren swim at the lake, sharing stories with friends, and, in later years, racing her scooter across the yard with spirit and determination!

She is survived by her devoted husband, William Clarke of Panora; her son, Sean Clarke and Liana of Naples, Florida; her son, Brian Clarke and his wife Angela of Long Grove, Illinois; and six grandchildren — Christian, Alexander, Isabella, Ricky, Bobbi and Angelyse. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vermyl and Wilda Shick.

Jane lived a life rich with adventure, love and laughter. She will be dearly missed but forever remembered by those who had the privilege to know her.

A visitation with the family will be held Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson.  A eulogy will be given at 10 a.m., followed by visitation with family and friends until noon.

Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home and Cremation Care, Jefferson.

1947-2025

Dennis Ray Wailes, age 77, of rural Scranton, passed away on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames, surrounded by his family.

Dennis was born on Sept. 7, 1947, on a farm north of Bayard, and he was the son of George and Margaret (Dargon) Wailes. His father passed away when he was a young boy, and his family moved into Bayard where he graduated from Bayard High School in 1965. Dennis was drafted into the United States Army in 1966 and served two years during the Vietnam Conflict. Upon his return from Vietnam, he lived in Des Moines where he met the love of his life, Leannah Simpson. They were married on Nov. 21, 1969, at the First United Methodist Church in Des Moines. The couple lived in Des Moines for a short time before moving to DeSoto where he worked for Booneville Gravel as a heavy equipment operator. They later moved to Mechanicsville where he worked for Orkin Pest Control out of Cedar Rapids. In 1976, they moved to their current home south of Scranton, and Dennis began employment with West Central Cooperative, retiring in 2003. He also had a home business sharpening chainsaw blades. “Double Aught” continued to drive truck for the coop and always looked forward to helping his son-in-law and sister during harvest. Dennis enjoyed traveling, collecting project vehicles, chatting with his family and friends on the telephone, watching Fox news, tracking his family members on Find My iPhone, and, most of all, spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 55 years, Leannah; his children and their families: son Jason Wailes (Marlene) of Council Bluffs, son Brett Wailes (Andrea) of Scranton, daughter Heather Schoenherr (Dan) of Glidden, daughter Jennifer Wailes (Kris Foster) of Pleasantville, and bonus son Steve Kennel (Christine) of Youngstown, Ohio; 13 grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; two sisters: Beverly Lorenzen (Mike) of Dallas Center and Kathryn Hunter (Richard) of Scranton; his in-laws: Dorothy Biondi (Dan) of Sheldahl, Linda Moore (Andy) of Moravia, Dale Simpson (Joan) of Poway, California, George Simpson (Miriam) of Ventura, and Janice West of Wesley; many nieces, nephews and other extended family members.

Dennis was preceded in death his father, George Wailes; his mother, Margaret McDonald; his step-father, Scott McDonald; his in-laws: Louis and Ruth Simpson; a brother, Harold Dean Wailes; two sisters: Shirley Imler (Dean) and Clara Johnson (Marvin); and brothers-in-law: Donald Simpson and Richard Fox.

A visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Church of Christ in Bayard concluding with a prayer service at 4 p.m.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at the Church of Christ in Bayard followed by inurnment at the Willow Township Cemetery near Bayard with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Bayard American Legion.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton, and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.

1937-2025

Charles Joseph “Joe” Bohlender, 88, of Olathe, Kansas, passed away at the Village of Olathe in Olathe. He was born April 3, 1937, in Guthrie Center, the son of Harold Ormal and Thelma Louise (Lundstrom) Bohlender.

Joe proudly served in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years, retiring in 1976. He earned the rank of Tech Sergeant and served during the Vietnam War. After retirement, Joe worked for PRC Kentron, Inc., a contractor with the USAF.

On Sept. 8, 1963, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Joe was united in marriage to Karen Lee Oyler. They shared more than 61 years of marriage. To this union, they shared two sons, Bryon and Charles Joseph “Joey” Bohlender, Jr.

