Home Care In Parnell, IA

MARENGO — Just over 12% of registered voters in Iowa County went to the polls Tuesday to elect city and school officials.

The 1,505 voters (out of 12,393 registered) also decided several ballot measures that would allow increased tax levies and bonding for school construction projects.

Jillissa Chvala and Ellen O’Rourke were the two top vote-getters for at-large Iowa Valley School Board seats. Chvala received 200 votes; Ellen O’Rourke, 149; and Benjamin Wagner, 145.

Williamsburg mayor, Adam Grier, ran uncontested and received 118 votes. Only three candidates — Dale Walter, Anne Zalenski and Tyler Marshall — ran for the three city council seats, and only two candidates sought two seats on the school board, Mark Armstrong and Quinn Wolfe.

In one of the few contested mayoral races in Iowa County, Mattew Stoner received 25 votes to become Parnell’s mayor. Larry Schropp received 21 votes.

In Victor, Eric Refer defeated Donald Craig for the mayoral seat, 119-89.

Results are unofficial until votes are canvassed by county supervisors.

Ladora mayor: Kevin R. York, 21 votes; write-in, 10.

Ladora council at large (vote for 3): Brian Ward, 21; Craig York, 20; Annette Ehrenberger, 16; write-in, 11.

Marengo mayor: Adam Rabe, 201; write-in, 25.

Marengo council at large (vote for 2): Karen Wayson-Kisling, 185; write-in, 73.

Millersburg mayor: Richard Fry, 20; write-in, 16.

Millersburg council at large (vote for 3): Travis Gensley, 32; Michael Gorsch, 31; Jeffrey Clark, 22; write-in, 20.

North English mayor: Daniel J. Strohman, 118; write-in, 4.

North English council at large (vote for 3): Kathy O’Rourke, 119; Louis Garringer, 116; Gerald Allen Haugland, 100; write-in, 5.

North English council at large to fill a vacancy: Andrew Custer, 119; write-in, 2.

Parnell mayor: Mattew Stoner, 25; Larry Schropp, 21.

Parnell city council at large (vote for 5): Jared Dhondt, 32; Brad Strasser, 28; Jamie Abernathy, 28; Rick Rodgers, 25; write-in, 73.

Victor mayor: Eric Refer, 119; Donald Craig, 89; write-in, 5.

Victor city council at large (vote for 5): Shawn Sternhagen, 165; Cindy Trout Smith, 159; Marla Faga, 154; Josh Scholtus, 132; Joan Robinson, 103; Jim Rajtora, 91; Tyler Kasper, 81; James Thompson, 37; write-in, 14.

Williamsburg mayor: Adam Grier, 118; write-in, 8.

Williamsburg council at large (vote for 3): Dale Walter, 131; Anne Zalenski, 120; Tyler Marshall, 111; write-in, 9.

In Iowa County, Benjamin Reineke received 3 votes each and Tylar Gallagher, 2, for Belle Plaine School Director at-large. The votes are added to the totals cast in Benton County, giving the at-large seats to Gallagher, with a total of 480 votes; Jacobi, with a total of 471; and Reineke, with 414. Shirley Coles received 164 votes.

Three votes were cast in Iowa County in favor of the Belle Plaine School public measure to adopt a revenue purpose statement for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education Fund. In Benton County, 467 voted in favor of the measure, and 121 against.

Clear Creek Amana School Director at-large (vote for 2): Gabe Schaapveld, 182; Abdouramane Bila, 171; Joe Burns, 68; Sarah Rivera, 50; write-in, 2.

In Johnson County, Bila received 126 votes; Schaapveld, 99; Burns, 74; and Rivera, 51.

Clear Creek Amana School Director District 1 (vote for 1): Allison Momany, 274; April Schmitz, 37; write-in, 2. In Johnson County, Momany received 129 votes and Schmitz, 55.

Clear Creek Amana School Director District 2 (vote for 1): Patricia Higby, 154; Jennifer Downes, 117; write-in, 2. In Johnson County, Higby received 99 votes and Downes, 90.

Clear Creek Amana School Director District 3 (vote for 1): Jennifer Bollers, 234; write-in, 7. Bollers received 162 votes from Johnson County voters.

Clear Creek Amana School public measure to levy for 10 years a physical plant and equipment tax not exceeding $0.67 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.: Yes, 198; No, 83. Johnson County voters approved the measure 146-46.

