Obituaries
Obituaries for Pauley Jones Funeral Home
In Memory of Our Dear Loved Ones
Lester Bywater
Nov 24, 2025
Full Obituary Pending
Survivors include his children Christina (Dennis) Quick; Carol (Barney) Thomsen; Richele Walker; David (Christene) Bywater; Cherie Porter; 11 grandchildren: Joshua, Heather, Cory, Eric, Travis, Nelson, Karli, Jack, Grant, Cole and Chelsie; 2 great-grandchildren Peyton and Chloe; sister Annie (Tom) Bowers
Jane Rau
Nov 23, 2025
Jane M. Rau was born September 19, 1932 in Westphalia, Iowa to Joseph “Joe” and Marie “Mary” Hensheid. Jane grew up in Westphalia and was very proud of her roots there. She graduated from high school in 1950. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration convent in 1952. After 16 years she realized that was not her calling and...
Thomas Joseph Schulte
Nov 22, 2025
Thomas Joseph Schulte was born to John and Edna (Gollobit) Schulte on November 20, 1949 in Earling, Iowa. He was baptized at St Joseph's Catholic church in Earling. He graduated from Harlan Community High School in 1968.
Tom enlisted in the Air Force in 1970 during the Vietnam conflict. He trained and served as a medic during his time in the...
Kenneth Towne
Nov 22, 2025
Full Obituary Pending
Survivors include his wife Loraine Towne of Hancock, IA; children Dale (Brenda) Towne of Council Bluffs, IA; Amy Towne of Fort Collins, CO; Andrea Turk of Fort Collins, CO; 9 grandchildren: Patrick, Lauren, Kael, Kaden, Taylor, Connor, Brant, Dauphine and Annemarie; siblings Curtis (Ruby) Towne of Griswold, IA; Jerry Towne of Henderson, IA; Orlo (Cheryl) Towne of Griswold,...
Verdell Hansen
Nov 21, 2025
Verdell May Jensen was born September 9, 1930 to Folmer and Bonnie (Andersen) Jensen in Clay Township. Verdell was baptized and confirmed at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church. Verdell attended school at Clay #5 country school. In 1943 her family moved to a farm outside of Kimballton, Iowa. She then attended school in Elk Horn, Iowa and would go on...
Richard "Pete" Petersen
Nov 19, 2025
Full Obituary Pending...
He is survived by his children, Mark (Deb) Petersen of Harlan, IA, Brian Petersen of Harlan, IA, Tami (Dan) Goetz of Cedar Falls, IA, Jeffery (Cyndi) Petersen of Harlan, IA; 9 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Beverly Barbara Kohles
Nov 19, 2025
Beverly Barbara Kohles was born on November 25, 1942, in Portsmouth, Iowa, to William Huebner and Irene (Wegner) Huebner. She grew up in the Portsmouth and Panama communities and was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s in Panama. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Our Lady of Fatima Parish.
On April 25, 1963,...
Dorothy Emma Eckmann
Nov 15, 2025
Dorothy Emma Eckmann, daughter of George and Alma (Meier) Eckmann, was born on January 8, 1924, on the family farm outside Persia. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Persia where she was active in LCW, the ladies auxiliary.
Dorothy farmed with her family outside of Persia and grew a large vegetable and flower garden. She lived on...
Lila June Davis
Nov 14, 2025
Lila June Davis, born June 28, 1934 on a farm near Minden, Iowa to John and Mildred A. (Schnepel) Nelson. She graduated from Shelby High School 1952.
Following graduation, Lila married the love of her life, Ronald R. Davis on June 11, 1955 in Shelby Iowa. Together they made their home in Carroll, Iowa where son Craig was born in 1961....
Jesi Allen Myers
Nov 14, 2025
It is with a heavy heart wrapped in love and warmth that we share the passing of our radiant soul, Jesi Allen Myers. Born on the 25th of February, 1986, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Oscar and Sandy Myers, Jesi was a brilliant star shining brightly in this world until her journey took her from us on the 14th of...
