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Graveside Memorial Service

Donald William Mott 1924 – 2020

Paulina Friends Meeting Cemetery

4468 Silver Ave., Paulina, IA

Tuesday, July 20, 2020 11:00 AM

Some seating will be provided but we ask people to bring their own lawn chairs if possible.

After the service relatives and friends are invited to join the family for visitation and lunch at the Mapleside Community Building.

This service will be recorded and will be available on The Overton Funeral Home, Indianola, Iowa website in the days following the service

Donald William Mott was born to Francis and Frances (Binns) Mott on the Mott family farm near Paullina, Iowa, on December 17, 1924.    He died of COVID-19 at The Village retirement community in Indianola, Iowa, on December 18, 2020, at the age of 96 years. 

Don’s early schooling took place at Dale Township #7 and then at Gaza School. His high school years were split between Gaza School and Olney Friends School in Barnesville, Ohio. His sophomore and senior years were at Olney where he graduated in 1942. In 1943 he studied for one year at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa.  Don enjoyed sports — he played basketball at Gaza and football at William Penn.

Following school, Don registered for the draft as a conscientious objector and did Civilian Public Service (CPS) work from 1944 to 1946.  During this time, he served at several work camps.  First, he worked doing trail work at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.   Second, he took part in a medical study of a pneumonia virus at Pinehurst, North Carolina. Third, he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation on an irrigation project camp near Trenton, North Dakota. Fourth, he was assigned to serve on a firefighting crew at Glendora, California.  Don’s final assignment was at the Independence State Hospital in Independence, Iowa, where he served as an aide. 

After his CPS work, Don returned to Paullina to help his father on the family farm. He married Dorothy Livezey, an Olney high school classmate, at the Stillwater Friends Meeting House in Barnesville, Ohio, on October 4, 1947.   When confronted with the compulsory peacetime draft of men for the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948, Don elected to protest and become a non-registrant. He was arrested and served eight months at the federal prison near Springfield, Missouri.  It was during this sentence that his first son, David, was born.

Don and Dot moved to Barnesville, Ohio, in 1951 where Don was employed as a farm manager at Olney Friends School for two years.  In 1953, Don and Dot moved to Costa Rica to join friends and family in the Monteverde Quaker Community where Don’s primary work was in the sawmill.   

Don and Dot returned to the family farm in northwest Iowa where Don farmed and worked at other jobs in the community. Don was employed by the O’Brien County Co-op Creamery (later AMPI) in Sanborn, Iowa, from 1958 until his retirement in 1985.  During this time, he worked as a fieldman monitoring milk quality, installing milk storage equipment, and performing refrigeration repairs.  In 1972 Don and Dot moved off the farm to a home in Paullina. Don and Dot became active in the American Field Service student exchange program, and during the 1973-74 school year, Andrew Brown of Birmingham, England, joined the family.  Don and Dot moved to The Village retirement community of Indianola in 2001. Following Dot’s death in 2006, Don continued living at The Village until his death. Don greatly appreciated the additional nursing care provided by his daughter Deb during his later life

Don was an active, lifelong member of the Society of Friends (Quaker) at Paullina Monthly Meeting and attended the Village Quaker worship group.   He had a wide variety of interests and hobbies.  He loved all music, but especially big band music and his son Dennis’ musical performances. Don spent his retirement years repairing and riding bicycles. Along with numerous family members, he took part in many local bike rides and several RAGBRAI rides, including the 1974 RAGBRAI where he rode with his father, Francis, and son, David. He restored the family Farmall F-12 tractor.  He co-owned a Cessna plane with his son, Daniel, and he liked flying. He and Dot spent 20 winters camping in the southern states, primarily in Texas and at Gulf Shores, Alabama.    