English Valleys School Director at-large (vote for 3): Susan Schaefer, 205; Katie Taukei, 124; Ashley Dickey, 108; Thomas O. Voss, 92; Steven Banes, 85; Whit Faas, 66; Fred Huebner, 62; write-in, 2.

English Valleys School public measure to levy for six years an additional $0.67 per $1,000 assessed valuation: Yes, 180; No, 86.

HLV School Director at-large (vote for 3): Blake Kuesel, 204; David Doran, 198; Maria Hawkins, 139; Laurel Hollopeter, 113; Michael Kolesar, 109; Sharon Kriegel, 93; Michael Gilboa, 10; write-in, 1.

Iowa Valley School Director at-large (vote for 2): Jillissa Chvala, 200; Ellen O’Rourke, 149; Benjamin Wagner, 145; write-in, 6.

Mid-Prairie School Director at-large (vote for 4): Mary Allred, 20; Denise J. Chittick, 20; Randy Billups, 18; Jim Miller, 15; Ryan Schlabaugh, 10. (Iowa County votes only)

Mid-Prairie School public measure to issue up to $8.7 million in General Obligation Bons for a wrestling/activity center at the high school and other improvements: Yes, 11; No, 18. (Iowa County votes only.)

Tri-County School Director at-large (Iowa County votes only): Heather Schmidt, 0; Chad McKain, 0.

Williamsburg School Director at-large (vote for 2): Mark Armstrong, 220; Quinn Wolfe, 190.

Kirkwood Community College Director District 4 (Iowa County results only): Lorraine Williams, 15.

Kirkwood Community College Director District 5 (Iowa County results only): Alan Jensen, 888; write-in, 12.

Editor’s note: The following is an essay by Brandon Rosas, an Iowa County resident and occassional contributor.

Two years ago, my parents and I moved to a long, stone, ranch-style home known as “the Old Sullivan Place” in the country outside of Parnell.

The beauty and solidity of the house’s construction amaze me. Our realtor informed us that the home was built in the 1990s by two brothers, David and Lonnie Jennings, who live in the Parnell area and have since retired.

Parnell is a wee settlement of about 200 people in south central Iowa. Parnell expanded from its roots in 1884, when the almost exclusively Catholic and Irish residents of Lytle City removed three miles west to the railroad town of Callan. Callan was renamed Parnell, after Irish landlordism-abolition champion James Stewart Parnell, and the town has been home to a substantially ethnic Irish population.

Parnell calls itself “Little Ireland.” Few acres compose Parnell, and its population is relatively reclusive. A lily-white, cross-shaped, green-shingled old Catholic church, which was preceded by a steeple adorned with a six-foot Celtic cross and four shamrocks, and which enclosed a 2,100-lb bell, had formerly stood on the corner of Hatter Avenue and F52 Trail on the northeast corner of Parnell for over 100 years.

Former Parnell resident Dorothy Donahue, now 90 years of age, commented, “(Parnell’s) community is a very beautiful community…I would probably give the church the credit for the beautiful community.”

Since pioneer times, St. Joseph Catholic Church had been the epicenter of the special familial bond in this formerly vibrant community of “Little Ireland.”

When the Irish immigrants of Lytle City first moved to Callan, its 156 Irish Catholic denizens made the five- to 10-mile horse-and-buggy journey every Sunday to St. Michael Parish in Holbrook for Mass. Weary of the distance and weather after five years’ travel, parishioner Edward Carroll requested and received permission from Bishop Dunn for establishment of a Catholic Church in Parnell.

A 32-by-70-foot long, by 16-foot-high church was commissioned, at a cost of $1,198. The church, named St. Joseph, was completed in the fall of 1889, and Father James Davis became its first pastor, before quickly passing the station to Father T.J. King.

Under Fathers King, White, Kelly, and Mahoney, St. Joseph parish saw additional construction. A small white schoolhouse soon opened, followed, in 1898, by a larger red brick school building. These schools were run by lay teachers until 1902, when Carroll brought Ottumwa’s Sisters of Humility of Mary to Parnell permanently to instruct in the schools. The advent of the nuns “had a profound effect” on the Parnell community, providing excellent education and discipline.