Pamela Jean Rold
Nov 13, 2025
Pamela was born on March 7, 1949, in Jefferson, Iowa, to Cyril "Cy" Butler and Beverly (Gunion) Butler. Pamela began her education in Jefferson, IA. She graduated from Harlan High School in 1968. Following her graduation, she selflessly returned to the family farm to help care for her grandmother until 1970. She was raised in the Catholic faith, having been...
Nickolas John Hess
Nov 11, 2025
Nickolas John Hess was born on November 1, 1960, in Strawberry Point, Iowa, to his mother Bonnie Durnan. He grew up in Iowa and completed 11 years of school before beginning a lifelong career in trucking. This was a profession that became both his livelihood and his passion.
Nickolas began driving trucks after working at his family’s dairy, and over the...
Duane Robert Smith
Nov 8, 2025
Duane Robert Smith, son of Merlin and Vera (Patefield) Smith, was born on July 4, 1945, in Laurel, Nebraska. He was one of eight children. On May 31, 1956, he was baptized in his home in Wakefield, Nebraska by a Presbyterian minister. He was confirmed on June 21, 1986 at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison, Iowa where he remained a...
Douglas Jacobsen
Nov 8, 2025
Douglas Dean Jacobsen, was born on February 23, 1946, in Council Bluffs, Iowa to his parents Fred and LaVerne (Kahl) Jacobsen.
He grew up on the family farm east of Hancock. Attended grade school in Hancock and when he was a freshman he went to AvoHa High School in Avoca, Iowa. He graduated from there with the class of 1964.
After high...
Daniel Leonard Loveland
Nov 5, 2025
Daniel Leonard Loveland was born on May 4, 1944 in Fort Collins, Colorado, to Lyle B. and Eileen Elizabeth (Leonard) Loveland. He grew up in Colorado and was raised in the Catholic faith. After completing his schooling, Dan proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy, earning a general discharge.
Dan worked in Colorado but moved to Harlan, Iowa around 1970....
Mervin Nelson
Nov 4, 2025
Mervin Rita Rau was born on August 3, 1939, to Gilbert and Lidwina (Eisterhold) Rau at Westphalia, Iowa, the 12th child in a family of 15 children. She was baptized at St. Boniface Church. The family moved to a farm near Portsmouth, where she attended grade school and was confirmed at St. Mary’s Church.
After they moved to a near Manilla,...
James Louis DeBlauw
Oct 29, 2025
James Louis DeBlauw, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, surrounded by his three children.
Jim was born on October 25, 1944, in Sioux City, Iowa. He was left on the doorsteps of St. Joseph's Hospital as a newborn baby, shortly afterward brought to St. James Orphanage in Omaha, Nebraska, and thirteen months later...
Peggy Klahn
Oct 29, 2025
Peggy Ann Klahn, daughter of Dale and Wilma (Miers) Hollar, was born on January 6, 1946, in Perry, Iowa. She grew up in Perry and graduated from Perry High School with the class of 1964.
During high school, she worked at Woolworth’s in Perry, and after Woolworth’s went to work for a loan company. Later she moved to Shelby where she...
Ruth Ann Mortensen
Oct 27, 2025
Ruth Ann Soll was born on March 30th, 1941, to Arnold & Alma Soll in Manilla, IA. She attended country school until she transferred to Elk-Horn-Kimballton School where she graduated in 1959.
On August 18th, 1960, Ruth married John Smith. To this union, 4 children were born: Ronald, Steven, Jo Ann & Troy. She was widowed in 1967. She raised her...
Shirley Ann Nelson
Oct 22, 2025
Shirley Nelson, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Faaborg) Rasmussen, was born on November 26, 1937 in Audubon County, Iowa, the youngest of three children. She graduated from Audubon High School in 1956. After graduation she worked as a telephone operator at Northwestern Bell in Audubon. She later moved to Atlantic to work at Atlantic Wholesale Company, where she lived with...
