1963-2026 

Sharon J. Jessen, 62, was born on April 22, 1963, in Illinois to John and Jeannette Haila. She passed away on April 18, 2026, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.

Sharon lived in California as a child. She loved playing outside with friends in the cul-de-sac her family’s home was part of. In 1972 her family moved to West Des Moines, where she entered fourth grade. She continued her education, graduating from Valley High School in 1981. She subsequently attended Iowa State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree. Following graduation, Sharon worked at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and then at American Federal Savings and Loan in Des Moines where she learned how to operate a computer.

Sharon met Steven D. Jessen of Guthrie Center at a Merry Mixers square dance, and on March 11, 1989, she married him at the Valley United Methodist Church in West Des Moines. The newlywed couple made their residence in Guthrie Center where Steve was employed as a farmer and an assembler of farm machinery. Sharon found employment at the newspaper office as an ad creator and feature writer interviewing retired people and telling their stories for the paper.

Sharon left the newspaper office when she became unable to work due to a chronic illness called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD). She was later diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension. She worked from home as a freelance graphic artist creating business cards and invitations for family and friends on her home computer. She also worked as a personal historian putting together life story books.

Sharon was active before her lungs became compromised, causing her to require supplemental oxygen. She engaged in activities such as singing, walking along the country roads and in the fields with her beloved dog Goldie, playing tennis, gardening, and helping her husband with the cattle and on the farm. She also enjoyed working on her computer, creating movies from photographs and music videos for songs she had written. Her hobbies included designing and creating handmade greeting cards, reading about subjects that interested her — especially spirituality and metaphysics — and playing word games and online poker, which she was particularly successful at.

Sharon is survived by her beloved husband; her two brothers, Eric and his wife Lynn of Longmont, Colorado, and John and his wife Mary of Ames, and their two sons. She was preceded in death by her parents. Sharon was deeply loved by her family and friends and will be missed by all who knew her.

1936-2026

Fern was born to Elmer E. and Ruby E. Moreland of Bayard on Dec. 9, 1936. She grew up in Guthrie County and graduated from Guthrie Center High School 1955.

Fern was married to a military man and traveled extensively while raising a family of five children. Her travels took her to Turkey, Nebraska, Texas and Alaska. She remained in Texas for many years. While there she worked for Angelo State University in the campus library until retiring. She enjoyed reading as well as walking and was a longtime member of the San Angelo, Texas, walking club. She spent much of her time at church, participating in Bible study and civic activities. She spent many years delivering Meals on Wheels and serving as a poll worker during elections.   

Fern moved to Colorado in 2016 to spend more time with her many grandchildren who lived in Colorado. For several years, she continued her love of reading and her church activities and added many grandchildren’s birthdays and sporting events, which kept her very busy.

Fern was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Ruby Moreland; her sister and brother-in-law, Fleta Mae and Richard Cox; her sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Daniel Camp; her sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Charles Finnegan; and her brother, Clifford Moreland.

Fern is survived by her son, Mike Short of Palmer, Alaska; her daughter and son-in-law, Sherry and Jeff Wilkin of Arvada, Colorado; her son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Vicki Short of Belton, Texas; her daughter and son-in-law, Pam and Gordon Hoyt of Toyah, Texas; her daughter and son-in-law, Theresa and Tim Morgan of Port Washington, Wisconsin.  She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held for Fern on May 23, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the Bayard Cemetery in Bayard.

1964-2026

Tim Lee, 61, of rural Coon Rapids, passed away on Friday, April 3, 2026, following a valiant six-year battle with a rare form of intestinal cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids with Father Patrick Behm officiating and Jeff Hachmeister serving as lector. Casket bearers will be Zachary Lee, Braden Foster, Lane Namanny, Pat McAlister, James McGovern and Logan Kellow. Honorary casket bearers will be Ed Ciano, Bob Warnke, John Shannon, Al Heiderscheit and Jeff Hachmeister. Interment will follow at the Coon Rapids Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday. Additional visitation will be held at the church from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Friday prior to the funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Swan Lake Foundation, the Coon Rapids-Bayard School District or Main Street Coon Rapids in Tim’s name.

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

Timothy Owen Lee was born Dec. 15, 1964, in London, England, to Harold and Antonia “Tosh” Lee. Although the family lived in Boston at the time, Tim’s birth coincided with his father’s work trip abroad. In 1971, the family moved permanently to London, where Tim attended the American School in London. He spent many formative summers in Coon Rapids, where his grandfather, Roswell Garst, had co-founded the Garst & Thomas Hybrid Seed Company.

Tim attended Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, earning a Bachelor of Arts in history and politics with a minor in English language and literature. It was there he developed a lifelong passion for 16th-century poetry and the works of Shakespeare.

As an adult, Tim returned to his roots in Coon Rapids to build upon his family’s legacy. Over the next three decades, he immersed himself in business and agriculture, serving as chairman of the board of Iowa State Bank in Sac City and managing a large farming operation in Carroll County from 1991 to 2022. In the late 1990s, he teamed up with Al and Barry Heiderscheit to launch TAB Concrete, tackling residential, agricultural and commercial projects for more than a decade.

Tim celebrated a personal milestone in 2021 when he married Paige Huntley. He built a home south of Coon Rapids inspired by Tim’s interest in Etruscan architecture, and the couple made their home there. The couple shared a deep commitment to local education; while Tim served as school board president, Paige served as the CRB district’s School Business Officer, frequently sitting side-by-side at board meetings.

An avid student of world, political and U.S. Civil War history, Tim also collected rare sports cars, antique firearms and Roman Etruscan glass art. He was a dedicated pool player, competing in leagues for more than 30 years, and enjoyed bowling and golf in his earlier years.

