Obituaries

Vinton—Michael “Mike” Wayne Banghart, 49, took his final Harley ride to heaven on Friday, May 2, 2014, surrounded by his family after a short but courageous battle with cancer.  A Celebration of Life service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at Oak Grove Church, rural Shellsburg, with Pastor Tom Nesbitt officiating.   Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton.

Donald Thoren of Oakland Park Florida, formerly of Vinton, died Monday April 28, 2014, following a courageous battle with cancer. Don was born July 11, 1949 in Marshalltown, Iowa and Married Mary Raymond of Garrison on March 3, 1978. Don is survived by his wife Mary, one sister Beverly (John) Streets of Osabe Beach, Mo.; three brothers, Richard (Pat) Thoren of Roanoak, Texas, Steven (Cindy) Thoren and Michael (Sandi) Thoren, both from Vinton.

VINTON – Mary Virginia Wyckoff Crisman of Vinton, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at the Vinton Lutheran Home following a long illness. Memorial services will be held this summer. All who knew Mary Crisman were touched by her intelligence, moved by her compassion and impressed by her dignity. She nurtured, encouraged and protected us.

VINTON:      Robert R. "Bobby" Geiger, 55, of Dyersville and formerly of Vinton, died Monday, April 28, 2014 at his residence following an extended illness.      Memorial Services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 3, 2014 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. 6th St. in Vinton with Rev.

BLAIRSTOWN:      Renee (Akery) Wille, 49, of Mayville, WI, formerly of Blairstown, died Sunday, April 27, 2014 at Beaver Dam Community Hospital, Beaver Dam, WI., following a brief illness.      Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 2, 2014 at Grace Lutheran Church in Blairstown, IA with Rev.

Jill Ann Wellborn, 42, of Waterloo, died at Cedar Valley Hospice Home, Friday, April 25, 2014, from a brain tumor. Jill was born February 1, 1972, in Cedar Falls, the daughter of John and Margaret (Callan) Patterson. She married James Wellborn, September 16, 2000, in Waterloo. Jill graduated from Hudson High School in 1990 and UNI with her BA degree in Nutritional Science.

Joel Scott Meek, 43, died Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics following a brief illness. Graveside services will be held at a later date. Scott was born August 15, 1970 in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Joel and Janet Hagge Meek. Scott is survived by his mother, Janet of Buckingham; sister, Diana (Dennis) Bramow, Vinton; brother, Larry, Buckingham and several nieces and nephews.

VINTON – Bonetta M. Christy, 83, died Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at the Vinton Lutheran Home following a brief illness. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2014, at First Baptist Church in Vinton with Pastor Zach Zajicek officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton and also one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.

Joyce L. Jackson passed away April 15, 2014. She was born September 17, 1926 in Wood Center (near Edgewood) Iowa to parents Otto and Floy (Rause) Appleton. She attended Iowa State Teacher’s College and became a Kindergarten teacher in Vinton Iowa. There she met her future husband, Ray F. Jackson. They were married August 7, 1949. She was the loving mother of two children, Jeannine and Jim.

   Marion E. Umbdenstock, 86, of Vinton, Iowa, died Sunday, April 20, 2014, at Lutheran Home, Vinton. Services: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 26, 2014, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Center Point. Family will greet friends from 4-7 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2014, at the funeral home. Burial: Urbana Cemetery, Urbana, Iowa.    Survivors include her son, Gary (Jane Carson) Umbdenstock of Urbana; five grandchildren and their children, Chris (Roxanne) Umbdenstock and their two children, Tyler and Dylan, Angie (Brent) McDonald and their two children, Madi and Brayden, Amber (Mike) Fry and their two children Kolby and Karter Fry, Andy “A.