Two men died and a woman was injured in two separate accidents in Poweshiek County on the morning of Thursday, June 19.
          The first incident was reported at 7:16 a.m.
      According to the Iowa State Patrol crash report, the three-vehicle incident, which included two semitrucks, took place at the eastbound mile marker 185 on I-80.
          Vehicle one, a 2017 International Semitruck with an oversize load driven by Gerald Allen Mayfield, 76, of Onalaska, Texas, had blown a tire and was parked on the eastbound shoulder.
          Vehicle two, a 2006 Ford F350, was a pilot vehicle driven by Brenton Fregia of Troutman, N.C., who had parked behind Mayfield’s semi and was outside attending to the flat tire.
        A third vehicle, a 1995 Kenworth Semitruck driven by Larry Comstock, 66, of Stronghurst, Ill., was traveling eastbound on I-80 when it struct vehicle two (the pilot truck), located behind vehicle one, causing a fatal injury to Fregia.
          Fregia was taken to Unity Point Grinnell by Grinnell EMS and Christina Marie Leeth, 48, of Onalaska, Texas, a passenger in the semitruck (vehicle one) driven by Mayfield, was transported by Grinnell EMS to Unity Point Grinnell. It is not known what type of injuries Leeth suffered. The ISP reported she was wearing a seatbelt.
           Responding agencies included Grinnell Fire and Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DOT, Poweshiek County EMA and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
Second accident
      In a second accident, a Belle Plaine man lost his life in a two-vehicle accident on V-18 and 460th Avenue.
         The incident was reported at 7:40 a.m.
        According to the Iowa State Patrol crash report, James John Jacobi, 70, was traveling southbound on V-18 in a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville when he was struck by vehicle two, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, traveling northbound on V-18 and driven by Joshua Allen Klein, 37, of Brooklyn.
      According to the ISP crash report, vehicle two crossed the centerline into the southbound lane, crashing into vehicle one. The ISP reported that vehicle one attempted to maneuver onto the shoulder, but vehicle two continued towards vehicle one, striking it and causing damage to the front driver’s side of both vehicles.
       Vehicle one came to rest in the west ditch facing north and vehicle two came to rest in the north travel lane facing south.
      Jacobi, who was in vehicle one, lost his life in the crash and was transported to Holland Coble Funeral Home by Montezuma Ambulance.
      No other information on the crash was made available.
   Responding agencies included Brooklyn Fire, Montezuma Fire and Ambulance, Poweshiek County Secondary Roads, East Poweshiek Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol, UIHC AirCare, and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
      Both collisions are under the investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

Paper confetti flies through the air as the BGM High School Class of 2025 celebrates earning their diplomas during commencement exercises on Sunday, May 18.

​       The Grinnell FFA Biotechnology Team earned a gold rating and top state honors at the 97th State Leadership Conference held April 14 - 15 at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Alyssa Peterson, Lauren Louden, Maggie Dayton and FFA Advisor Ashley Wolfe. The team has qualified for Nationals slated for Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 in Indianapolis.

​By J.O. Parker
 
      The Grinnell FFA Chapter wrapped up the 97th State Leadership Conference held April 14 - 15 at Iowa State University in Ames with several top honors.
   Grinnell FFA’s Ag Biotechnology CDE (Career Development Event) Team of Alyssa Peterson, Lauren Louden, and Maggie Dayton earned a gold rating and was named the championship team.
    Maggie Dayton and Alyssa Peterson finished one and two in the state and Lauren Louden finished in sixth place. Their advisor is Ashley Wolfe.
     FFA teams from 61 chapters participated in this year's CDE designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Biotechnology. The 237 individuals who participated in the event completed several activities including a general knowledge exam and an identification activity. The team members also collaborated in a team activity relating to biotechnology principles. 
Poultry Evaluation Team
     Grinnell FFA’s Poultry Evaluation Team brought home a gold rating and fifth place honors at this year’s FFA State Leadership Conference. Team members include Abagail Hatcher, Carter Hansen, Tristan Graff and Kolton Kline
      The FFA Poultry Evaluation Career Development Event (CDE) provides an opportunity for FFA members to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Poultry Evaluation. Activities included: placing classes of live poultry; placing and grading classes of ready-to-cook poultry; grading classes of egg interiors and exteriors; identifying and grading further process poultry products, and a poultry production examination. There were 489 members participating from 130 chapters.
Ag Sales Team
        The Grinnell FFA Ag Sales Team of Owen Kaltsas, Easton Edelen, Drew Hart and Aden Wolfe earned a gold rating and fifth place honors at this year’s FFA State Leadership Conference. FFA teams from 71 chapters participated in this year's CDE designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Agriculture Sales. The 281 individuals who participated in the event each completed an objective test, made a sales presentation, and performed a customer relations practicum. All team members worked together to prepare a marketing plan and make an oral presentation of the plan to the judges.
Other honors
        The Conduct of Meetings and Chapter Website LDE (Leadership Development Event) teams brought home silver honors at this year’s FFA State Leadership Conference event.
       Grinnell FFA’s Ag Biotechnology CDE Team has qualified for the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo from Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 in Indianapolis.

