Obituaries transcribed by Pat O'Dell - genpat@netins.net
008Funeral services for Doris Nicholson, age 84, of Bedford, who died Thursday, June 16, 2011 at the Bedford Nursing & Rehab Center were held Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Bedford. Visitation was held Monday at the Ritchie Funeral Home from 3 to 7 with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7. Interment was held at Fairview Cemetery in Bedford. Memorials can be given in her name. Memories can be shared with the family at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.
Doris Marie Damewood was born February 15, 1927, the daughter of Stanley Damewood and Donna Jobe Damewood on their farm home south of Siam, Iowa. Doris grew up attending the Fine and Siam rural schools in Taylor County, graduating from the Bedford High School with the Class of 1944. She then attended Northwest Missouri State University and taught school for three years in Taylor County. In July of 1947, she was united in marriage to Harry Northover and they moved to the State of Washington. They resided in Tacoma, Yakima and Seattle where Doris was employed as a service representative for the Bell Telephone Company. In 1954, they returned to Iowa, living in Gravity where they operated a greenhouse. In 1963, Doris joined the U.S. Postal System as a Clerk in Gravity, later transferring to Bedford. She retire din March of 1987, after completing 23 years of service. Harry died in 1992, after 45 years of married life.
Doris was united in marriage to Walter Nicholson in June of 2000. They made their home in Bedford. To each of them, this was a joyful end to years of loneliness and sadness. Each felt very blessed and continued to thank God for giving them each other at their age in life!
Doris joined the Methodist Church at Siam early in life later transferring her membership to Bedford and Gravity. She was a member of the Bedford American Legion Auxiliary serving as Chaplin for many years. She was also a long-time member of the Untied Methodist Women’s Organization.
Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of eleven years, Walter Nicholson of Bedford; two cousins, Wilma Anderson of Bedford and Mary Lou Miller of Lenox; a nephew Larry Newkirk and wife Linda and their two daughters; along with three step-sons, Eric, Norman and Lynn Nicholson and their families; along with a community of friends.
Preceding Doris in death are her parents, Stanley and Donna Damewood; her husband Harry Northover in 1993; her sister Helen Ruth Newkirk; her brother-in-law Roy Dwight Newkirk; and a brother at infancy
009Funeral services for Maria Jackson, age 82, of Lenox, who died Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at the Lenox Care Center were held Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Lenox. Visitation was Saturday morning from 11:00 a.m. until service time at 1:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends. Interment was held in the North Fairview Cemetery in Lenox. Memorials can be directed to the Parkinson Foundation in Maria’s name. Memories can be shared with the family at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Lenox.
Maria Consuelo (Alvarez) Jackson was born February 8, 1929 in Contraestaca Sinaloa, Mexico the daughter of Daniel Alvarez and Maria Dolores (Salcido) Alvarez. Maria grew up in Mexico attending school. She was untied in marriage to Glen Jackson on April 4, 1959, in Tijuana, Mexico. The couple moved to San Diego, California in 1963. In 1969, the moved to Blockton, Iowa, family settling in Lenox, Iowa in 1971. Maria worked a variety of jobs throughout her life. Maria worked for 30 years at the Sheridan Egg Plant, later Michael Foods, she also worked for several years at Totes.
Maria faithfully attended the Lenox Christian Church. She was loving, generous and giving person always putting other people’s needs ahead of her own. She possessed a forgiving heart and soul, and her family was her whole life, she was always there for them! She always took great pride in them and their activities. She traveled with Glen with they were younger going back to Mexico, San Diego and to Europe. Maria was a wonderful cook who could ‘make anything taste great’. Cooking always, not with a recipe, but with love. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting and embroidery work, always giving what she made away to family.
Left to cherish the memories of a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend are her loving husband of fifty-two years, Glen Jackson of Lenox; two daughters, Irma Jacobs and Art Porras of Merced, California; and Patti Weaver and husband Delvin of Des Moines, Iowa; a son-in-law, Steven Jacobs of Paulden, Arizona; four grandchildren, Michael and Laurie Jacobs; and Eric and David French; two step-grandchildren Nikki and Craig Weaver; fourteen great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; along with many other relatives and friends.
Preceding Maria in death are her parents Daniel Alvarez and Dolores Salcido, and two sisters
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Celebration of Life Memorial Services for Connie Ann Diggs, age 57, of Maryville, Missouri, who entered into peace Thursday, July 7, 2011 at her home in Maryville, Missouri, will be held 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 11, 2011 at Ritchie Funeral Home, Bedford, Iowa with Pastor Mitch Coston officiating. Visitation with the family will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in the White Oak Cemetery, Pickering, Missouri. Memorials may be made to SSM Health Care or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Connie Ann Brown Diggs was born February 18, 1954 to Robert Wendell Brown and LaVeta Marie McClurg Brown in Maryville, Missouri. She grew up in Maryville, Missouri until the unfortunate passing of her father. Connie and her two brothers moved to a farm south of Bedford when their mother remarried. Connie then attended and graduated from Bedford Community High School in 1972. Connie married David Diggs and they had three children, Joshua, Rachel, and Matthew.

Connie spent most of her working life in accounting departments until she settled and finished as Accounting Supervisor with Nucor/LMP in Maryville, Missouri. Connie went back to college after her kids were grown where she proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Psychology from Northwest Missouri State University. Connie greatly enjoyed working outside the home. Connie’s greatest love was her kids and the grandchildren. Connie never saw a child she didn’t like and that is especially was true of her grandchildren. Connie had an avid love of cooking and working in the yard. Connie’s desire was to mother and to be that ‘Old fashioned, good cooking grandmother with a home full of love and noisy happy kids’. Connie lived between her families, her work family at Nucor/LMP and her home family and loved them all.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, David Diggs of Maryville, Missouri; son Joshua and wife Kelley; daughter, Rachel and husband Brian of Burlington Jct., Missouri; and son Matthew and wife Lindsay of Pickering, Missouri; grandsons; Trace, Grant, Grey, Isaac and two granddaughters; Piper and Isabella; mother, Laveta; three brothers, Richard, Wayne, and Kelly; aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends, as Connie never knew a stranger.

Connie will be missed by her family and many friends. She will live on in their hearts forever.