Lula Belle Clara (Conrady) Barry, 91, of Emden, joined her husband in heaven Friday, November 21, 2025, on their 71st wedding anniversary.

She was born on May 5, 1934, in Hartsburg to Seide & Anna (Rademaker) Conrady. She married Allen Barry on November 21, 195,4 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Emden. She was happily married for over 57 years until Allen passed in June of 2012. Lula Belle & Allen were blessed with 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

She is survived by children Roberta (Ron) Gray of Byrnes Mill, MO, and Ronald (Vanessa) Barry of Emden; grandchildren Rebekah (Jason) Long of High Ridge, MO, Robert (Jessie Seipp) Gray of O’Fallon, IL, Alexis Barry of Charleston, SC and Lillian Barry of Emden; great-grandchildren Jace and Grayson Long of High Ridge, MO; sister-in-law Darline Becker of Emden; and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband Allen Barry, son Russell Barry, parents Seide & Anna (Rademaker) Conrady, parents-in-law William & Lillian Barry, sisters Annalina Coers and Ruth Guill, brothers Earl and Robert Conrady, sister-in-law Ramona Groves, nephew Barry Becker, and brothers-in-law Dean Becker, Edgar Coers, William Guill, and James Groves.

Lula Belle was baptised on June 17, 1934 and confirmed on March 30, 1947, at St. John’s Lutheran church of Hartsburg, officiated by Rev. August Rettberg. She lived on and farmed a Scully lease from 1961 to 2021, working alongside Allen and her son, Ron. She went to eight grades at Hopewell Country School, and she was a graduate of Hartsburg-Emden High School in 1951. She was employed at B.B. Milling Co, Stetson China Factory, Emden Farmers Grain for 32 years, and drove a school bus for Hartsburg-Emden School District for 41 years. She started driving in Sept 1976 and retired on May 5, 2017, her 83rd birthday. She loved the children she drove to school each day and missed them dearly when she retired.

Belle was very proud to serve as Grand Marshall of the Emden Homecoming parade in 2015. She received the “Service to the District” award during her tenure as a bus driver and was selected for the Hartem Wall of Fame in 2014. She adored her family, visiting and playing cards, going to girls’ day out, and eating with her Friday night “Golden Girls”. Her true passion, as everyone knew, was taking pictures and sharing them with everyone. She enjoyed working outside, helping others, and loved being a farm wife, mother, and homemaker. She travelled throughout the Midwest to watch her “peaches” participate in everything, countless volleyball, basketball, and hockey games and many music performances. Her compassion and generosity made everyone around her feel loved. She lived to be the proudest grandma in the crowd.

She was a faithful member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Emden, the Emden American Legion Auxiliary, and the Logan County Farm Bureau.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Emden Rescue Squad, Emden Sons of the American Legion Post 0506, or St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

A visitation will be held on Friday, November 28, 2025, from 3:00 pm-6:00 pm at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Emden, where Lula Belle’s great-grandfather was a founding member and where many of her family members were baptised, confirmed, and married. The funeral will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 10:00 am. Burial will follow the service at Hartsburg Union Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Tremont School District 702 confirmed that a student was taken into custody Monday morning after school officials discovered an unloaded firearm inside a backpack stored in a Tremont Middle School locker.

Superintendent Sean Berry said the incident occurred at approximately 9:45 a.m. and was swiftly addressed by school administration, the district’s resource officer, and the Tremont Police Department.

According to Berry, the firearm and backpack were immediately secured in the middle school office before the student became aware the items had been confiscated. The student was then taken into custody without incident.

“At no time were threats made toward other students or staff,” Berry emphasized in a statement sent to families. “Please know that the safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority, and we are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness.”

The district will not be releasing the student’s name due to privacy concerns. Berry expressed gratitude to the Tremont Police Department for their quick response and cooperation in handling the situation.

Parents and guardians were notified of the incident on Monday morning. While Berry acknowledged the news may be alarming, he reassured families that the district is committed to maintaining a safe learning environment.

As the winter chill sets in and the holiday season approaches, the Delavan community is once again rallying to support neighbors in need through a beloved local tradition: Meet the Panthers night. Held annually to tip off the basketball season, the event doubles as a charitable effort, with admission “paid” in the form of canned or non-perishable food items or cash donations. These donations are then distributed through local food drives to help ensure no family goes hungry during the holidays.

This year’s Meet the Panthers event took place on November 21 and featured both an Alumni Game and a Varsity Team Basketball scrimmage. The Delavan Chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) members were on hand to greet attendees and collect food and cash donations at the door.

But the giving spirit doesn’t end there. The initiative is expanding beyond the gymnasium and into the heart of the community with two new efforts: a school-wide class competition and the launch of Doorstep Donation Kits.

Class Competitions: K–12 Students Step Up

Throughout November, students from kindergarten through 12th grade are participating in a friendly competition to see which class can collect the most food donations. Every Monday, volunteers tally the contributions, and the results are shared to keep the momentum going. Families are encouraged to send canned goods and pantry staples with their students to support this cause—and maybe even help their class claim the top spot.

Doorstep Donation Kits: Giving Made Easy

For those who couldn’t attend Meet the Panthers night or who want to contribute further, Doorstep Donation Kits offer a simple way to help. On November 24, kits will be distributed to homes across Delavan. Residents are asked to fill the provided bags with canned goods and leave them on their front porch or curb by 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 8. Volunteer teams will collect donations between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m.