Joe was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Holton, Kansas.

He is preceded in death by his parents; a son, Charles Joseph, “Joey” Bohlender, Jr.; and a sister, Betty Billick.

Survivors include his wife, Karen, of the home; a son, Bryon Bohlender of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; a daughter-in-law, Linda Tochtrop of Linwood, Kansas; a sister, Linda Wolfe (Mike) of Norwalk; two brothers, James Bohlender (Lynda) of Guthrie Center and Jack Bohlender (Susan) of Norwalk; eight grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

Memorial Services were held 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the First United Methodist Church in Holton, Kansas. Graveside Inurnment with Military Honors followed at 1:30 p.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery in Topeka, Kansas. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS, 66436. To leave a special message for the family, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com.

1951-2025

James Edward Cline, 73, was born to Gerald and Lula (Sloss) Cline at Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center on Dec. 21, 1951. He passed away peacefully at his home in Boone on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. 

Ed was raised on the family farm at Cline Corner south of Guthrie Center. He was the fourth of six children to Gerald and Lula. Ed was often caught up in mischief, especially with his brothers, but he also developed a strong work ethic early in his life that contributed to his successful career as he grew older. Ed graduated from Guthrie Center High School in 1970. He married Darla Duff of Scranton on Aug. 23, 1975. To this union were two children, Ryan and Crystle. The couple later divorced.

After high school, Ed became a lineman with Iowa Electric. He spent more than 40 years in the electrical utility field and retired from Alliant Energy in 2013. He enjoyed his work and took great pride in it. After retiring from Alliant Energy, Ed then took up a new career in farming, which was his passion. In 2014, Ed moved back to Guthrie Center to his family farm and spent his time fixing up the farm and raising cattle and crops. He loved being on the farm and sharing it with family and friends. He enjoyed fishing with his family and grandkids at the farm pond and could spend hours riding around on his ATV overlooking his farm.

Ed never met a stranger and was always well known for his stories and his jokes. He would light up any room that he walked into with his smile and sense of humor. He loved catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. He took great pride in his children and grandchildren. Ed was an avid wrestling fan and enjoyed trips with his son and friends to many NCAA wrestling tournaments over the country. He also enjoyed woodworking and had many high-quality projects that he would gift to family and friends.. 

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald Cline and Lula Cline; his sister, Charlotte Benton; and brother-in-law, Ronald Benton.

Ed is survived by his wife, Jane, of Boone; son, Ryan Cline (Kassie) of Casey; daughter, Crystle Thompson (Chris) of Ames; four grandchildren, Ryder, Kaleb, Chloe and Karys; his siblings, Kenneth Cline of Des Moines, Jeanette Sheeder (Bill) of Guthrie Center, Keith Cline (Dona) of Des Moines, and Marvin Cline (Ilene) of Huntington Beach, California; as well as many other family and friends. 

Ed will be greatly missed, but his memory will live on with his family and friends. 

Message from the family

Your expressions of sympathy are greatly appreciated. The family invites you to celebrate Ed’s life with the family at the Guthrie Center Activity Center on Friday, June 6 from 4-7 p.m. A ceremony celebrating Ed’s life will be held from 4-4:30 p.m. followed by an informal gathering to visit with family and friends.   

1933-2025

Dolores Marie Beck, oldest of the children of Earl Howard and Harriet Louella (Cameron) Beck, was born Aug. 7, 1933, in Guthrie Center. She passed away Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the New Homestead in Guthrie Center.

Dolores attended the Guthrie Center schools, graduating in 1951. She went on to attend the Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls for two years, earning a degree in elementary education. She began her teaching career in Scranton and taught fifth grade there for six years.

Following her resignation from Scranton schools, she began her teaching years at Guthrie Center Elementary School. While teaching at Guthrie Center, she continued her education at Drake University, earning her bachelor’s degree. She taught fifth grade in Guthrie Center for 42 years. She had a great memory for recalling the names of her former students.

