Charles Wilhite, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and neighbor passed away on January 25, 2020, in Iowa City.
Mr. Wilhite was born April 6, 1930 in Udall, Kansas, the son of Arthur Wilhite and Mattie (Rucker) Wilhite. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas and graduated from Wichita East High School in 1948 where he was a multisport letterman. After high school, Mr. Wilhite joined the U.S. Navy where he served as an airman during the Korean War. He also wrestled more than 200 matches out of Naval Base San Diego earning All-Navy honors and winning the Pacific Fleet Championship in 1952. Following his service in the Navy, Mr. Wilhite attended Kansas State University on the GI Bill where he wrestled before graduating from Wichita State University in 1956. While in college he married his sweetheart and wife of 66 years, Marjorie Wilhite.
Mr. Wilhite’s professional career reflected his passion for athletics. He was a high school teacher and coach in Andover, Kansas for three years before beginning a long career providing recreational services for veterans first at the VA Hospital in Sheridan, Wyoming and then at the VA Hospital in Iowa City. He believed helping veterans with recreational and social interactions was an honor and a privilege. During his tenure with the VA, he also served as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor and held leadership positions with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). After retirement, he enjoyed domestic travel, reading, playing the piano, guitar and banjo with whatever country western group would have him, and his daily crossword puzzles. Like many Iowans, he also enjoyed University of Iowa sports and Chicago Cubs baseball.
Mr. Wilhite is survived by his wife, Marjorie; his son Chris and his wife Sue of Albuquerque, NM; his daughter Connie of Miami, NM; his son Jim and his wife Carlota of Bellevue, WA; his son Jeff of Iowa City; and his granddaughter Noelle of Aspen, CO. He is also survived by his brother Art of Wichita, KS; and his sister Mary of Springer, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Wilma and his brother John.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the First Methodist Church where he found a genuine sense of community, or Iowa City Hospice whose care and kindness were very meaningful in the last days of his life.
Henry J. Tayne (87) of Franklin (MA), formerly of Braintree and Boston, died at home on May 10, 2020 of congestive heart failure surrounded by his wife Barbie and their three girls. Henry and Barbara were high school sweethearts. They were married for 67 years and Henry often said they met in the cradle.
Henry was the beloved son of the late Henry J. Tayne, Sr. and Mary Gorey Tayne. He was a Staff Sgt. in the U.S. Air Force and a printer all his life, as were many of his family members before him. He was a member of the Boston Litho Club Inc. and was a magna cum laude graduate of Newbury Jr. College. He attended Boston State College and Dean College. He loved being with his family, spending time near the water, and exploring Boston and the Blue Hills.
He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara (Sullivan) Tayne, and his daughters: Kathie Tayne and Liz Tayne, both of Franklin, and Bobbi Tayne Gerlits and her husband Dave of Clinton. He is also survived by his two grandchildren: Henry and his wife Minah Gerlits of Leominster and Bessie Struck of Sudbury, and two great-grandchildren: Isaiah Struck and Tayne Gerlits. He is also survived by his sisters Ann Provost and Kay Griffin, both of Westwood, and predeceased by his brother, Eddie of North Attleboro, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and family friends.
Private arrangements are being done by Charles F. Oteri and Son Franklin Funeral Home. The family would prefer no flowers. Should you wish to make a donation in his memory, the family suggests the Franklin Food Pantry.
The family would like to thank the Franklin Fire Department, the staff at Milford Regional Medical Center, and Salmon VNA & Hospice for the care they provided.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Psalm 91 v16
Mummy, oh Mummy, where do we begin? We will begin by giving gratitude to God for your amazing life and for allowing us to have you till you were 90! The truth is you weren’t just our mum, but everyone’s mum, a neighbourhood mum and dearly loved by all who experienced your generous heart of gold. Your warm welcome stretched to extended family, friends, neighbours and even total strangers. You were extraordinary, and it felt as if you were going to be here forever.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This is a quote by the famous Maya Angelou and it sums you up perfectly. Mummy’s ability to generate that warm spirit with her radiant smile made everyone who met her feel special and loved. Whether you were a gardener, a driver or a doctor, she gave you her time lovingly.