       Members of the Grinnell FFA Poultry Evaluation Team wrapped up the state leadership Conference with a fifth place finish and gold rating. Team members are, from left: Abagail Hatcher, Carter Hansen, Tristan Graff and Kolton Kline.

​        Members of the Grinnell FFA Ag Sales Team finished in fifth place and earned a gold rating at the 97th State Leadership Conference held April 14 - 15 at Iowa State University in Ames. Pictured are, from left: Owen Kaltsas, Easton Edelen, Drew Hart and Aden Wolfe.

      Smith Funeral Home of Grinnell purchased the former Kloster Funeral Home in Brooklyn on April 1 from Beth Kloster and her son,T.J. The Kloster family purchased the former Nevehoven Funeral Home in Brooklyn in late 2008. Smith Funeral Home now has locations in Grinnell, Brooklyn and Victor. Submitted photo.

By J.O. Parker
 
      The Smith family (Joel, Rob and Jeff, all fifth generation funeral directors) with the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory in Grinnell announced recently that the long-time business has purchased the Kloster Funeral Home in Brooklyn.
      The deal was finalized on April 1.
      Smith Funeral Home and Crematory now has locations in Grinnell, Victor and Brooklyn.
An open house gathering at the Brooklyn location is slated for some time in May so residents can meet staff and to answer any questions by community members.
Beth and the now late John Kloster and their son, T.J., purchased the funeral home from Harold Nevehoven in late 2008. John passed away in 2016.
     Then Beth and her son, T.J., along with his wife, Amber, have operated the funeral home since along with the Kloster location in Marengo. The Marengo location has since been sold to Powell Funeral Homes of Williamsburg.
     “We are grateful and honored to become part of and to provide care to the community of Brooklyn,” noted Joel Smith on behalf of him and his family. “We would like to thank the Kloster family, Beth and T.J. for the years of dedication and service to the community of Brooklyn.”
      “We wish the staff of Smith Funeral Home a smooth transition and much success for their move into Brooklyn,” said Beth, T.J. and Amber Kloster. “We hope you experience the warmth and respect we experienced while we served the community, caring for the grieving families. We say thank you to the Brooklyn area residents --- It was a pleasure being a small part of such an awesome community.”
    The Smith Funeral Home is in its fifth generation of family ownership since its beginnings in 1907 in Red Oak and later Indianola. The Smith family came to Grinnell in 1925 and purchased the C.A. Mellott furniture and undertaking business located at 929 Broad St., across the street from the Grinnell Post Office. In the spring of 1931, the Smith family purchased a home at 1103 Broad St., now in the Grinnell Historic District, and built by the S.W. Belden family, to be used as a funeral home. Smith Funeral Home purchased the Victor location from the McAninch-Fremming Funeral Home in 1986.
       “We will offer the community of Brooklyn personalized funeral and cremation options, prearrangements and cemetery monuments,” said Joel Smith. “We have an onsite crematory at our Grinnell location.”
       Prearrangements that were made with the Kloster Funeral Home will be transferred to the Smith Funeral Home in Brooklyn. A letter will be mailed to those who have made prearrangements soon.
       “We are just grateful to be a part of the Brooklyn Community,” said Joel.
       Smith Funeral Home can be reached at 641-522-9250 in Brooklyn with any questions or to schedule an appointment to meet with staff members. The funeral announcements number is 641-236-7030.
        Visit smithfh.com for more information on funeral services and support.