In partnership with the Delavan Ministerial Alliance, these donations will be assembled into meal baskets and distributed to local families in time for the holidays. While all non-perishable items are welcome, organizers have shared a list of most-needed goods to help round out the baskets:

Suggested Donation Items

• Box/bag stuffing mix
• Gravy mix
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Scalloped or au-gratin potatoes
• Macaroni and cheese
• Cans of corn and/or green beans
• Cranberry sauce
• Boxed desserts (cakes, cookies, brownies, etc.)
• Spaghetti and spaghetti sauce
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Rice mixes
• Microwave popcorn
• Nuts
• Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, banana chips, etc.)
• Canned fruit
• Soups and chili

How to Help

For more information or to make a direct donation, contact Theodore Allen at (217) 737-6962 or via email at allent@delavanschools.org.

Whether through a classroom collection or a doorstep donation, every can counts. Thanks to the leadership of the Delavan FFA and the generosity of our community, Panther pride continues to shine—on and off the court.

The Poppenga gymnasium was electric Friday night as twenty-four Delavan High School alumni laced up for the annual "Meet The Panthers" alumni basketball game, a beloved tradition that kicks off the winter sports season and celebrates Panther pride across generations.

This year’s matchup split the alumni into two squads: the “Young” team, featuring graduates from 2018 to 2024, and the “Old” team, composed of alumni from 2000 to 2017. The result? A thrilling, back-and-forth contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.

A Game to Remember

The young team—led by standout players like Sam DeJesus, Cooper Hansen, Faith Harper, Maddie Harper, Charlie Hodges, Landon Horning, Prescott Jeckel, Tollin Johnson, Kelton Nafziger , Brett Sundell, Brady Vannaken, and Caleb Waggoner—showed speed, precision, and youthful energy. Their opponents, including seasoned athletes like Jeff Bolen, Mitchell Carr, Jason Fisher, Jordan Harper, Dan Mammen, Trey Mowder, Cody Nelson, Teagan Teal, Chip Wagner, Kelly Wass, Aaron Wheeler, and Jordan Zimmer, countered with grit, experience, and sharp shooting.

In a nail-biter finish, the young team edged out the veterans 41–39, sealing the win with clutch plays and relentless defense.

Players of the Game

Two alumni earned special recognition for their performances:

• Maddie Harper (Class of 2019) was named Player of the Game for the young team, dazzling the crowd with her poise and accuracy from beyond the arc.
• Jordan Zimmer (Class of 2008) earned the honor for the old team, sinking multiple three-pointers and anchoring his squad with leadership and intensity.

Both players exemplified the spirit of Panther basketball—competitive, passionate, and community-driven.

More Than Just a Game

“Meet The Panthers” night isn’t just about basketball—it’s about connection. Families, students, and longtime supporters filled the bleachers, cheering for familiar faces and celebrating the legacy of Delavan athletics. The event also served as a warm welcome to this year’s Panther teams, who were introduced during halftime to roaring applause.

As the final whistle blew and handshakes were exchanged, one thing was clear: whether fresh out of high school or years removed, once a Panther, always a Panther.

At its November meeting, the Delavan Township Board of Trustees reaffirmed its commitment to community support during the holiday season, approving increased charitable donations and addressing infrastructure concerns tied to a local business closure.

Following its October allocation of $2,000 to the Delavan Food Pantry—split evenly between Thanksgiving and Christmas—the board authorized a $2,000 donation to the Optimist Club of Delavan for its annual Christmas Gift Drive, which provides holiday presents to children from financially stressed families. The board also approved a $1,000 donation to American Legion Post 382 to support its “Breakfast with Santa” event, a cherished tradition for local families.

Trustee JoAnn Beymer suggested raising the township’s annual contributions to these events, citing increased community need and rising costs. The board unanimously agreed, signaling a broader commitment to sustaining these programs in future years.

In other business, Township Highway Commissioner Eric Diekhoff reported that he had contacted SC2, the supply chain logistics company with a facility on Caterpillar Road, to discuss the possibility of the company helping to defray the cost of road repairs. The facility’s truck traffic has contributed to rutting along the road.

During that outreach, Diekhoff learned that SC2 is planning to close its Delavan location.

“I guess they won’t be helping with the road, then,” remarked Trustee Kevin Kendregan, prompting a few rueful groans from the board.

Kendregan also raised a separate concern about the lack of signage in front of the township building, noting that voting is scheduled to be held there in March. “Without signage posted, it’s easy to miss the turnoff into the parking lot,” he said, urging swift action. Trustee Aaron Sundell and Commissioner Diekhoff both committed to having signage installed in the near future.

As Delavan heads into the holiday season, the board’s actions reflect a dual focus: generosity toward its people and stewardship of its infrastructure, even amid shifting local business dynamics.

The beloved “Lego Lady” is back—and just in time to kick off the holiday season with a hands-on celebration of creativity and cheer. April Fisher, known for her imaginative Lego-based workshops, will return to the Ayer Public Library on Monday, December 1st, to lead a festive make-and-take event at the Hub.

This year’s project: a charming wreath Christmas ornament, built from colorful Lego bricks and designed to add a playful touch to any tree or mantel. The event runs from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and is open to builders ages 7-14 of all skill levels.

Participation costs just $2 to cover materials, and space is limited—so early registration is encouraged. To reserve your spot, call the library at 309-244-8236.

April Fisher’s workshops have become a fan favorite in Delavan, blending hands-on learning with holiday spirit. Whether you're a seasoned Lego enthusiast or simply looking for a cozy evening of crafting, this event promises joy, laughter, and a keepsake to treasure.

Come build, celebrate, and make memories—one brick at a time.

Correction Notice
In our recent article announcing the return of April Fisher, the “Lego Lady,” to the Ayer Public Library, we stated that the holiday make-and-take program was open to all ages. This was incorrect.

The program is specifically open to children ages 7–14. We regret the error and are happy to clarify this detail so families can plan accordingly.