Louis Wynia, 85, Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2002, at Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital in Rock Rapids.

Services were Tuesday, Jan. 29, at Roste Funeral Home in Rock Rapids. Burial was in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Sioux Center, Iowa.

Louis Wynia was born to Frank and Johanna (Rodenburgh) Wynia on Aug. 19, 1916, in Maurice, Iowa. He grew up on the family farm near Maurice and attended school. After his education he worked as a farmhand.

He married Anna De Vos on Sept. 18, 1940, in Rock Valley, Iowa. The couple began farming near Ireton, Iowa. In 1954 they moved to a farm southeast of Rock Rapids. They farmed for 50 years. After they retired they continued to live on the acreage. He continued to help his son with spring fieldwork until the spring of 2000. He and his wife became residents of Rock Rapids Health Care Centre on Dec. 31, 2001. He was admitted to Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital on Jan. 17.

Survivors include his wife, Anna Wynia, Rock Rapids; four children, Frank (Mary) Wynia, Curtis (Sandy) Wynia, Nellie (Arthur) Van Veldhuisen, all of Rock Rapids, and Janice (Dennis) Weets, Grandview, Wash.; 28 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Martin (Wilmina) Wynia, Sioux Center, and Melvin (Arlene) Wynia, Luverne; and two sisters, Tena Wynia and Frances Wynia, both of Sioux Center.

Mr. Wynia was preceded in death by his parents, one son, Corwin, one great-granddaughter, Marissa Wynia, and one brother, Cornie.

Roste Funeral Home, Rock Rapids, was in charge of arrangements.

Gladys K. Balderston, 93, Luverne, formerly of Rushmore, died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, in Luverne Community Hospital.

Services were Friday, Jan. 25, at American Lutheran Church in Worthington. The Rev. Bill Blundell officiated. Burial was at Adrian Cemetery in Adrian.

Gladys Hokeness was born to Knute and Julia (Grefsrud) Hokeness on Aug. 25, 1908, in rural Rushmore. She grew up on the family farm and attended country school. She studied cosmetology in Madison, Wis., graduating in 1935. She worked for Bush Beauty Salon in Madison.

She moved to Los Angeles, Calif., in 1943 and went to work at Bullock's. She married Lowell Balderston in 1955. She later joined the staff at Joli-Cheri Beauty Salon in Sun City, Ariz. She retired to Rushmore in 1979. Because of declining health she later moved to Centennial Apartments in Luverne.

Mrs. Balderston loved classic literature and music.

Survivors include her sister-in-law, Alice Hokeness; and 14 nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Balderston was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, five brothers, Henry, Ray, Clarence, Casper and Gordon, and one sister, Margaret.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, was in charge of arrangements.

Harvey Ball, 75, Luverne, died Thursday, Jan. 31 at Luverne Community Hospital. Services will be Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Luverne, with Rev. Bart Fletcher officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, Feb. 4 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.

Alvin Eernesse, 65, Luverne, died Wednesday, Jan. 23 at the Luverne Community Hospital. Services will be Saturday, Jan. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the American Reformed Church, Luverne, with Rev. David Sikkema officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 25 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home.

Marjorie M. Subbert, 75, Highland Springs, Va., formerly of the Rock County area, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002.

Services were Saturday, Jan. 19, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Richmond, Va. Burial was in Washington Memorial Park, Sandston, Va.

Mrs. Subbert was an active member of St. PaulÕs Lutheran Church in Richmond.

Survivors include her husband, Norman H. Subbert, Highland Springs, one son, Steven E. Subbert, three daughters, Susan E. Gruis, Luverne, Sara E. Bias and Sheryl E. Thompson; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and one sister, Barbara Lingafelter.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 4700 Oakleys Lane, Richmond, VA 2323l.

Nelson Funeral Home, Richmond, was in charge of arrangements.

Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth eighth-grader Anthony Boyenga (top) closes in on a pin of Marshall's Kasey Westberg during Thursday's wrestling duel in Luverne. The Cardinals topped the Tigers 54-21 for their first Southwest Conference win of the season.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth wrestling team broke into the win column in Southwest Conference competition Thursday in Luverne.

Taking on a Marshall team that had to give away six forfeits, the Cardinals took advantage of the situation to record a 54-21 win to up their lead mark to 1-3.

