Add a Name You Know to the List:
Citizen of the Year Nominations Due June 7 th
Ever heard the name Dorothea Moore? Sounds familiar right? This is the name that is carefully painted
(by Chris Robb) above the youth room in the library – as in “Dorothea Moore Youth Room”. Dorothea
was an active supporter of our town for many years and was recognized for her volunteer work not only
with her name on the youth room, but also as the very first Citizen of the Year in Morning Sun in 1975.
Since then, a long list of deserving residents of our area have been honored for what they do to support
our town.
In the years since 1975 the following have been Morning Sun Citizens of the Year: Marjorie McClure, Bill
McElhinney, Cleora McClurkin & LeRoy Pierce, Charles Beck, Don & Esther Callahan, Harold & Francis
Thomas, Verne & Nellie Wilson, Eva May Corey, George & Mary Ellen Griffith, John & Millie Caldwell,
Jack & Jan Hamilton, Raymond & Jacine Edwards, Robert K. Nichols, Sr., Harold & Nancy McElhinney,
Marguerite Edwards, Dean & Sue Anderson, Ernest & Harriet McElhinney, Dick & Barb Sands, Joan
Delzell, Verla Blair, Irene Krieger, E.K. (Jeep) Hamilton, Kyle Wilson, Robert Evans, Marjorie Carr, Archie
Wolfe, Doris Harris, Virginia Wymore, Howard Hobbs, Flossie Hamilton, Lillian Sellers, Doug & Ann Lee,
Alan Giese, Geneva Samuels, Kent & Kirk Delzell, Dr. Raymond Dill, Phillip Delzell, Beverly Karagin,
Connie Malone, Tammy Nelson, Tom & Sue Bryant, Fran & Dick McElhinney, Beth Shenpolk, Virginia
Johnson, The Morning Sun Fire Department, Keith & Debbie McElhinney, Bob Buckman and in July of
2023, Gerri Wolfe.
What name should be added to the list? Who has made a difference in town this year, or over their
lifetime? Gone the extra mile? Achieved something that should be honored?
Voting takes place online and in person in mid-June for the Citizen(s) of the year in Morning Sun that will
be honored during our annual 4 th of July festivities. But NOW is the time to nominate that
person/couple or group and have them added to the list! YOU can do this, just write a few sentences
and send the nomination in the mail to Box 208, Morning Sun IA 52640 or drop it off at the library by
the June 7 th deadline.
Previous Citizens of the Year
(1975) Dorthea Moore, (1976) Marjorie McClure, (1977) Bill McElhinney, (1978) Cleora McClukin & LeRoy Pierce, (1979) Charles Beck, (1980) Don & Esther Callahan, (1981) Harold & Francis Thomas, (1982) Verne & Nellie Wilson, (1983) Eva May Corey, (1984) George & Mary Ellen Griffith, (1985) John & Millie Caldwell, Jack & Jan Hamilton, (1986) Raymond & Jacine Edwards, (1987) Robert K. Nichols, Sr., (1988) Harold & Nancy McElhinney, (1989) Marguerite Edwards, (1990) Dean & Sue Anderson, (1991) Ernest & Harriet McElhinney, (1992) Dick & Barb Sands, (1993) Joan Delzell, (1994) Verla Blair, (1995) Irene Krieger, (1996) E.K. (Jeep) Hamilton, (1997) Kyle Wilson, (1998) Robert Evans, (1999) Marjorie Carr, (2000) Archie Wolfe, (2001) Doris Harris, (2002) Virginia Wymore, (2003) Howard Hobbs, (2004) Flossie Hamilton, (2005) Lillian Sellers, (2006) Doug & Ann Lee, (2007) Alan Giese, (2008) Geneva Samuels, (2009) Kent & Kirk Delzell, (2010) Dr. Raymond Dill, (2011) Philip Delzell, (2012) Beverly Karagin, (2013) Connie Malone, (2014) Tammy Nelson, (2015) Tom & Sue Bryant, (2016) Fran & Dick McElhinney, (2017) Beth Shenpolk, (2018) Virginia Johnson, (2019) MSFD, (2020) No celebration due to Covid, (2021) Keith & Deb McElhinney, (2022) Bob Buckman, (2023) Gerri Wolfe
2023 Nominees
Terri and Jay
Hutcheson
Roxanne
Spearman
Gerri
Wolfe
Terri and Jay Hutcheson are community members who demonstrate
Citizen of the Year qualities.
-Terri has served on the Fourth of July committee for many years,
doing many duties including badge sales and badge prizes. The evening
entertainment, on the 4 th of July, has been under her direction for
many years. Jay has always pitched in to do various jobs when asked!
-Terri and Jay have been very active in Des Moines County 4-H.
-They help out at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
-Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church is important to them. They
have active roles as teachers and elders there.
I hope you will vote for them as the 2023 Citizens of the Year.
Beth Shenpolk
The members of the Morning Sun Ambulance Service would like to
nominate Roxanne Spearman for Citizen of the Year 2023. Roxanne is
the person you think of when you talk Citizen of the Year. She has
spent her entire adult life in the service of the Community of Morning
Sun. For almost 33 years she was a member of the Morning Sun
Community Ambulance Service, until health issues sidelined her.
Roxanne would be on call many nights, weekends and holidays to help
people with medical issues. This would mean, sometimes missing her
children’s or family activities and gatherings. She was such an
inspiration, that her daughter also became an EMT on the Service for
the last 23 years. Over the years, Roxanne has served on various
organizations such as she was an original member of the Parent
Teachers Organization and helped plan the 4 th of July activities as a
member of the 4 th of July Committee for many years. If there was a
fundraiser for any purpose, Roxanne was there giving a helping hand in
any way she could. Roxanne oversaw the frying of the famous onion
rings at the Momma Lu Car Show. If you needed help with anything,
Roxanne was there to help. Roxanne loves living in our small community
of Morning Sun. Therefore, we respectfully submit this nomination for
Roxanne Spearman for Citizen of the Year.
Crew of
the Morning Sun Ambulance Service,
Tom Bryant, Charlene Gerst, Ruthann & Dan ,Hamlin, Megan & Cisco
Silva, Adrian Silva, Barb Pealer, Tom Jones , Mary Thomas.
Hello! I would like to nominate my husband’s great grandmother
Geraldine Wolfe, 98, for the 2023 citizen of the year. Geraldine
Wolfe is the wife to late Archie Wolfe. Gerrie is an amazing woman,
whom despite her age, helps anyone out the best she can. She is a
loving, caring, and silly woman. She is now the great, great grandmother
to my husband (Gage McElhinney) and my daughter, Nancy. Gerrie
always know how to put a smile on people's faces. I would love to see
her win Citizen of the year, just like her late husband once did.
Sincerely,
Emmalea McElhinney.