By ​J.O. Parker
 
       Norman Schroeder, a 94-year-old Korean War Veteran, was recently honored by the Malcom American Legion with a 70-year membership plaque.
        Spearheaded by John McCammant, commander, and members of the Malcom American Legion Post 733, the event was held on Sunday, April 27 at the Malcom American Legion Hall.
     Schroeder was joined by about 25 family members including some of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
      A meal of pork chops, steak and chicken with all the fixings was served to all in attendance. The meal was prepared by Legion members.
      Cake, ice cream and cookies were also served.
    Schroeder, who grew up in Malcom having moved there at age 6, is a 1949 graduate of Malcom High School.
      Following high school, Schroeder worked briefly for the Malcom Locker (Dayton Meats), which offered him a full-time position. He opted instead to enlist in the Navy and served four years, 1950-1954, during the Korean War.
      “I enlisted instead of being drafted because I wanted to be in the Navy,” he said.
     Before heading off to war, Schroeder got engaged to his high school sweetheart, Mildred Beck, who also graduated in 1949.
      He spent two years at the Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, where he did electrical work on ships. He then returned to the states where he spent the last two years in Stockton, Calif. At Stockton, he was put in charge of operating humidifier machines used to preserve old World War II ships. He called them mothball ships.
      When asked about his service in the military, Schroeder said, “I never had to dodge bullets.”
      “I made a lot of good friends in the Navy,” he added.
    Schroeder married Mildred about a year before completing his military service. The couple lived in Malcom in a two-story white house on the eastside of Highway 63 near the railroad tracks.
      Schroeder joined the Brooklyn American Legion in 1955 due to Malcom not having a Legion at the time. He transferred his membership to the Malcom American Legion in June 1990 when that Legion was chartered, and has remained faithful to both Legions for 70 years.
      The couple raised six children – three boys and three girls.
      He spent his life butchering meat for local farmers and farming.
      In 1975, he built a new slaughter plant where Dayton’s Meats is today.
    Before that time, Schroeder butchered on the farm for area farmers and hauled the meat to the local locker plants.
      In 1994, he sold the slaughter house to the Dayton’s and retired from butchering and moved to Grinnell.
      He still has ownership of the family farm ground.
     Mildred passed away in 2011. Schroeder remarried and after the passing of his second wife, he said he’s not getting married again.
     Schroeder has 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren (seven boys and seven girls) with two more on the way.
     Someone said it would neat if they were a boy and girl.
    Two of his children live in the Malcom and Brooklyn area. One lives in Chicago and the other three are in Newton, Humeston and Cedar Falls.
     In his spare time, Schroeder enjoys dancing and playing cards. He remains in his own home in Grinnell.
     “These kids take good care of me,” he said of his children. “I really appreciate this gathering.”

      Norman Schroeder, 94, seated in the middle, is shown with four of his six children in attendance at a 70-year American Legion membership meal and presentation on Sunday, April 27. Schroeder and his late wife, Mildred, have 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

​        Laurel Tuggle-Lacina is shown with her Baskets of Apple pie that won her first place in the Best Overall Pie category at the first annual Pie Fest held at the Grinnell Farm to Table outreach in Grinnell on Saturday, April 12.