Our dear mum was born on 18th January 1930 to Godfrey Crentsil and Elizabeth Sam in Dunkwa on Offin, where her father, an ex-serviceman, was stationed after the second world war. She attended St Mary’s Convent School for girls in Cape Coast and on completion of her standard seven education went straight into work in Takoradi where she lived for most of her life. She worked for three prominent companies in Takoradi at the time, AG Leventis, Taylor Woodrow and Elder Dempster Lines as a telephonist. She had the perfect telephone speaking voice, distinct, pleasant and with beautiful enunciation. She was also known for her sense of style and fashion and was captured by the Sunday Mirror newspaper. The caption read…
“Meet Ms Emma Crentsil, with a smashing set of white teeth, people queue up at the bus stop just to catch a glimpse of her”!
She definitely caught the eye of Thomas Edward Ampofo, our dad and her future husband, who worked with the Ministry of Forestry. Once she started a family she gave up work to become a stay- at-home mother, and what a mother… the rest is history!
A great pity if you didn’t get to savour this incredible Fanti woman’s palm soup and the rest of her sumptuous savoury dishes and delicious cakes. She had a flair for turning ordinary ingredients into the extraordinary, earning her the name ‘Onyim Nwia’, meaning she ‘rocked’ the kitchen! With Mummy creating special flavours, and aromas wafting through the house, her kitchen was a delightful and fun place to be. She was the undisputed queen of the kitchen, her kitchen had soul with a flavour all its own.
From Windy Ridge to Chapel Hill, she has always kept a beautiful tropical garden with a gorgeous selection of exotic flowers, where she would often sit and enjoy another of her favourite past times, drinking tea… Everyone who knew Mummy well, knows she loved and enjoyed different varieties of tea from every corner of the world and loved treating you to her latest selection. She had many interests, but her real passion was people, caring for them and making them feel they mattered. Her house was always filled with love, jokes, laughter and more love. Mummy had a great sense of humour and always had us in stiches with her captivating storytelling. We will dine out on her stories for a long time to come. We have treasured childhood memories with happiness all the way, she truly was our best friend.
Mummy’s 90th birthday was a magnificent celebration. It was wonderful for us all to see and share in her joy and the outpouring of love from the many video messages from around the world.
A Legend and an institution, Mummy was our rock, the centre of our lives. She struck a balance between being fun and being firm and you could never pull the wool over her eyes, a great disciplinarian.
You taught us kindness and love, and also the importance of God in our lives, so thank you mummy. Your passing is a massive loss to us and to the community. The pain is excruciating and to say we will miss you is an understatement. You will continue to live on in many hearts. We all got the best out of you and are eternally grateful. Gone, but will never be forgotten. With Emma Ampofo Crescent in Chapel Hill named after you, you still live on. There will never be another Emma Crentsil Ampofo, you were a one-off. Our memories of you are priceless, we love you dearly and will cherish them forever. When we need an angel, we know who to call.
Elegant, beautiful, sweet and charming, Mummy lived a full and wonderful life with pure class. She sparkled like a rare diamond, a true gem. In the last year she graciously prepared us for what was to come with her songs and gentle utterances “I’ve lived my life,” “I’m ready” and she would constantly sing the nursery rhyme “My grandfather’s clock” with a smile… as if to say, when I’m 90, I’m done.
Just like the song, on the 12th of April, 2020, at 9.50 am, her ‘clock stopped, never to go again’.
Ama Sekyiwa, Nana Akyere, Emma Crentsil, Mrs Ampofo, Auntie Emma, ‘Onyim Nwia’, Mother Supremo… Although you’re with the angels now, your guiding light still shines on each of us.
So long Mummy, rest in perfect peace. Your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren XXX
Let me tell you all the story of a man named Davey… (with apologies to Charlie and the MTA)
I was working from home on Tuesday, and after a nice lunch with my wife, something strange happened. As we were sitting there, calmly talking my vision split into two, like I was going cross eyed.