The nuns were invited to teach in the public school upon its opening in 1915, making the Parnell school one of only three public schools in Iowa to employ Roman Catholic Sisters. The nuns remained in Parnell as teachers until their departure in 1955, at the state’s injunction that they resign from their public school positions, unless they remove their habits.

By 1908, beneath St. Joseph Catholic Church’s now 20-foot high engraved green tin ceilings were a large, baroque tin-plated wooden main altar (containing a relic); two smaller ornate altars, trimmed with gold leaf; a communion rail, and statues of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Patrick. There was a main row of wooden pews, and two flanking rows of shorter pews, but no center aisle. The walls of St. Joseph were inset with stained-glass windows, depicting Saint Patrick, among others. St. Michael’s Church History Book records in the Iowa County Advertiser, “Last Sunday, Oct. 17, St. Joseph’s Church at this place showed up as [a] new silver dollar.”

Over the next 120 years, generations of O’Briens, Donahues, Murphys, O’Rourkes, Sullivans and other communicants received the sacraments of baptism, eucharist, confirmation, and marriage at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The church was also where Parnell’s ordained sons celebrated their first Masses. Services at St. Joseph began at 10 a.m. and ran similarly to those of all other Catholic churches. The parishioners were greeted as they entered the doors of the church, and they then took their customary seats and prayed.

After prayers and the opening hymn, church services progressed though the Gathering Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Concluding Rite. Prior to Vatican II, services were conducted in Latin, and parishioners memorized their lines from a prayer card. A communion rail was located at the front of the Sanctuary; participants would advance to the communion rail, kneel, and receive the communion host individually from the Reverend Father, trailed by his altar followers. Services changed from two-hour Latin High Masses to shorter, vernacular Masses, with air-conditioning and wired music and homilies.

Catholic services today feature a homily that complements the reading in the lectern and the quotation listed in the bulletin, providing a message on which parishioners may reflect throughout the week. Cemetery Committee Chairperson Eddie O’Brien recalls, “There were times when every seat in the church was filled.”

Pastoral Associate Ann Lillis states, “The people (of St. Joseph) were just down-to-earth, pretty middle-class people.” O’Brien and Lillis recall families of eight or ten children walking to church, each dressed in their finest; girls were required to wear a circle, or lace. Wedding anniversaries were celebrated at the church, and St. Joseph Cemetery is also where generations of Parnellians are interred. Parish councilmember Jean O’Brien was informed that, before her time, priests weekly assigned an entire family for Mass, and that family would be obligated to awake and serve Mass prior to school every morning. Three resident priests of St. Joseph came directly from Ireland, two of whom returned to the Emerald Isle.

In the 1960s, in compliance to Vatican II rulings, St. Joseph’s communion rail was removed, and the church interior was also refurbished in ivory. Floors eventually sagged, and musicians and parishioners admit the weakness of the church’s acoustics. From 1978 through 1980, progressive Pastor Michael Colonnese directed a revolutionary remodeling campaign. After this renovation, the interior of St. Joseph featured a substantially-lowered ceiling, and a conventional configuration of metal folding chairs. The large altar was diminished, and the smaller ones relocated; a step was removed from the church’s anterior platform; and a new, smaller altar was added in front to allow the priest to deliver the homily facing the parishioners. These changes were intended to impart a sense of meaning to the congregation, placing them on a more equal footing with the priest. Parishioners Jean O’Brien and Bernard Deatsch, visiting Holbrook Parish member Kay Ahlberg, and 64-year church organist Donahue echo Lillis’s description of St. Joseph Church as “not large…or ostentatious…very comfortable.”

Besides being comfortable, Jean O’Brien recalls St. Joseph Catholic Church, “felt like a holy place.” O’Brien describes the church as a beautiful, safe place that felt like home; and, “(a) place where you went to pray.” Councilmember O’Brien reflects on the cool, peace-instilling quietness of the church upon entrance before Mass on Sunday, appraising it as “a grounding place…(that) sort of helps you get your mind in a good place: (St. Joseph Church) relates to being more important than yourself.” O’Brien synthesized that St. Joseph Church “helps you to sort of fit into the universe.” Audible words were often prayers, homilies, or the respectful comments which impressed Ahlberg, who recalls, “(W)henever one would step inside the church, one would (only) hear (polite interactions) such as, ‘Oh, excuse me, Sister,’ and, “Oh, sorry, Sister!”