By Tommy Hexter & J.O. Parker
 
      The first annual Grinnell Farm to Table Pie Fest drew 13 bakers showcasing their culinary skills. Of the 13 bakers, 10 pie craftsman served up 12 pies to visitors and an additional three bakers made pies for the silent auction. 
         A big thanks goes to all the devoted pie eaters who attended the event and support a good cause.
       “I think at least a dozen people sampled all 12 pies,” noted Tommy Hexter, director of the Grinnell Farm to Table outreach and organizer of the Pie Fest. “The pies were so delicious that most people had a tough time making up their mind on which to vote for... but, we had some winners!”
Inaugural Pie Fest Results:
BEST OVERALL PIE:
        First Place: Basket of Apples by Laurel Tuggle-Lacina
        Second Place: Key Lime Pie by Taylor Price
        Third Place: Linzer Jammie by Mark Levandoski
MOST UNIQUE PIE:
       First Place: Very Veggie Pie by Lisa Bacon
       Second Place: Purple Sweet Potato Pie by Vanessa Preast
       Third Place: Basket of Apples by Laurel Tuggle-Lacina
Honorable Mentions...
       Pennsylvania Dutch Wet Bottom Shoo-Fly Pie by Golden Pear Kitchen, Waterloo, Iowa
       Grand P(l)ie French Silk by Steppin' Out Dance Academy
       Divine Chocobliss by Heather Hastings
       Dipping into Spring by Cassandra Lawrence
       Local Sunshine Lemon Meringue by Anya Hart
      The event raised $800 for our Local Food Access Fund, which will be used to purchase food from local producers and donate it to Poweshiek County Food Pantries and other food access sites.
Grinnell Farm to Table Bio:
     Grinnell Farm To Table is a food hub that connects Poweshiek County area residents with farmers and producers in the surrounding area to create a healthier, more environmentally sustainable, regional food system and increase access to local foods. Located at 1032 Main St., Grinnell, the outreach works with 35 local producers and operates an online farmer’s market in addition to a produce box program and food pantry deliveries.

​       Taylor Price, left, and Mark Levandoski, right, are shown at the first annual Pie Fest. Price earned second place in the Best Overall Pie category with her Key Lime Pie and Levandoski brought home third place honors in the Best Overall Pie category with his Linzer Jammie pie creation.

​       Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, left, joined members of the Brooklyn Ruritan Club in serving homemade soups at the first annual chili cook-off and soup supper at the Michael J. Manatt Center on Saturday, March 29.

​By J.O. Parker
 
       There was plenty of good company, good music and some tasty chili recipes from local chefs at the first annual Brooklyn Ruritan Chili Cook-Off and Soup Supper on Saturday, March 29.
      There were 26 chili chefs who participated in the event held at the Michael J. Manatt Community Center.
       There were three categories of chili recipes judged with the following taking top prizes.
Terry Clayton earned top honors in the traditional chili category with his brisket chili.
      Jody Clayton brought home top honors in the spicy chili category with his pork and jalapeno spicy chili.
       And Kim Bauman was the top winner with her white chicken chili recipe that she found in a magazine.
       Judging was done by an independent group of judges.
     “The judges said it was a tough job picking the winners and felt everyone was a winner,” noted Rusty Clayton, with the Brooklyn Ruritan Club, who oversaw the evening’s activities. “It was a great turnout and everybody had a great time.”
      Special guest at the event was Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who enjoyed meeting and visiting with local residents and tasting chili.
     In addition to the chili, the Ruritan Club members cooked and served homemade vegetable beef, potato and ham and chicken noodle soups at the event topped off with tasty cinnamon rolls.
       When asked if there was anything secret to his success in the traditional chili category, Terry said, “I enjoy cooking for fun and threw some stuff together. It was a nice event.”
      Jody, who has years of experience in the kitchen said the key to his spicy chili was using super tender pork. His recipe consisted of three pounds of pork and five pounds of jalapeno peppers.
      “I like the peppers to stay on the tongue,” he said.
      Jody founded the Classic Deli in June 2012 and owned it until selling in 2019.
      Bauman said she found the recipe for her white chicken chili entry in a magazine.
      “I did tweak it a bit,” she said. “But mostly it follows the original recipe.”
       Bauman said the Ruritan Club was pleased with the turnout.
      The music was provided by Late Shift, a group of mostly school music teachers, noted Bauman.
       “I have had a lot of people ask me for the recipe,” she added.
      The event was a fundraiser for the upcoming Brooklyn 175th Celebration, June 12 – 15. A final tally was not available for this article.
   “The Brooklyn Ruritan Club Chili Cook-off made for great food and even better company,” said Congresswomen Hinson. “I was happy to take part in this fantastic tradition and catch up with constituents over a shared chili supper. Community events like this that bring friends and neighbors together are what make Iowa so great.”

​     Jody Clayton gives thumbs up as Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson presents him with the top winning ribbon for his pork and jalapeno spicy chili entry at the first annual Brooklyn Ruritan Chili Cook-off on March 29.

        Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson presents the winning ribbon to Kim Bauman for her top white chicken chili recipe at the first annual Brooklyn Ruritan Chili Cook-off on March 29.

