Obituaries

Patricia Ann Shea, 87, of Volga, died Saturday, February 2, 2019, in her home. She was surrounded by her family.  Patty was born January 24, 1932, in Volga, Iowa, to Charles and Mary Josephine (Neylan) Bennington.

 She attended country school until 8th grade and then attended Volga High School. On November 22, 1949, Patty was united in marriage to Joseph (Jim) Shea and seven children were born to this union.

 Patty loved to bake for her family and friends and found true joy in sharing her sweets with those who visited. Her homemade cinnamon rolls, ice cream, angel food cake and cream puffs were longtime favorites of many, but in the recent past the homemade ice cream sandwiches had become the new favorite among young and old alike. She took the greatest joy in having people open her freezer door and reach into the bucket for an ice cream sandwich they knew she would have waiting there.

Norbert Lee Butikofer was born on June 30, 1939, to Walter and Lydia (Dennler) Butikofer on a farm west of Elkader, Iowa. He was baptized in Christ and later confirmed his faith at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Elgin.

Norbert attended country school until 8th grade and then Central High School in Elkader where he was involved in track and FFA. He was also a member of Worthwhile 4-H Club. In 1957, he graduated from high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He stayed in the States for basic training and then was sent to Italy where he worked as a telephone installer/repairman. By the end of his time in the Army, Norbert had achieved the rank of Specialist-4th Class.

Robert William Dennler (Bob), 87, of Elkader, died Friday, January 18, 2019, at the Elkader Care Center. He was surrounded by family and friends. Bob was born February 15, 1931, in Volga, Iowa, to Elmer and Amanda (Mueller) Dennler. Bob attended country school until 8th grade. He served in the US Army as a medic from 1953 to 1954. During that time he was stationed in France and Germany.

On November 10, 1956, Bob was united in marriage to Jane Neylan. Five children were born to this union. He and Jane, along with their children, farmed outside of Elkader until 2003. During this time and their retirement they enjoyed playing cards, visiting the boat, and sharing in their grandchildren’s various activities. In 2014, Bob and Jane moved to the assisted living in Elkader where they enjoyed having visitors and getting to know the staff. Bob served as a Boardman Township trustee for over 30 years.

Cyrenus W Elsinger, age 88, of Guttenberg, IA, died Thursday, January 10, 2019, at Guttenberg Care Center in Guttenberg, Cyrenus was born March 7, 1930, to Andrew and Irene (Miller) Elsinger in Guttenberg, the oldest of eight children.