The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 7

Moines Register ST NATIONAL NEWS Friday, May 9, 2003 Page 7A DERREL L. VAN MERSBERGEN Fremont Derrel L. Van Mersbergen, 58, of rural Fremont passed late Tuesday afternoon, May 6, 2003 at lowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa with Reverend Robert Timmer officiating; a family prayer service will precede the service at 10:15 a.m.

in the church basement. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery near Leighton. Derrel L. Van Mersbergen, son of Marius (Mose) and Marjorie Vander Schaaf Van Mersbergen was born in Oskaloosa on October 24, 1944. He was a 1958 graduate of the Oskaloosa Christian School.

On April 20, 1965, he married Kathy Meinders in Pella. He sold life insurance for Life Investors for 12 years, while living in Leighton. He started farming near Fremont in 1976. His son later joined him in operating the family farm; they continued farming together until the time of his death. Derrel's memory is honored by his wife, Kathy; three daughters and a son; Patty and her husband, Todd Zylstra Pella; Stuart Van Mersbergen and his Roxie McVay of Fremont; Valerie and her husband Jason Bandstra of Oskaloosa; and Kimberly Van Mersbergen of Brooklyn, NY; his two grandchildren, Zachary and Alexa Zylstra of Pella; his mother, Marjorie Van Mersbergen of Oskaloosa; two brothers, Norman and his wife, Vickie Van Mersbergen of Cedar; and Gary Van Mersbergen of Charlotte, IA; two sisters, Mary and her husband, John Roose of New Sharon and Florene and her husband, Brian Tucker of Pensacola, FL.

His father preceded Derrel in death. Visitation will begin on Thursday, May 8 after 2 p.m.; the family will be present on Friday, May 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. to greet visitors Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa. Memorials may be made to the Back to God Hour or the Bible League. STELLA I.

GROSZ Des Moines Mrs. Stella Grosz, 79, passed away May 8, 2003, at lowa Methodist Medical Center. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church. A private family burial will follow cremation.

Stella was born in Britton, SD, and had lived in the Des Moines area since 1946. She was a school teacher in South Dakota and a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines. Survivors include husband, Clarence Grosz of Des Moines; daughter, Rebecca Burns of North Platte, NE; son, Kenneth Grosz of Denver, CO; and four grandchildren, Jennifer, Jamie, Brian and Megan. Family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Westover Funeral Home.

Memorials can be sent to Westminster Presbyterian Church or Calvin Community. Westover Iles Funeral Homes MARCELLA JUNE BOYLAN Ames Marcella Boylan died May 7, 2003. Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Ames, with burial in Ames Municipal Cemetery. Family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday at Adams Funeral Home in Ames. DOROTHY BLACKWOOD Newton Dorothy Blackwood, 92, died Wednesday, May 5, 2003. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday, May 12 at the Newton Union Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Monday at the Pence Funeral Home in Newton. Funeral Home The Des Moines Register runs obituaries at no charge for the first eight lines. Families who choose to present additional information may do so for a fee. Please consult your funeral director or call 515-284-8021. All obituaries may be viewed online for 120 days at www.DesMoinesRegister.com JOHN F.

HENRY Madrid John F. Henry, 69, died on Wednesday, May 7,2003, at his home, following complications of a stroke. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 10, 2003, at Sundberg-Kirkpatrick Funeral Home, Madrid, with the Rev. Brian Danner officiating.

Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery, near Madrid, with military honors conducted by: the Madrid V.F.W. Post John was born the son of John and Mildred Roskowski Henry on February 5, 1934, at Toledo, Ohio. He was formerly employed by the City of Des Moines. John was an army veteran during the Korean War.

He was a member of the Polk City American Legion, and a life member past-commander of the Madrid AMVETS. John enjoyed fishing and hunting. He is survived by: his loving companion of 22 years, with whom he shared a home, June Fulton of Madrid; 2 sons, James Henry William Henry both of Des Moines; 1 daughter, Jeannie Viers of Des Moines; 2 sisters, LuAnn Hayes Kathleen Kinshaw Robert both of of Toledo, Ohio; 1 brother, Henry Lambertville, Michigan; and several grandchildren. Friends may call after 2:00 p.m. today, at Sundberg-Kirkpatrick Funeral Home, in Madrid, where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m.

