Another Year is Almost in the Books

Well, 2011 is almost in the books - and I'll get to that in a minute.

In the meantime, we kicked off the year with an inspiring story about Filipe Camarotti and his mother, Maria, who set an excellent example of achieving your goals after bringing her family from Brazil to Cedar Rapids. He earned a full-ride scholarship to Bowdoin College in Maine.

And we ended the year with Wednesday's column about the Dingalings, a group of happy bell-playing retired residents from Garnett Place in Cedar Rapids who vow to keep ringing well into the new year.

In between, we held a conversation with Yokey Bear (left), that great stuffed animal that's stood guard at the Ox Yoke Inn in Amana since 1955, and wandered around hosta gardens with Josh Spece (below) in his wheelchair that he wouldn't let become an obstacle to realizing his dream at Independence.

We met Joe Scherbring of Manchester who, at 79, had driven semi-trailer trucks 4.6 million miles over a 40-year period, most recently with CRST Inc., in Cedar Rapids.

Since the Civil War started 150 years ago, I wrote about it several times including one where I spent the day as a Union soldier in a re-enactment at Ushers Ferry west of Cedar Rapids.

We met George "Gus" Oujiri and Wilfred "Zip" Zipperer, both of Cedar Rapids, who had been friends for 81 years.

Yet, 75 seemed to be a magic number, from talking to Helen Kurth of Coggon who had played the organ for 75 years at United Parish church, formerly a Methodist church, to visiting Gene and Vern Ann Baxter of Cedar Rapids who celebrated their 75th anniversary in August.

Now to the books.

In the spring I wrote about Ray "Dutch" Coleman who died at 95 on Feb. 1 and his wife, Sadie, who died at 90 on Feb. 18 of a broken heart. They had been married 73 years and were each other's lives even as both suffered from dementia in later years. Their daughter, Loretta Coleman-Prybil of Riverside, vowed to write a booklet about caring for one's parents in later years.

Loretta has completed her 56-page book, "Tips and Suggestions in Caring for Dementia/Alzheimer Loved Ones." If you're interested, contact her at 1498 Underwood Ave., Riverside, Iowa 52327.

Later I wrote about Vinnie Ream, a nationally known sculptor who spent summers in Iowa City until her death in 1914. Paul Juhl, an Iowa City historian, filled me in since he was writing a book about her, in particular about her sculpture of Iowa's Civil War governor Samuel Kirkwood for the U.S. Capitol.

Paul has finished his spiral-bound booklet about Vinnie. You can contact him at Lhujpc@aol.com or by mail at 832 West Side Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52246.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say that 2011 was a big year for my Ramblin' column with the publication of "Ramblin': Reflections of Hidden Iowa" by The Gazette. The coffee-table style book will be available through next year as I celebrate the 30th anniversary of my first Ramblin' column in May. It includes 102 columns with photographs that represent the variety of stories I've penned through the years.

I'll be talking about my book in Eastern Iowa appearances including Jan. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Marion Public Library. I'll sign books if you'd like to purchase one. You also can stop at The Gazette offices in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City to pick up a copy for $34.95 or order one online at TheGazette.com or for an order form go directly to: http://alpha.gazlab.com/design-host/RamblinOrderForm.pdf

Hey, also stop by my blog at http://thegazette.com/ramblin or, while you're at TheGazette.com, scroll down about a third of the page and find the icon for Ramblin' Blog. I'll be posting my columns as well as other information most days. That's what I'd done on a couple of previous blogs. I'm glad to be back for 2012.

Comments: (319) 398-8323; dave.rasdal@sourcemedia.net