​       Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson presents the winning ribbon to Terry Clayton for his winning traditional chili entry in the first annual Brooklyn Ruritan Chili Cook-off on March 29.

​     Veronica Ruse, overseer of Grinnell’s Drake Community Library restricted archives, is shown with the Grinnell High School yearbook section dating back to 1911. The shelves are filled with city and school records and much more.

By J.O. Parker
 
      Grinnell’s Drake Community Library has many services available to the public from books to newspapers, magazines, general reference material, a children’s section, public computers, after school and summer children and teen reading programs, adult programing, public display cases and community meeting rooms.
     Also located in the library near the front desk are two rooms filled with research materials for public use.
     The Iowa Room is available and open to the public anytime the library is open. It includes books about the State of Iowa and Iowa history. There is a collection of local cook books from across Poweshiek County and also available for research use is a microfilm machine for viewing 150 years of the Grinnell Herald-Register newspapers dating back to the 1870s.
      In addition, the Iowa Room features Poweshiek County obituaries dating back to the 1880s through the present day.
      Also available to the public is the restricted archives room. Collections from this room must be viewed under staff supervision and appointments are preferred.
     “We have more than 300 collections of historical materials related to Grinnell schools, churches, local businesses, family histories and local clubs and organizations,” noted Veronica Ruse, library assistant and overseer of the local history archives.
    Ruse said the restricted archives room mainly focuses on Grinnell history. Some examples of collections which the archive preserves and makes available for research includes: Grinnell High School yearbooks dating back to 1911 and records from the City of Grinnell, papers of the Daughters of the American Revolution - Grinnell Chapter, and more than 300 Earl Blair pencil drawings of Grinnell buildings. The now late Blair donated his work to the library several years ago.
      Also located in the restricted room is history of the Mayflower Homes, Grinnell Medical Center records, photographs of Grinnell aviator Bill Robinson, who founded the Grinnell Aeroplane Company, the Spaulding Manufacturing Company, the Morrison Glove Factory, information on J.B. Grinnell and books and information on Grinnell’s Jewel Box Bank designed by Louis Sullivan. There are also stereoscopic slides of the Grinnell Cyclone of 1882 that did much damage in the city.
      “It was one of the most photographed events in early Grinnell history,” said Ruse, who has been working in DCL Archives for three years. 
      Ruse’s position includes accepting public donations to the archives.
    “I arrange the donations into different collections,” she said. “I help people with research and provide answers to reference questions about local history.”
    She also works with Grinnell College classes on research projects. One of her most recent projects was working with an architecture class at the college researching different buildings in Grinnell.
    “The students made posters from their research,” she said. “The student research posters were displayed at Drake Community Library for an exhibit spotlighting local architecture and were donated to the archives afterwards.
      The archives was founded in 1990 by Dorrie Lalonde at the former Stewart Library on Broad Street.
      “She started accepting donations of local history for people and storing the materials in the library attic,” noted Ruse. “When the Drake Library was built, it included an environmental controlled room for historical collections. It features condensed movable shelving for storage.”
     In addition, the library maintains a collection of books by local authors from Grinnell and Poweshiek County. The books are available inside the library, but can’t be checked out.
     The collection, which is located in one of the library meeting rooms, includes all 12 of the books written by Ruth Suckow, a 1910 graduate of Grinnell High School. This includes a first edition copy of Suckow’s first book, Country People, published in 1924.
Poweshiek History Preservation Project
   The Poweshiek History Preservation Project was found in 2013 as a collaboration between Drake Community Library and the Grinnell College libraries.
      The project features 2,300 digitized photos of Grinnell and Poweshiek County. The goal of the project is to collect the stories of Poweshiek County through images, documents and other resources that are made accessible online.
      Due to staffing changes at the library in August 2024, PHPP is paused for the time being and new donations will not be accepted at this time. Updates to the PHPP Facebook page will also be on pause. The photographs Drake Community Library has collected through PHPP will remain available to view both in Digital Grinnell and on the PHPP Facebook page.
Veronica Ruse background
      Ruse, who hails from Romania, holds a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College in philosophy and political science. She’s currently attending the University of Iowa where she will graduate in May with a master’s degree in library and information science and a certificate in special collections and archives. 
       For more information on the historical collections at Drake Community Library, please reach out to Ruse at [email protected]. Appointments can be made at calendly.com/dclarchives or you can reach Ruse by phone at 641-659-6929. 