Sundberg-Kirkpatrick Iles Funeral Homes EDWINA EVELYN STEVENS Blue Eye, MO Edwina Evelyn Stevens, 93, of Blue Eye, MO, died Tuesday, May 6, 2003 in Forsyth Nursing and Rehab in Forsyth, MO. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 9 in Pines Community Christian Church in Blue Eye at 10 a.m., under the direction of Whelchel Funeral Chapel in Branson. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. in the Masonic Cemetery in Des Moines on Saturday, May 10, 2003. Mrs.

Stevens was born April 16, 1910, in Alexandria, SD, the daughter of Lena (St. John) and Edward E. Shutt. Edwina was a member of the Pines Community Christian Church in Blue Eye. She was a 52 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, 31 year member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and a 31 year member of the Telephone Pioneers.

Survivors include a daughter, Ruth Ostwinkle and husband James; and a son, Ralph Stevens, all of Hollister, MO; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one nephew, Don Bruce of TX. She was preceded in death by her husband, F. Joe Stevens; her parents; and two sisters, Bernice and Gale. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. SHERRI ELAINE VAN METER Glidden Sherri Elaine Van Meter, 44, passed away unexpectedly at home, May 6, 2003.

Services at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at the Dahn Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden. Friends call the Funeral Home after 5 p.m., today, prayer service at 7 p.m. MICHAEL S. GARCIA Des Moines Des Moines Michael, 17 months, died Services are 11 a.m.

May 10 Cemetery. Visitation is 5 to 7 Hamilton's Funeral Home. by his parents, Constantino brothers, Victor, Brian and JAMES WREN Des Moines James was born in Knoxville and has lived in Des Moines since 1945. He was a truck driver for Hayes Cartage Co. and a handy man who could fix anything.

He enjoyed gardening and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Mr. Wren is survived by wife, Amanda Wren of Des Moines; sons, Ed Wren of Pleasant Hill and Mike and Laura Wren of Winterset; brothers, Richard and Charlene Wren and Robert and Pat Wren; sisters, Mary Heinen, Anna Greubel, Lucille Wren and Martha Clare; grandsons, Lonnie, Cody and Nick Wren; granddaughters, Robyn, Jenny and Sandy Wren; preceded in death by brother, Leo Wren.

Visitation after 4 p.m. today, with family present from 5-7 p.m. A Vigil Service will be at 7 p.m. at Grandview Park Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to St.

Joseph's Catholic Church. Grandview Park Iles Funeral Homes ARTHUR JOHN YOUNG Carlisle Arthur John Young, 87, of Carlisle, died Saturday, May 3, 2003 at Carlisle Care Center. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, with cremation following services.

Arthur served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He had worked as a carpenter and had managed apartments. He was a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.

He is survived by wife, Marion Young of Carlisle; a son, Howard Young of Ventura, CA; two daughters, Melva Barlow of Carlisle and Chloe Weber of Edgerton, WI; three brothers, Walter and Harold Young, both of St. Cloud, MN, Donald Peter Young of Florence, OR; a sister, Rose Pedersen of Aitken, MN; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Richardson Funeral Home in Carlisle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association.

EVA MCCULLOUGH Des Moines Eva McCullough, 75, died May 7, 2003 at the Taylor House. Funeral services will be at the McLaren's Chapel, Saturday May 10. at 2 p.m. Interment will be at the Resthaven Mausoleum. She was a member of the Gatchel United Methodist Church.

She is survived by a sister, Armetta Keeney Carlisle and a brother, Harold Kennedy of Cedar Rapids. She is preceded in death by her husband, Howard; brothers, Deane, Edwin and Olan; and one sister, Neva Malone. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Family will be present one hour before the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to her church or to the Taylor House. McLaren's Chapel Dignity at Resthaven Cemetery MARY DONAHEY ROHRET Stuart Mary Donahey Rohret, 85, of Stuart and Des Moines, died of heart failure on Monday, May 5, 2003 at home, surrounded by her family. Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Des Moines.

Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Stuart. She is survived by four daughters and three sons: Elizabeth Hampel, Mary Claire Rohret, James Rohret, John Rohret, Bernice Rohret, Rose Turner, and Joseph Rohret; fourteen grandchildren; and her sister, Rita McGuire. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Ruppert Funeral Home in Stuart, where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. and where a service will be held at 7:30 p.m.

RICHARD H. CARLSON Des Moines Richard H. Carlson passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2003 in Mission, TX, where he spent his winters. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, May 12, at Hamilton's Funeral Home on Lyon.