During her teaching years and after retirement, Dolores was the Guthrie Center High School girls’ basketball chaperone and scorekeeper for both girls’ and boys’ teams for 56 years. It was a position she greatly enjoyed. She looked forward to the starters of the girls’ team and the coach riding with her to games in her customized van, and the girls and coaches appreciated the van’s comfort over the school bus.

In addition to keeping busy with basketball games, Dolores joined a women’s bowling league in 1959. She was a very competitive bowler and often had her name posted as a high scorer in the women’s league.

After retirement from teaching, Dolores was involved in a retired teachers’ organization, the Guthrie Center Women’s Club, where she served as the president for multiple years, and the Guthrie County Hospital Auxiliary. She was one of the first voluntary van drivers for the hospital, always willing to assist.

Dolores was preceded in death by her longtime friend, Dean Thaler. They made many trips to Colorado to go skiing over Dolores’ winter break from school. She and Dean also had a common interest in Shorthorn cattle. One year, Dolores showed one of their animals at the Iowa State Fair.

Dolores was so fortunate to be able to travel during the summers. She was able to boast that she had been to all 50 states and Canada, with most of the travel done by car or van, and she was behind the wheel — she never tired of driving.

Over the years, Dolores had several interests. She accumulated an extensive collection of more than 150 paper weights, which were all special to her. Her interest in Western artwork and Native American culture could be seen displayed throughout her home. She also had a collection of John Wayne memorabilia and paintings. And her interest in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ sports teams was significant — she tried never to miss a game.

Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Harriet; her sisters, Darlene Lacey and her husband, George, and Jody Hanna; her brother, Jim Beck; and her niece, Joselyn Lacey.

Left to survive her are nieces and nephews, Jason (Robin) Lacey, John (Beth) Hanna, Jr., Lori (John) Lowe, Chad (Jennifer) Hanna, Christina (Art) Dinkin, Quincy (Jennifer) Beck and Nathan (Stephanie) Beck. Brother-in-law, John Hanna, Sr., and sister-in-law, Nancy Beck, also survive.

Dolores’ surviving great nieces and nephews include Griffin and Kaelyn Hanna, Olivia and Luke Hanna, Jordan Johnson, Jacob (Tristan) Lacey, Jackson and Jamison Lacey, Dane Turner-Hein, Josh Lacey, Hayden, Cassidy and Kenzie Dinkin, Maxwell Beck, and Tyson and Trey Beck.

 Per “Doree’s” request to her family, “Loads of love to you all!”

 Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Twigg Funeral Home, Guthrie Center, with visitation one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in Union Cemetery, Guthrie Center.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials will be designated to the Guthrie Center Elementary School at a later date.

1940-2025

Nickolas Lacey Nolan, 84, son of James and Dorothy (Clark) Nolan, was born July 5, 1940, at home in Guthrie County. He passed away Thursday, May 22, 2025, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, Des Moines.

Nickolas graduated from Panora High School in 1959. Following high school, he worked at Oscar Mayer in Perry and for Wiese Industries. In 1977, he married Teresa Crowl in Panora. They made their home in Panora for a short time before living in various communities in the Midwest while he worked building grain elevators. He then worked bridge and road construction for 20 years, followed by working for Majona Corp., Waukee, for 15 years, before retiring in 2005.  They have made their home in Redfield since 1987.

He enjoyed building play houses for his children, working on cars, gardening, puzzle books, and watching wrestling.

He is survived by his wife, Teresa Nolan of Redfield; children, Phil (Melynda) Nolan; Kevin (Natalie) Nolan; Sandy (Chris) Herron; Cindi Nolan; Lacey (Brad) Reynolds; and Andy (Hanna) Nolan; 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren with two more on the way; sister, Juanita Bullard; brother-in-law, Dave Anthony; and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Stephanie Herron; siblings, Donovan, Charlotte “Dixie,” Raymond, Jerome, Daniel, Susan and Curtis.

Visitation will be Tuesday, May 27, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Twigg Funeral Home, Panora.  Cremation will follow the services. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.