Lester Bywater
Nov 24, 2025
Full Obituary Pending
Survivors include his children Christina (Dennis) Quick; Carol (Barney) Thomsen; Richele Walker; David (Christene) Bywater; Cherie Porter; 11 grandchildren: Joshua, Heather, Cory, Eric, Travis, Nelson, Karli, Jack, Grant, Cole and Chelsie; 2 great-grandchildren Peyton and Chloe; sister Annie (Tom) Bowers
Jane Rau
Nov 23, 2025
Jane M. Rau was born September 19, 1932 in Westphalia, Iowa to Joseph “Joe” and Marie “Mary” Hensheid. Jane grew up in Westphalia and was very proud of her roots there. She graduated from high school in 1950. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration convent in 1952. After 16 years she realized that was not her calling and...
Thomas Joseph Schulte
Nov 22, 2025
Thomas Joseph Schulte was born to John and Edna (Gollobit) Schulte on November 20, 1949 in Earling, Iowa. He was baptized at St Joseph's Catholic church in Earling. He graduated from Harlan Community High School in 1968.
Tom enlisted in the Air Force in 1970 during the Vietnam conflict. He trained and served as a medic during his time in the...
Kenneth Towne
Nov 22, 2025
Full Obituary Pending
Survivors include his wife Loraine Towne of Hancock, IA; children Dale (Brenda) Towne of Council Bluffs, IA; Amy Towne of Fort Collins, CO; Andrea Turk of Fort Collins, CO; 9 grandchildren: Patrick, Lauren, Kael, Kaden, Taylor, Connor, Brant, Dauphine and Annemarie; siblings Curtis (Ruby) Towne of Griswold, IA; Jerry Towne of Henderson, IA; Orlo (Cheryl) Towne of Griswold,...
Verdell Hansen
Nov 21, 2025
Verdell May Jensen was born September 9, 1930 to Folmer and Bonnie (Andersen) Jensen in Clay Township. Verdell was baptized and confirmed at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church. Verdell attended school at Clay #5 country school. In 1943 her family moved to a farm outside of Kimballton, Iowa. She then attended school in Elk Horn, Iowa and would go on...
Richard "Pete" Petersen
Nov 19, 2025
Full Obituary Pending...
He is survived by his children, Mark (Deb) Petersen of Harlan, IA, Brian Petersen of Harlan, IA, Tami (Dan) Goetz of Cedar Falls, IA, Jeffery (Cyndi) Petersen of Harlan, IA; 9 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Beverly Barbara Kohles
Nov 19, 2025
Beverly Barbara Kohles was born on November 25, 1942, in Portsmouth, Iowa, to William Huebner and Irene (Wegner) Huebner. She grew up in the Portsmouth and Panama communities and was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s in Panama. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Our Lady of Fatima Parish.
On April 25, 1963,...
Dorothy Emma Eckmann
Nov 15, 2025
Dorothy Emma Eckmann, daughter of George and Alma (Meier) Eckmann, was born on January 8, 1924, on the family farm outside Persia. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Persia where she was active in LCW, the ladies auxiliary.
Dorothy farmed with her family outside of Persia and grew a large vegetable and flower garden. She lived on...
Lila June Davis
Nov 14, 2025
Lila June Davis, born June 28, 1934 on a farm near Minden, Iowa to John and Mildred A. (Schnepel) Nelson. She graduated from Shelby High School 1952.
Following graduation, Lila married the love of her life, Ronald R. Davis on June 11, 1955 in Shelby Iowa. Together they made their home in Carroll, Iowa where son Craig was born in 1961....
Jesi Allen Myers
Nov 14, 2025
It is with a heavy heart wrapped in love and warmth that we share the passing of our radiant soul, Jesi Allen Myers. Born on the 25th of February, 1986, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Oscar and Sandy Myers, Jesi was a brilliant star shining brightly in this world until her journey took her from us on the 14th of...