Jean O’Brien recalls that, after Mass, “(Sometimes)…people would spend an equal amount of time visiting with their other parishioners, as they did in Mass.” Churchgoers would inquire as to each other’s welfare, asking, “So-and-so is sick?’” and, “You need the wagon?” O’Brien recollects, “If anybody needed help, a neighbor would come over and help.” Another audile mainstay of St. Joseph’s atmosphere was Donahue’s organ-playing. Councilmember O’Brien comments that Donahue, “Sounds like an angel.”

The blessing of St. Joseph Church extended out beyond the structure’s four walls. Bishop William Franklin states, “It’s not just a building. It’s a community.” Donahue submits, “It was the church that held the community together,” imparting what Lillis calls, “a cohesiveness of small-town America.”

O’Brien recalls Father D.C. Browne informing parents of young parishioners’ comportment. Father Mike Colonnese involved the congregation in planting a garden behind the church, in order to grow food to take to needy families in Davenport. Father Mike brought children from Davenport to live with families in Parnell during St. Joseph’s summer Bible School Program, and adopted two children from South America. Pastor Colonnese used his Spanish to serve North Liberty’s community. Cantor Bill McDonald expressed, “I lost my family when the church closed.”

In 2009, an increasing necessity of renovation prompted the St. Joseph Parish Council to seek the approval and assistance of the Archdiocese of Davenport in executing the repairs. Unfortunately, Davenport ruled St. Joseph “not viable,” and requisitioned the parish for decommissioning due to declining membership, want of renovation, and a lack of priests.

St. Joseph celebrated a Farewell Mass on June 28, 2009. A memorial has been erected to the old St. Joseph Church in St. Joseph Cemetery in Parnell. The memorial consists of the original church bell, which is heavier than the Liberty Bell, housed in a replica of the church bell tower. The tower is accompanied by a refurbished crucifix and one of the original pews, which has been split to fit in the tower’s corner. The memorial project was constructed by Spratt Builders, and the project spearheaded by Parish Councilmember (and mastermind behind my home), David Jennings.

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Parnell City Hall and the Parnell Tavern are sponsoring “Bring It Back To Parnell” Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Parnell Hall.

The event is a fundraiser to benefit the restoration of the hall, which is undergoing a series of interior and exterior improvements.

Beginning at 5 p.m., pulled pork sandwiches and homemade soup donated by the Parnell Tavern will be served for a free-will donation. A cover charge of $10 will begin at 6:30 p.m. for music that begins at 7 p.m. Parnell Centennial Books, a community cookbook, and Parnell belt buckles will be for sale during the event.

Bob Dorr and the Blue Band will perform from 7 to 10:30 p.m., followed by the bands Brass Pair and Hard Barney from 10:30 to 1 a.m. The Blue Band is celebrating its 35th anniversary of entertaining in eastern Iowa and moving toward retirement. Dorr noted the band would like to finish its career with a special performance to benefit the hall where they got their start.

Persons who would like to contribute to the restoration project but are unable to attend the Jan. 28 event may mail their donations to City of Parnell, P.O. Box 15, Parnell, Iowa 52325.

The hall is in the midst of a four-phase restoration plan, explained council member Jessica Jeske.

Phase one is nearing completion and consisted of a total tear-out of the existing bathrooms and kitchen. Aside from the space being outdated, the walls were in need of repair due to damage sustained over the course of time.

The kitchen and both bathrooms were remodeled and expanded, with the addition of wheelchair accessible stalls and doors in the bathrooms. The kitchen entrance was also made wheelchair accessible. The serving window was expanded, new energy efficient lighting was added throughout both areas and the wiring was updated. A new entry/exit door was added on the building’s east side for easier access to the exterior grounds.

Phase two will be the focus during 2017. The goal is to complete the tear-out of the existing walls and replace them with better insulation and drywall. Dropping the ceiling and adding insulation above will help with heating and cooling costs. Existing windows will be replaced, along with tables and chairs and it is hoped to be able to replace the heating and air conditioning units.

Phase three of the project will focus on the building’s exterior, with a completion goal of 2018.

The final phase will include landscaping, covered seating and a covered walkway on the northeast side of the building to provide direct access to the double doors.

The timeline depends on continued fundraising efforts, Jeske pointed out. The city was awarded a $15,000 grant in 2016 by the Iowa County Community Foundation. This grant played a significant factor in the town’s ability to begin the project. A previous fundraising project and donations from friends of the Parnell Hall have helped with ongoing restoration.