SERVICE AND VISITATION announce Alice Deniece Bates John Cason Walter R. Johnson Marion D. Wilson PM Friday at 10:30 AM Friday at Hamilton's 11 AM Friday at Westover 276-4567 11 AM Friday at Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Southtown Funeral Home 285-3911 Chester Beerbower Donal Cunningham Andrea M. Meier Hiram 10 AM Saturday at 11 AM Saturday at St. Theresa's Monday Catholic Church James Wren at Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Easton Baptist Church 6-8 PM Sunday 10 AM Saturday at Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Family Greeting St.

Joseph's Catholic Church Memorial Prayer Richard Carlson Sunday at Westover 276-4567 Vigil 7 Family Greeting 5-7 PM Friday PM Friday at Grandview 11 AM Monday at Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 11 AM Michael Saturday at Garcia Larry Pegg 11 AM Friday at Laurel Hill Cemetery New Testament Baptist Church Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Grandview Park 265-1652 ILES FUNERAL HOMES Stella I. Grosz Nathan "N-8" Ratliff Memorial 11 AM Saturday at 11 AM Friday at Personalized Funeral and Presbyterian Church Hamilton's Gardens Near Highland 289-2442 Cremation Services Westminster Family Greeting 5-7 PM Friday at Memory McLaren's Chapel Westover Funeral Home 276-4567 Video Tributes, Customized Folders, 19th Ashworth, Ruth Elizabeth Memorial Candles Reception Centers 515-225-7225 Sparks 2 PM Saturday at For Service Information Call Ankeny Funeral Home Robert Hughes Dunn's Glendale Funeral Cemetery Home 244-2121 Crematory 11 Salvation AM Friday Army, at 1000 Illinios Accessible from the West during the 515-270-8007 1510 W. 1st St. 515-964-4674 Hamilton's Funeral Home 243-5221 Grand Avenue Closing Knoxville HATCH Mr. Robert Hatch, 76, died May 7, 2003 at the Knoxville Area Community Hospital.

Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Knoxville. Burial, with military honors will be in Graceland Cemetery also in Knoxville. Bob lived and farmed in the Knoxville area his entire life and was a Navy Veteran of WWII. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Odd Fellows Lodge and the V.F.W.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca; children, Steve and wife Nancy, Bill and wife Carol, Cerena McCoy, Rhonda Ballou and Donna Flattery and husband Jerry; brother, Corwin Hatch; sister, Mary Elizabeth Durham, all of Knoxville: 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Visitation will begin after 10 a.m. day at Bybee Davis Funeral Home, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. that evening. Memorial contributions may be made to the family in order to defray medical expenses of Lucas Beck's (Bob's great-grandson) chemotherapy at Blank Children's Hospital.

JAMES A. RENES Indianola James A. Renes, 72, died Wednesday, May 7, 2003, at lowa Methodist Hospital. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola, with burial in the 1.0.0.F.

Cemetery. James was born in Des Moines and had lived west of Indianola since 1961. He was a self-employed brick mason and farmer, a member of Local in Des Moines and enjoyed cards, raising dogs and Christmas trees. He is survived by his wife, Norma; son, Randy; daughters, Jennifer Middleswart and Tammi Woolsey, all of Indianola; two brothers, Clarence and Robert, both of Des Moines; and two grandchildren. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m.

on Friday at Overton Funeral Home with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. STELLA MAE WASSON METZGER Leon Mrs. Metzger, 81, died Tuesday, May 6, 2003. Services are 10 a.m. Saturday, May 10 at the Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon, with burial in Leon Cemetery.

Visitation is at the funeral home Friday with family present from 7 to 8 p.m. LUCILLE HILLIARD Des Moines Mrs. Hilliard, 86, died May 7, 2003. Services will be 10 a.m., Saturday at Evangelical Covenant Church. Burial will be in Highland Memory Gardens.

Visitation 9 a.m. until time of service on Saturday at the Church. McLaren's Chapel Dignity, at Resthaven Cemetery SENTA HOLST Avoca Senta Holst, 96, passed away April 19, 2003. Services were held on April 22 at Pauley Knutson Funeral Home in Avoca. Survivors include Gaylan Holst of Griswold and Sherry Koch of Cumming.

HOWARD SMITH Massena Howard Smith, 75, died Tuesday, May 6, 2003 at his home. Services at 10:30 a.m. at Cumberland Community Building in Cumberland. Burial will be in Victoria Cemetery in Massena. Steen Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Iowa would gain millions from Senate tax bill By JANE NORMAN REGISTER WASHINGTON BUREAU Washington, D.C. Iowa would gain an estimated $130 million to $166 million annually over the next two years in additional federal aid under the tax-cut bill approved on a mostly party-line vote Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee. The $441 billion bill includes $20 billion in aid for states suffering from the economic downturn and hard-pressed to pay for schools, health care for low-income residents, and homeland security. In Iowa, the state and cities are facing stiff financial problems, with Des Moines considering clos- tax-cut measure with $40 billion in state assistance. The Democrat's bill is in line with some governors' contention that more money is needed.