He is survived by his 4 children and their spouses: Dave and Carrie Ash-Mott of Ivins, Utah; Deb and Stan McCreedy of Ainsworth, Iowa; Dan Mott and Barb Busch-Mott of Cherokee, Iowa; Dennis and Julie Mott of Davenport, Iowa; and AFS student son and wife, Andrew and Emma Brown of South Wales, UK.  His grandchildren and great-grandchildren include Maria and Greg Hanson and their children Elizabeth and Peter of North Liberty, Iowa; Eric Mott of Iowa City, Iowa; and Jason, Angela, and Dorothy Mott of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  He also is survived by his sister, Muriel Neifert of Richfield, Minnesota; sister-in-law Millie Crosbie of Pella, Iowa; sister-in-law Bertha Brown of Woodland, North Carolina; and sister-in-law Carol Livezey of Frostproof, Florida. 

He will be missed by his many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Dorothy (Livezey) Mott, who died August 13, 2006; his parents, Francis Mott and Frances (Binns) Mott; his sister and brother-in-law Hubert and Mildred (Mott) Mendenhall; brother-in-law James Neifert; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Jackie Mott; and son-in-law George Miller.

Memorial Contributions may be made to The Good Shepherd Fund at the Village, 1203 N. E St., Indianola, IA 51025, Friends Committee on National Legislation, 245 2nd St NE #5795, Washington, DC 20002, Paullina Friends Meeting, c/o PO Box 605, Paullina, IA 51046 in Donald’s name. 

Vimeo video ‘Mott, Donald’ posted by Jeff Petersen

Charles Wesley Day

Des Moines – Peace within through meditation, peace without through peace and social justice action.

Charles Wesley Day, 83, passed away on Friday, March 12th, 2021 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center from complications due to congestive heart failure.

Charlie was born June 24, 1937, in Fargo, North Dakota. In early childhood his family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he attended Rice Elementary and Callanan Junior High schools, graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1956.

Charlie continued his studies at the University of Iowa, and while an undergraduate, wrote for The Daily Iowan, receiving the Conger Reynolds Award in Journalism. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1960 (B.A. with Distinction, in Psychology and Journalism), and earned advanced degrees from U. of I. in Clinical Psychology in 1962 (M.A.) and 1964 (Ph.D.).

His professional life was involved in the private practice of psychotherapy, psychology, consultation, and teaching in Los Angeles, CA; Des Moines, Iowa; Laguna Beach, CA; Mumbai, India; and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Most recently, he practiced at the Des Moines Child and Adolescent Guidance Center.

In 1994, Charlie founded the Des Moines Meditation group. He taught meditation as a way to grow psychologically and spiritually, and Buddhism as a way of life and philosophy compatible with all religions. Many central Iowa meditators participated in his classes and retreats through the meditation group, as well as in courses on mindfulness offered through DMPS Community Education. For over 50 years he was a student of Buddhism, and studied spiritual and mystical traditions in Japan, Thailand, India and the U.S. He was a wise, humorous, challenging and compassionate teacher and guide.

After retiring in 1998, Charlie was active in Des Moines Valley Friends Quaker Meetings; Contemplative Alliance—Global Peace Initiative of Women; the Friends House, Inc. Board; Iowa Peace Monument Committee Board; Ecumenical Peace Committee of Des Moines, Iowa; Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement; Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; Friendship of Reconciliation Delegation to Israel and Palestine; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Board; American Friends Peace Education Committee; and Stop the Arms Race Political Action Committee, as well as in Democratic politics.

In 2000, he formed a meditation group at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, Iowa and led weekly meetings and occasional retreats at the facility. Charlie provided help as a crisis phone-line volunteer after the Oklahoma City bombing, and later served as a mental health volunteer in New York City following the 9/11/01 World Trade Center attack. For his work, he was honored with a “Heroes of the Heartland Award” from the American Red Cross.

For over 20 years Charlie attended monthly meetings of the Synergy Spiritual Book Group and the Talent, Limited drama group, and weekly get-togethers of the Vegetarian Dinner Group, which he fondly referred to as “The Weed-Eaters”. He was also a regular participant in the DMARC Monday morning book study group. Over his lifetime he was a world traveler, and journeyed to Europe, Mexico, Russia, China, Egypt, Turkey, the Caribbean Islands, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Israel, Palestine, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

Charlie’s loving and generous nature allowed him to give freely of his time, talents, and resources; his family, his friends, his favorite causes–and complete strangers– were grateful beneficiaries.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Myrle Day; his sisters Patricia Day Gibson and Jacquelyn Day Kollings; and his brother-in-law, Tom Kollings.