Tim’s leadership extended to numerous organizations, including the Swan Lake Foundation, the Roswell and Elizabeth Garst Foundation, the Coon Rapids Golf Association Board, the Coon Rapids-Bayard Board of Education, and the CRB Education Foundation. He was a life member of Pheasants Forever and the National Rifle Association, and a member of the Iowa Bankers Association.

Tim’s philanthropy left a lasting mark on the community. His generosity supported Whiterock Conservancy — where he funded the restoration of the Garst Ponds — the Coon Rapids Golf Course, Swan Lake State Park, and the Riverside Park Trail resurfacing. He was a cornerstone of the CRB Educational Foundation and a champion of the Main Street Coon Rapids initiative, restoring downtown buildings that now house local staples like the New Hope Bargain Shop, the Post Office, and the Raccoon River Social Club. Lee also partnered with Bryan Spangler on the purchase and subsequent renovation of the Northside Rec building, working hand in hand with the Main Street Coon Rapids organization to reopen the historic Northside Rec business.

The Coon Rapids area has benefited immeasurably from Tim’s enthusiasm and leadership; his presence in the community will be impossible to replace.

Survivors include his wife, Paige (Huntley); his sons, Zachary B. (Hanna) Lee of Lake View and Nathan Lee of Ankeny; his sister, Amy Lee of London, England; and many cousins and friends.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Tosh Lee, and his grandparents, Roswell and Elizabeth Garst, and Hugh and Amy Lee.

1981-2026

Lisa Sherwood, 44, passed away on March 20, 2026, at Panora Specialty Care following a year-long battle with cancer.

Lisa was born on May 29, 1981, in Des Moines to Jay and Francine Sherwood. She was raised on a farm west of Guthrie Center, and she graduated from Guthrie Center High School. She was a dedicated member of the community, working first at the Guthrie Center Redemption Center and later in the deli at Hometown Grocery.

Lisa had a passion for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing with her family. She also found great joy in cooking and baking treats for her friends and loved ones.

She was preceded in death by her brother, John. Lisa is survived by her children, Jon and Danny; her parents; her aunts, Sheba and Glenda; and her extended family in Arkansas. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. at Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center.

1949-2026

Jack Dee Wolfe, 76, was born on Oct. 4, 1949, to Clarence (Pete) Sidney Wolfe and Bessie Juanita Green in Jefferson. He passed away Saturday, March 21, 2026, at his home in Guthrie Center.

Jack grew up in Guthrie Center, and he attended Guthrie Center Schools. He was united in marriage to Marilyn Dee Twidt on June 12, 1976.

After graduation, Jack drove creamery truck for a few years before going to work as a welder at Parker Industries. He transferred to Agri-Drain Corp in 1988. Jack enjoyed building trailers, woodworking, camping, fishing and watching old westerns.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents; his step-mom, Mary Wolfe; his step-dad, Robert Green; his wife, Marilyn Wolfe; his brother, Jerry Wolfe; and his great-grandson, Bradley Dean Pieper-Wolfe. 

He is survived by his son, Bradley (Lorie) Wolfe of Exira; daughters, Bobbi Jo of Guthrie Center and Amy Wolfe of Bethany Missouri; brothers, Ed (Sandi) Wolfe of Exira, Eldon (Cheryl) Wolfe of Guthrie Center, Junior (Candy) Wolfe of Guthrie Center and David (Claudia) Wolfe of Bayard; grandchildren, Erika Goehring of Springfield Oregon, Dawn (Gabe) Williams of Exira, Mercedes Wolfe of Guthrie Center, Bryan Wolfe of Bethany, Missouri, Kyle Pollard of Princeton, Missouri, Mathew Pollard of Princeton, Missouri, Christopher Thomas of Bethany, Missouri; and many great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Guthrie Center. Visitation is on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. at Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center.

1947-2026

Charles Kesler, endearingly known as Chuck by his friends and family, passed away peacefully at the age of 78 on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.

An afternoon of remembrance for Chuck was held from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall, 105 North Fourth Street, Guthrie Center. Friends and family were invited to gather and share their memories and Chuck’s favorite, a hot beef meal.

Chuck was born in Stuart on Sept. 15, 1947, to Zada (Vandevanter) and Fred Kesler. He grew up on a farm near Monteith with his five siblings. He found great joy in the country life by driving tractors and helping on the farm.

After attending Guthrie Center High School, he held a variety of jobs throughout his life with his primary work being manufacturing/factory work to include AMF, Oscar Meyer, IBP, Hy-line, and Tones Spices. On March 8, 1969, Chuck married Barbara Jean Wilson. From this union, their daughter Jennifer Sue Kesler was born on Oct. 10, 1969. Later, the couple divorced but remained friends. He spent most of his adult life in the Monteith area and eventually moved to Grinnell. In 2002, he then settled into his home in Guthrie Center.

Outside of work, Chuck had a passion for collecting coins, antiques, vintage tractor models and classic cars. In his younger years you could find him fishing with his family, camping, gardening, playing cards and riding his motorcycle, never shy about enjoying a little extra speed along the open road.

Chuck is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Kesler of Guthrie Center; granddaughter, Breanna Kesler of Mankato, Minnesota; his sisters, Barb Mains of Redfield, Sally (Dan) Tripp of Parker, Colorado and Teresa (Lony) Jensen of Casey; brother, Denny (Linda) Kesler of Ames; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Zada and Fred Kesler; his sister and brother-in-law, Charlotte and Joe Kopaska; his nephews, Mark Kopaska and Bradley Mains; his brother-in-law Bill Mains; and his sister-in-law Joan (Graves) Kesler.