      Grinnell Police Sergeant Chris Wray is joined by his dad, Larry, at the start of his last shift on the police force. Wray retired after 40-years of serving the public in Poweshiek County, the last 23-years with the Grinnell Police Department. His dad, Larry, served in law enforcement for 32-plus years. Submitted photo.

By J.O. Parker
 
          May 21 was a special day in the life of Grinnell Police Sergeant Chris Wray’s life.
         After 40 years almost to the day in law enforcement, Wray worked his last night shift protecting Grinnell residents and businesses.
         His last official day on the job was Monday, May 26.
     His dad, Larry, a 32-year plus veteran of law enforcement, rode shotgun for a couple hours at the beginning of his last shift.
       “When I got out of high school, I wanted to be a full-time firefighter,” said Wray, as the memories filled his mind.
        The only problem, Wray said, was he’s scared to death of heights.
      “I became a state certified firefighter 1 and served as a volunteer on the Montezuma Fire Department from 1989 – 1997,” added Wray. “I got invaluable training while on the department.”
     That included learning life-saving training in emergency medical services that would serve him well throughout his career.
        It was his fear of heights that ended his dream of being a fire fighter, but not a career in helping others.
A few years earlier, the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office had initiated a reserve deputy program.
       It was Wray’s dad, Larry, who encouraged his son to consider a career in law enforcement.
      “This is a chance for you to get involved in law enforcement and get some training,” Wray said his dad told him.
     Wray applied and was hired as a reserve deputy in June 1985, just one month after graduating high school.
He remained with the department for one year before joining the Grinnell Police Department as a reserve police officer in the summer of 1986, a position he held for another year.
      During this time, Wray was attending Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa where he earned an associate degree in criminal justice in May 1987.
      While working as a reserve deputy in Grinnell, Wray spent time alongside Tom Kriegel, who went on to become the Poweshiek County Sheriff from Jan. 2013 – December 2024.
        Wray went on to attend the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy at Camp Dodge, graduating in March 1988.
The Montezuma Police Department had an opening and Wray applied and was hired.
        Wray served on the MPD for 14-years until November 2001.
      The City of Montezuma closed its police department in December of that year and contracted with the sheriff’s department for law enforcement services.
       “Then I got hired by the Grinnell Police Department as a patrol officer that same month,” Wray said.
He quickly moved up the ranks to serve as a criminal investigator, then added fire arson investigator to his plate.
        In May 2008, Wray was named a police sergeant, a role he held until retiring.
       Wray didn’t get into any specifics of cases or crimes he worked on through the years, but said the crimes and investigations regarding children were always tough.
       “Especially having children of my own,” he said.
      He did admit that he’s seen a lot through the years and as another officer said, “meeting the public in their worst possible moments.”
      And along the way, he missed some family events, school functions and holidays, but for Wray, that was his call to duty.
      Wray said he’s received numerous life-saving awards throughout his career. But one of the best came on Monday, May 19 at the Grinnell City Council meeting. It was there that Grinnell Police Department Chief Mike McClellan honored him with a Distinguished Service Award. And Grinnell Fire Chief Dan Sicard presented him with a firefighter helmet.
      “That was a nice honor,” said Wray of his career.
      And back to that last day on the beat.
       It was 6 a.m. and Wray picked up his police radio for his last end of shift 10-42 as a police officer.
     On the other end of the line wasn’t dispatch, it was his son, Matt, who was signing off his dad from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
     Matt joined the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office in December 2024, making him the third generation Wray in law enforcement.
       And close by was his daughter, Mollie, who arrived at the end of his shift to videotape it all.
       Wray said he’s quite proud of his children.
       Matt is married to Ashley, who is a first grade teacher at Tri-County.
       “They don’t have any children, but do have a fur baby named Lunna,” said Wray.
     And his daughter, Mollie, and her husband, Keagan Richmond, have two children, Emerson and Ian. Richmond is the director of the City of Grinnell Water Department.
        “It was special having my family as a part of my last day,” said Wray. “It’s been a very wonderful career.”