That was startling, but then something scary happened. I was looking right at Bobbi, asking her if my eyes were crossing. She said that they were not moving at all. As I listened to her, the left hand image of Bobbi moved from 9 o’clock in my field of vision up to 1 o’clock, and the right hand image of Bobbi at 3 o’clock moved down to 7 o’clock. It stayed this way for about 5 minutes, and then my vision returned to normal.
It thought it was just weird, but Bobbi, being the wise woman she is, got on the internet and read me information about what could cause my vision to go wacko, most of which concerned a stroke or maybe a mini-stroke. At first I was skeptical, but after I was hit with a bout of dizziness, I agreed that we should go to the ER and get me checked out.
We drove to the emergency room in Clinton (MA) hospital, and the swept me right in and started to work on me. They took all my vitals, took some blood for testing, and figured that they needed to look inside my head. Luckily these days they can do this without cracking your skull, but since the CT machine at the hospital was down for repairs, they sent my by ambulance to the hospital in Leominster MA.
There they gave me two CT scans of my head and neck, the second with “contrast” that let them see more details of how the blood was flowing in my brain. They had an idea of what might have happened, and gave me a baby aspirin to help slow the clotting process. They admitted me for overnight observation, and gave me an MRI scan the next day. The results of all of these tests were that I had no visible damage to the brain, but that I had had a Transient Ischemic Events (TIA). That is a stroke that starves a part of your brain of blood for a while, but then the “clog” apparently clears.
This is not “all over now” because this TIA can be a warning of an underlying problem, or a precursor to a full blown stroke. I’m taking a couple of days off, and will not be traveling to Brazil this weekend for business. The business meeting was cancelled because I could not attend, but I feel good enough to go back to work in my home office this Monday.
I have cut way back on the caffeine, and I’m hoping to eliminate it all together. I have a follow-up with the neurologist and an appointment with a cardiologist to check me out for those vascular related things that can lead to the blood clots. The good news is that my cholesterol is excellent, my blood pressure is in the right zone, and all of the walking, yoga, and dancing that I am doing is “just what the doctor ordered.”
So, let me be a cautionary tale about strokes. They are not just the big ones where you can’t walk or talk, but can be much smaller, and even go away. These let you know that you are in the danger zone for big ones that can cripple or kill you. So take them all seriously and get checked out!
Sad news. Our mother, Mildred Katherine Davis Peterson passed away this morning.She was 89. Alzheimer’s.Still making funeral plans in Phoenix at St. Agnes Parish.Pastor Brad Peterson will be presiding. Brother Joe made a video for her 80th birthday. It is on vimeo.
Our younger brother passed away October 28, 2019. 55. Colon cancer. Get checked… Truly Jim Peterson
Mildred “Mickey” Katherine Davis Peterson
Mildred Katherine (Davis) Peterson, 89, passed away peacefully on January 20, 2020 at The Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mickey was one of nine children, born August 14, 1930 to Ray and Katherine Davis and raised on the family farm near Bayard, Iowa. After high school graduation in Bayard she worked in Des Moines for Look Magazine and later as a medical assistant. She met our dad, Willard (Pete) Peterson, on a blind date and they married on Dec. 27, 1952 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Mickey and Pete moved from Iowa in 1974, making Phoenix their home, though Iowa was always in her heart. Bayard High School was where Mickey wrote for the Yearbook and School paper, played basketball and was the Homecoming Queen. She stayed in touch with her graduating class of 1948 for decades.
Once their babies started coming, Mickey gladly became a stay at home mother who raised seven children, one of whom had very special needs. While ably and creatively caring for their brood, Mom also gardened, canned fruit and vegetables, sewed, gave lots of haircuts and perms and gave each of her children a love for learning and a deep faith. Our Mom was one of a kind and made our childhood lots of fun.
She was a collector of people in need, often taking people in for days, weeks or months. She was always willing and able to set another place at our large table at a moment’s notice and seemed never to stop baking while we were all at home. Our mom was an amazing mother with a legendary sweet tooth. We children often enjoyed homemade cookies after school. In our teens, when we got too busy to eat breakfast, she would quickly put a warm oatmeal cookie and a glass of chocolate milk into our hands as we ran out the door as she believed that was almost a nutritious breakfast!