Pamela Jean Rold
Nov 13, 2025
Pamela was born on March 7, 1949, in Jefferson, Iowa, to Cyril "Cy" Butler and Beverly (Gunion) Butler. Pamela began her education in Jefferson, IA. She graduated from Harlan High School in 1968. Following her graduation, she selflessly returned to the family farm to help care for her grandmother until 1970. She was raised in the Catholic faith, having been...
Nickolas John Hess
Nov 11, 2025
Nickolas John Hess was born on November 1, 1960, in Strawberry Point, Iowa, to his mother Bonnie Durnan. He grew up in Iowa and completed 11 years of school before beginning a lifelong career in trucking. This was a profession that became both his livelihood and his passion.
Nickolas began driving trucks after working at his family’s dairy, and over the...
Duane Robert Smith
Nov 8, 2025
Duane Robert Smith, son of Merlin and Vera (Patefield) Smith, was born on July 4, 1945, in Laurel, Nebraska. He was one of eight children. On May 31, 1956, he was baptized in his home in Wakefield, Nebraska by a Presbyterian minister. He was confirmed on June 21, 1986 at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison, Iowa where he remained a...
Douglas Jacobsen
Nov 8, 2025
Douglas Dean Jacobsen, was born on February 23, 1946, in Council Bluffs, Iowa to his parents Fred and LaVerne (Kahl) Jacobsen.
He grew up on the family farm east of Hancock. Attended grade school in Hancock and when he was a freshman he went to AvoHa High School in Avoca, Iowa. He graduated from there with the class of 1964.
After high...
Daniel Leonard Loveland
Nov 5, 2025
Daniel Leonard Loveland was born on May 4, 1944 in Fort Collins, Colorado, to Lyle B. and Eileen Elizabeth (Leonard) Loveland. He grew up in Colorado and was raised in the Catholic faith. After completing his schooling, Dan proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy, earning a general discharge.
Dan worked in Colorado but moved to Harlan, Iowa around 1970....
Mervin Nelson
Nov 4, 2025
Mervin Rita Rau was born on August 3, 1939, to Gilbert and Lidwina (Eisterhold) Rau at Westphalia, Iowa, the 12th child in a family of 15 children. She was baptized at St. Boniface Church. The family moved to a farm near Portsmouth, where she attended grade school and was confirmed at St. Mary’s Church.
After they moved to a near Manilla,...
James Louis DeBlauw
Oct 29, 2025
James Louis DeBlauw, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, surrounded by his three children.
Jim was born on October 25, 1944, in Sioux City, Iowa. He was left on the doorsteps of St. Joseph's Hospital as a newborn baby, shortly afterward brought to St. James Orphanage in Omaha, Nebraska, and thirteen months later...
Peggy Klahn
Oct 29, 2025
Peggy Ann Klahn, daughter of Dale and Wilma (Miers) Hollar, was born on January 6, 1946, in Perry, Iowa. She grew up in Perry and graduated from Perry High School with the class of 1964.
During high school, she worked at Woolworth’s in Perry, and after Woolworth’s went to work for a loan company. Later she moved to Shelby where she...
Ruth Ann Mortensen
Oct 27, 2025
Ruth Ann Soll was born on March 30th, 1941, to Arnold & Alma Soll in Manilla, IA. She attended country school until she transferred to Elk-Horn-Kimballton School where she graduated in 1959.
On August 18th, 1960, Ruth married John Smith. To this union, 4 children were born: Ronald, Steven, Jo Ann & Troy. She was widowed in 1967. She raised her...
Shirley Ann Nelson
Oct 22, 2025
Shirley Nelson, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Faaborg) Rasmussen, was born on November 26, 1937 in Audubon County, Iowa, the youngest of three children. She graduated from Audubon High School in 1956. After graduation she worked as a telephone operator at Northwestern Bell in Audubon. She later moved to Atlantic to work at Atlantic Wholesale Company, where she lived with...