Surviving are his niece, Jennifer Groh and his nephews: Kevin Kaupp, Jonathan Gibson, Michael Kollings (wife Carol), Scott Kollings (wife Jenifer), and David Kollings. Also surviving are their children: Megan Tell (husband Brett), Jenna Brownlee (husband Jack), Erin Kollings, (husband Justin Darling), Jessica Simo (husband Matthew), Kelli Kollings (husband Benjamin), Jacob Sutherland (wife Ashley), Matthew Groh, Olivia Day, Jack Kollings, Luke Kollings: great-grand-nephews, Mason and Evan Tell, Ben Brownlee, Grayson Sutherland; great-grand nieces, Elle Brownlee, Loretta and Noa Darling, Wesley and Eleanor Simo.

There will be a “Celebration of Life” planned for Charlie in early Summer 2021

As a gesture of remembrance, wherever you are, give $5 to someone you see on the street, one of Charlie’s signature acts of generosity.

Rest in peace, Charlie.

Shane Rowse, 55, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away on September 17, 2020. He was born on November 10, 1964, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to Delbert Rowse and Cheryl M. Spear (née Martinson). Shane was an artist, an educator, a gentleman, and a scholar. He was active in the Kansas City theater community and designed lighting for the American Heartland Theater, Kansas City Actors Theater, Musical Theater Heritage, OwenCox Dance Group, and many others. He was also the lighting designer for A Christmas Carol at Missouri Repertory Theater for fifteen years. Shane had an artist’s eye and crafter’s hands which he put to use in his many hobbies including photography, astronomy, and kite-flying. He is survived by his loving wife Marianne (Spruell) Rowse; children, Ian and August; mother, Cheryl; brothers, Bret and Seth Rowse, and many extended family members.

A memorial celebration and toast to his life will be held October 3rd, 2020 at 6:00 pm at the Performing Arts Center at UMKC.  It was live-streamed.

“Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still.”

MARY ELLEN BOTTORFF TJOSSEM
May 7, 1936 – September 10, 2020

Mary Ellen Bottorff Tjossem, age 84, of Primghar IA, passed away on September 10, 2020 at Prairie View Healthcare in Sanborn, IA.
Mary Ellen was born to Rex William and Helen Carlson Bottorff on May 7, 1936 in Pomona, California and grew up in Harcourt, Iowa. She graduated from Harcourt Consolidated School in 1954 and completed her three-year nurse’s training at Iowa Methodist Hospital/Drake University in Des Moines in 1957. She met Galen Robert Tjossem while they were both working at Iowa Methodist Hospital and they were united in marriage February 23, 1958 at the Harcourt United Methodist Church. They made their home on the farm outside Primghar, IA where they raised their 3 sons. Mary Ellen worked as a nurse at the Hartley Memorial Hospital. 
Mary Ellen was extremely involved in the Paullina Friends Meeting and Peace Links. She was an avid quilter and spent many Thursdays with her beloved quilting group at Mapleside. 
She will be remembered for her light-hearted spirit, her quick laugh, her sense of humor, her never-ending energy, her wonderful hugs, and her ready support. She was known for her cooking and her awesome pies, cookies and cinnamon rolls. 
She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Galen, her sons, Mark of Primghar, Bruce (Barbara) of Richfield MN and Steven (Christine) of Minneapolis MN; her 3 grandchildren, Kari of New York NY, Kyle (fiancé Ashle) of Brooklyn Park MN and Hanna of Minneapolis MN; her sister, Louise Opheim of Stuart IA, her brother, Dan (Susan) of Westfield NJ, her sister-in-law, Eunice of Ann Arbor MI and her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Ralph.

 Alzeheimers Poem.docx [drive.google.com]
 Bruce Eulogy.docx [drive.google.com]