Mom believed that her children and grandchildren were capable of whatever they set their minds on achieving. She supported them, encouraged them and taught them that kindness is a virtue and hard work would move them towards the goals they had set. She was Mom to many and Grandma to a special 17. She had a beautiful soul, the world’s biggest heart and a kind word for everyone.
While Alzheimer’s Disease slowly robbed her of so many of her capacities, she never lost her love for music, her innate happiness and peace. She became pure LOVE in the end. She was greatly loved and will be sorely missed.
Mickey is preceded in death by her parents Ray Judson Davis and Mary Katherine (Burkhardt) Davis, her siblings John Davis, Mary Curl, Helen Halterman, Joseph Davis, Loretta Evans, Lenore Pemble, Madonna Bates, her son’s Gregory, Gerard Davis, Brian Jerome and her husband Willard Lewis (Pete) Peterson.
Left to cherish her memory are her sister Ruth Shoulders, brothers-in-law Billy House (Sarah), Dean Peterson (Judy), Doug Peterson (Elaine); sisters-in-law Carolyn Durant (Paul), Ann Hartwig (Dick), children Joseph Carl (Patty), James Ray, Cynthia Ann Leonard (Michael), Fr. Bradley Lewis Peterson, O. Carm., and Kerry Michelle LaMountain (Scott), Grandchildren Rachel Peterson, Kurt Peterson, Lucas Peterson, Nathan Peterson, Elizabeth Peterson, David Peterson, Jeffrey Peterson, Robert Peterson, Thomas Peterson, John Leonard (Leslie), Andrew Leonard (Alexandra), Benjamin Leonard, Michael Leonard, Jr., Kelly Boyd (Jameson), Matthew LaMountain, Gabrielle LaMountain, Stephen LaMountain and many nieces and nephews.
The family of Mickey Peterson wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Arizona State Veteran’s Home whose caring staff provided excellence in nursing care and genuinely charitable support for our whole family.
Memorials may be given to St. Agnes Catholic School, 1954 N. 24th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85008.
Jean Olive Kaelber of Keystone Place at Forevergreen-North Liberty passed away Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at the age of 91.
Jean was born Aug. 2, 1928, in Binghamton, N.Y., the daughter of Donald and Ethel Olive. She was a 1945 graduate of Oneonta High School and a 1948 graduate of Highland Hospital School of Nursing in Rochester, N.Y., where she continued on as head nurse.
On March 3, 1949, she was united in marriage to Dr. William W. Kaelber in Canandaigua, N.Y. The couple moved to Iowa City, Iowa, in 1955, where her husband had accepted an appointment at the University of Iowa.
After years of raising four children, Jean returned to school, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (with distinction) in 1975 and her master’s degree in nursing service administration in 1977. She worked as the interim director of nursing and part-time staff nurse at Oaknoll Retirement Residence from 1977 to 1980, and then for Mercy Hospital Home Health and Continuing Care as a discharge planner.
She was granted leave in 1982 and 1984 to volunteer for two stints as a nurse with the American Refugee Committee in Thailand. In years following, Jean worked as a volunteer for the Visiting Nurse Association and was a board member and past president of Iowa City Hospice, where she was honored as Volunteer of the Year in 1985. She also was a board member of the American Cancer Society and volunteered at the Johnson County Courthouse.
Jean loved to travel and learn about different cultures all over the world, visiting many places including Thailand, Africa, Europe and China, to name just a few.
She is survived by her daughter, Candice Kaelber of Coralville; and sons, John (Penny) Kaelber of Coralville and Mitchell (Cynthia) Kaelber of Phoenix, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her husband, William; and son, Bill. A private family service is planned. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Iowa City Hospice. The family would like to thank Jean’s lifelong friends, Kathleen McLaughlin and Janet Way for their friendship and support.
Chalmers (“Bump”) Elliott, our loving father, grandfather and friend, died peacefully surrounded by family on December 7, 2019, in Iowa City.
He was born January 30, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan to the late Norman and Alice Elliott. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 66 years, Barb; son, Bob; brothers, Joe, Pete and Jim and sister, Margaret.
Bump’s pride and joy were his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family. He is survived by his son, Bill (Jan); daughter, Betsy (John); daughter-in-law, Joey; special friends, Ken and Sue Nickels; grandchildren, Grant (Jessica), Jessica (Kyle), Sam (Nina), Madeline, Jeff (Sarah), John (Stephanie) and Mike (Kady) and his magnificent great-grandchildren, Levi, Robin, Gideon, Elizabeth, Alice, Elijah, Elliott, Mara, Lillian, Ruth, Daphne, Dexter and William; sister-in-law, Carol Hake; sister-in-law, Maerene Conard; brother-in-law, Bill Conard (Marilyn); and many nieces and nephews.
Bump lived a full and wonderful life. He was a proud Marine who served in the Pacific in World War II. For over 75 years he epitomized the best values of the Big Ten athletic conference and its member institutions. His fundamental beliefs in academic excellence, gender equality, honesty, diversity and athletic achievement guided his life and career as a student athlete, coach and administrator. Bump proudly represented Purdue University, the University of Michigan, the University of Iowa, the Big Ten and the best of college athletics since 1943.
Bump was a true gentleman, a good, kind man who treated everyone he met with kindness and respect. He was gracious and humble, always seeking to deflect accolades to others. The very definition of class. But, Bump was also a ferocious athletic competitor. He was an all-state high school football star at Bloomington, Illinois, All-American two-way halfback on Michigan’s 1947 Rose Bowl and national champion team, the Big Nine’s most valuable player, captain of the College All-Star football team, three-sport letterman at Purdue and Michigan, and coached Oregon State, Iowa and Michigan to championships and Rose Bowl victories. The Rose Bowl held a special place in Bump’s heart. In 1989, he was inducted into the initial class of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, having participated as a player, assistant coach, head coach, assistant athletic director, athletic director and father of a son coaching in the famous game.
As Iowa’s Athletic Director for over 21 years, Bump provided leadership and guidance for the coaches and staff, enabling them to succeed on and off the field. He was particularly proud of his support for the growing women’s athletic programs at Iowa and nationally. There was nothing Bump loved more than to stand in the background, watching Iowa teams successfully compete.
Bump loved family gatherings and reunions. Every year his CLEO grandchildren would get together for an Iowa football game and enjoy his company and football insights. His greatest achievement was providing his family a daily example of how to live a serving life.
We are confident Bump has now joined his beloved son and brothers at their favorite restaurant to celebrate his arrival with an orange freeze. Bump’s memory will live on through the thousands of men and women who loved him throughout his great life.
The family would like to thank the wonderful nurses, staff and friends at the Oaknoll Retirement Residence and the nurses and staff at Iowa City Hospice.
A memorial service and reception was held at 2 pm Friday, December 13th at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 140 Gathering Place Lane in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the University of Iowa’s C.W. “Bump” Elliott Football Scholarship Fund c/o University of Iowa Center for Advancement, 1 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242 and/or the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church’s capital building fund.
Thank you again for keeping us all connected! Just a quick up date from sunny Arizona :
I recently re-retired from coaching track and cross country at Embry Riddle University in Prescott, AZ. Getting too old to chase 20 year olds on mountain trails…even on a bike! Did have the privilege of being a part of 8 Cal-Pac Conference Championships and coaching 8 NAIA All American runners during my tenure as assistant coach. Our boys cross country team was 4th in the nation (NAIA) this year. It was a fun time.
Had the pleasure of catching up with former West High Track Coach Gary Hollingsworth in October. We had a great visit and look forward to connecting again this spring when I get back to Iowa.
Tami (Thompson ’74) and I bought a cabin near the Grand Canyon and will spend Xmas there with our kids and 5 year old granddaughter.
Now I can look forward to playing golf, arthritis, going blind, becoming deaf, using a walker and getting bald(er)! Ain’t retirement great?