States face a collective $68 billion shortfall next year. Iowa Republican Charles Grassley, Senate Finance Committee chairman, said he would not support any moves to cut state aid lower than $20 billion when the bill is debated. Debate is expected to begin Monday and stretch into mid-week. Sen. John Rockefeller, called the $20 billion "inadequate." During the committee action, Republicans rebuffed major amendments to the tax-cut legislation and approved it 12-9.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, voted with the Republicans. Wednesday night, Grassley brokered a compromise with Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, a moderate Republican. She opposed a big stock dividend tax cut as part of the package, as well as an initial plan by Grassley for a three-year dividend tax break.

Snowe and other senators also have been insistent about aid to states, which is not a component of the House bill or President Bush's plan. In the Grassley bill, each state would get at least $100 million in assistance, with additional money distributed on a per basis. The pot of money in each state would be divided equally between state and local governments with few strings attached. It could be ing city offices an extra day a week. The $20 billion aid package possibly could be increased when the bill gets to the floor of the Senate Democratic senators have proposed an alternative the Senate Outside Here's a look Charles Grassley's package outside WHITE HOUSE: Fleischer said president still wants a 100 percent exclusion of taxes for dividends.

"The beginnings gotten off substantially a good start," at reaction to Sen. tax-cut the Senate: Spokesman Ari Thursday the Fleischer Fleischer said. "No question there are differences in some of the substantive levels of the dividend tax cut. We'll work through the process." HOUSE: The House is set to debate its $550 billion tax-cut plan today. House leaders have been especially critical of Senate GOP moderates and efforts to reduce the size of the tax cut.

Grassley used for education, job training, health care including Medicaid, transportation, law enforcement or "other essential government services." Conservative lawmakers were unhappy the dividend tax cut wasn't bigger in the proposal. "We didn't do enough, in my opinion, to eliminate the double taxation of dividends," said Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla. The president wanted a total elimination of taxes on dividends over 10 years. The bill approved by the committee allows stockholders to exclude $500 of their dividend income from taxes, which Grassley says would cover 86 percent of those who receive dividends.

In addition, for the first five years of the 10- year bill, stockholders could exclude up to 10 percent of their additional dividends from taxes. During the second five years, up to 20 percent of additional dividends would get a tax break. The dividend tax exclusion portion of the tax-cut legislation makes up about $80 billion of the cost of the bill. Grassley said his proposal represents a "reasonable compromise" from what the president proposed in January. Democrats said the package would drive up the deficit and do little to aid a struggling May 5, 2003.

at Laurel Hill p.m. today at He is survived and Paula and Jonathan. Climber who amputated own arm describes ordeal By COLLEEN SLEVIN ASSOCIATED PRESS Grand Junction, Colo. Pinned by a boulder that rolled onto his arm in a remote canyon, adventurer Aron Ralston says he first took a dull pocketknife to his forearm after three days, but couldn't cut the skin. In his first meeting with reporters since he walked, bloody and dehydrated, out of a remote Utah canyon, Ralston described Thursday what it took for him to eventually do the unthinkable cutting off his own arm to save his life.

"I'm not sure how I handled it," the mechanical engineer said, the stump of his right arm in a sling. "I felt pain and I coped with it. I moved on." A day after his first attempt to cut his arm, Ralston, 27, went through the motions of applying a tourniquet, laying out bike shorts to use for padding. He worked out how to get through the bone with the knife he carried. On the fifth day, he summoned up all his technique and nerve.

"I was able to first snap the radius and then within another few minutes snap the ulna at the wrist and from there, I had the knife out and applied the tourniquet and went to Ralston task. It was a process that took about an hour," he said. Ralston's ordeal began April 26, during what was supposed to be a day trip near Canyonlands National Park. Ralston became hopelessly pinned as he scrambled over three boulders wedged into a narrow canyon. One of the boulders, weighing an estimated 800 pounds, rolled as he climbed over it, trapping his right arm against a cliff face.

Even after his excruciating operation, what Ralston had to do to survive required skills beyond the abilities of most. On May 1, he crawled through a narrow, winding canyon, rappelled down a 60-foot cliff and walked some six miles down the southeastern Utah canyon. By the time he encountered hikers and then rescuers, Ralston was just two miles from the nearest road..