The teams went 3-3 in the matches that were staged during the duel, with L-H-BC-E outscoring the Tigers 18-15 in those battles.

Forfeits to Dustin Donth (125), Dusty Seachris (130), Justin Mann (135) and Scott Goebel (140) and Brant Jacobs (152) and Canaan PetersenÕs 3:28 pin of Evan Cummings at 145 gave L-H-BC-E a commanding 36-0 lead.

Marshall countered with a 15-point run consisting of Brett LutmerÕs technical fall win over Jose Saravia, Jacob Muzzy's forfeit at 171 and Colby BrunsÕ 15-5 major decision over Joel Evans at 189 to trail by 21 points (35-15).

A forfeit to Cody Jagow at 275 and Anthony Boyenga's 3:02 pin of Kasey Westberg at 103 made it a 48-15 difference that iced the duel.

The match ended with Marshall's Keith Mahlerek pinning Kerry Fink in 5:58 at 112., and L-H-BC-E's Chris Tiesler sticking Nate Boerboom in 48 seconds at 119.

Match wrap-up
125 (L) Donth by forfeit.
130 (L) Seachris by forfeit.
135 (L) Mann by forfeit.
140 (L) Goebel by forfeit.
145 (L) Petersen pins Cummings.
152 (L) Jacobs by forfeit.
160 (M) Lutmer t.f. Saravia.
171 (M) Muzzy by forfeit.
189 (M) Bruns m.d. Evans.
275 (L) Jagow by forfeit.
103 (L) Boyenga pins Westberg.
112 (M) Mahlerek pins Fink.
119 (L) Tiesler pins Boerboom.

Elfie Markson, 102, died Friday, Jan. 18 at Mary Jane Brown Home, Luverne. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, with Rev. Maurice Hagen officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service.

Lawrence Steiner, 87, Luverne, died Sunday, Jan. 20 at Parkview Manor, Ellsworth. Services will be Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne, with Rev. Dell Sanderson and Rev. Maurice Hagen officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, Jan. 22 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.

By Sara Strong
The Luverne School Board dealt with unsettled contracts Thursday at its regular meeting.

Teacher Dave Svingen spoke on behalf of teachers when he addressed the board about the contracts. After 13 negotiations and two mediation sessions, teachers have been without contracts since July 1.

Svingen said to the board, "You are one of the unique school boards, the envy of 90 percent of the boards during their dire financial times. You have comfortable cash reserves and a community that passed the referendum."

With these factors considered, he said, "There seems to be not enough interest on your part to settle."

Svingen said that board members often comment on how they value staff and are proud of their work. He said backing those statements up with a contract the teachers support would mean more than praise.

"Do you want the average school?" Svingen said. "Then settle for an average contract. As an association, we are losing patience."

He reminded the board that they live in a community that values education and a board that fully supports teachers who are doing their jobs.

One of Svingen's personal concerns is his own retirement. He said that without a contract, he doesn't know if he can retire after 34 years of teaching.

He reminded the board of teachers' success in instilling the value of learning in Luverne students. He said 85 percent of the high school graduates go on to more schooling and 80 percent of those complete their degree.

Board Chair Don Bryan gave a report on negotiations as well. He said the Board tried to settle Nov. 1 with an offer of 9.17 percent salary increase over two years along with increases in sick and personal days which showed board support of teachers.

"We're very anxious to settle this contract. We do not want to negotiate in this meeting, but I'm reporting it to the board," Bryan said.

Standardized test results
The board also heard a presentation on student test results from the past few years.

Elementary Principal Melody Tenhoff said of the compiled results in general, "We're doing our job teaching the standards. There's always room for growth, and that's why we're here."

The tests included in the data included the well-known Iowa Basics. Tenhoff emphasized that material in tests may not match what the teachers are teaching and the results donÕt always measure an individual's growth.

In Luverne, for example, math computation scores have consistently started out low, because the curriculum is more about problem solving.

But with that base knowledge of problem solving, the computation scores increase in later grades and are well above average. In fact, a testing expert remarked to Tenhoff that sheÕd like to know what Luverne is doing to reach the high math scores.

The Basic Standards Test can catch students at risk for not passing early on. They can be helped early enough to make sure they make the graduation standards.

Jan Olson, curriculum coordinator, said, "We are testing our kids a lot and that's why we need to start looking at the data and see what we're doing with it."