Jeske added a possible name change for the site, from the Parnell Hall to the Parnell Community Center, is a possibility in the future.

The Iowa County 2022 awards program was held Sunday, Nov. 13, at Koru Berry Farm, Homestead. The following awards were presented and groups were recognized. (All photos are by Bethany Gorsch.)

Outstanding First Year Awards

Junior: Bailey Yoss, Crossroads 4-H; Roarie Christner, Fairfiew Zippers; Tenley Heitman, Ellie Matthes, Lane Meyer, Olivia Von Ahsen, Hilton Happy Hustlers; James Flemming, Cheyanne Meyer, Hilton Willing Workers; Aela Gingerich, Sadie Ganger, Jenna Harvey, Parnell Peppers; Carter Atkinson, Rhielle Hansen, Lucy Smith, Trailblazers 4-H Club; Intermediate: Elery Hinrichsen, Hilton Willing Workers

Club Community Service Awards

Fairview Zippers, Trailblazers 4-H Club, Hilton Willing Workers, Williamsburg 4-Leaf Clovers, Parnell Peppers

Iowa County 4-H Project Awards

4-H Citizenship Award: top junior, Carter Atkinson, Trailblazers 4-H Club; top intermediate, Chandler McKibben, Fairview Zippers; top senior, Tyson Mohr, Trailblazers 4-H Club

4-H Leadership Award: top intermediate, Charlie Landuyt, Trailblazers 4-H Club; top senior, Alannah McKibben, Fairview Zippers

Family and Consumer Science Awards: top juniors, Clara Gingerich and Jenna Harvey, Parnell Peppers; top intermediate, Caleb Jensen, Parnell Peppers; top seniors, Nesse Tuttle, Marengo Motivators, and Emma Oberg, Hilton Willing Workers.

Ag and Natural Resource Awards: top intermediate, David Harvey, Parnell Peppers; top seniors, Emma Peters and Katie Kruse, Parnell Peppers

Science, Mechanics and Engineering Awards: top junior, Evan Koehn, Crossroads 4-H; top intermediate, Cooper Bott, Hilton Willing Workers; top senior, Calvin Seeman, Hilton Willing Workers

Iowa County 4-H Livestock Awards: top juniors, Carly Axmear, Crossroads 4-H, and Cheyanne Meyer, Hilton Willing Workers; top intermediate, Jessica Meyer, Hilton Willing Workers; top senior, Maddie Koehn and Owen Axmear, Crossroads 4-H

2022-23 Iowa County Youth Council

Abbie Gahring, Abby Sparrowgrove, Alannah McKibben, Ashlyn Schultz, Avary Helmrichs, Baxter Koons, Brielle Brenneman, Cady Campbell, Cooper Bott, Clara Sinclair, Eleanor Sinclair, Elery Hinrichsen, Emma Malloy, Emma Peters, Erica Driscoll, Erin Driscoll, Hannah Gross, Hayden Wade, Jacob Malloy, Jaisel Bott, John Eichhorn, Kathryn Kilgard, Katie Kruse, Marcus West, Mari Stevenson, Megan Schnebbe, Nesse Tuttle, Tyson Mohr

Leader Recognition

One year, Sarah Smith, Trailblazers 4-H Club; five years, Landon Wade, Hilton Happy Hustlers; Cassie Bott, Hilton Willing Workers; 10 years, Kyle and Veronica Heitman, Pilot 4-Hers; 15 years, Wendy Hagen, Hilton Willing Workers

Iowa County 4-H Committee

Bethany Gorsch, Amy Harrison, Kathy Jones, Sheryl Kokesh, Aaron Meyer, Martha Meyer, Phil Widmer, Janelle Roberts

Iowa County Extension Council

Scott Axmear, Chad Sickles, Marcia Kilgard, Martha Meyer, Brent Ness, Randy Osweiler, Justin Sayers, Sean Wetjen, Jim Yenter

Iowa County 4-H Foundation

Colleen Conrad, Mary Veatch, Kathy Jones, Nancy Welsh, Jennifer Ness, Angie Widmer, AJ Schnebbe, Mellissa Zuber

(Photos and additional awards were printed in the Nov. 23 issue. Final photos and awards will appear in the Dec. 7 issue.)

Totals as of 11:50 a.m.: