Hot & Humid Iowa

Iowa has what Wikipedia refers to as a "humid continental climate", which to the layman translates as "miserably hot and humid in the summer; freeze-your-balls-off cold in the winter". Iowans often face very severe weather in the warmer months of the year, as the state lies in Tornado Alley.

If this picture doesn't scare the ever-living crap out of you, you're lying to yourself.

I've been miserable here in McGregor this weekend. I am hoping to get out of the 'driftless area' of NE Iowa tomorrow after work. I just wish it were under happier circumstances. The wife of a very good friend and a tribal elder - both of whom I have respected since the first days I moved into Pipestone, died over the last weekend. Their funerals are in Pipestone Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

                                                                  'CHUCK' DERBY

Chuck at work in his quarrypit

Chuck Derby, a Sisseton/Wahpeton Dakota elder, was a pipemaker and quarrier for over 50 years in Pipestone Minnesota, where he and his wife Gloria have their home. Chuck was a rare person in this modern millenium. He was a dignified, passive, proletarian working for Native American rights both in Pipestone and elsewhere. During his time on this earth, he touched so many lives with his gentle wisdom and courage.

Chuck was been a lifelong adherent to traditional values, and served on many Native American committees and Boards, dealt with various things regarding historical and traditional Native American issues. Through the years of working with pipestone and making ceremonial pipes Chuck associated with many Native American elders, spiritual leaders and medicine men, in 1998 he was adopted by the now late, Lakota Spiritual leader Joseph Flying Bye as his son. He was taught many things by Grandpa Joe as well as by the spiritual leader, the late Amos Owen. Due to these ancient teachings he incorporated traditions into his everyday life, just as his ancestors did many years ago.

After suffering with pain and sickness over the past winter, Chuck was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer this spring. He passed from this world on Saturday morning, Aug. 7, 2010 in Pipestone at age 69.


(From his obituary) Surviving are his wife, Gloria (Hazel) Derby, Pipestone, two children, Ray (Kelly) Derby, Springville, Calif., and Diana (Richard) Allen, Flandreau, S.D.; five sisters, Alice (Gary) Erickson, Maddie (Ray) Redwing, Marge Parsons, Betty (Earl) Tellinghuisen and Carol Derby, all of Pipestone; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

SANDI LANIE

Sandi was a devoted mother and hardworking x-ray technician at the Pipestone Medical Center. I first met Sandi through my best friend Louie, when they joined our local Civil War Roundtable, (later becoming the founding members of our reenactment unit) & the Pipestone Civil War Festival. She was always willing to help with any project I had at the museum or our trips together as she and Louie helped with wetplate photo projects. Always helpful, always positive, ALWAYS cheerful under any circumstance. I will miss her smile and our talks we would have, she was a very caring person.


(From her obituary)
She was born to Arden and Constance (Petersen) Johnson on April 13, 1960 in Tyler, Minnesota. She was raised in Balaton, Minnesota where she attended school. While growing up, she was baptized and then later confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Balaton. After her graduation from Balaton High School in 1978, she worked at the Toro Plant in Windom, Minnesota. A year later, she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended school at Abbott-Northwestern for two years to became a Radiological Technician. Upon completion of her education, she became employed at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A short time later, she began working in the Radiology Department at the Pipestone County Medical Center. On January 18, 1986, she was united in marriage to Louis Lanie at Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, they lived in Pipestone. Several months later, they moved to Ihlen, Minnesota, and Sandi continued to work at the hospital in Pipestone. This past week, she and her husband traveled on their annual motorcycle trip to Sturgis, South Dakota. On Thursday, August 5, 2010, they were enjoying cycling to Devils Tower Canyon to take some pictures when Sandi was involved in a motorcycle-auto accident near Sundance, Wyoming and died at the age of 50 years, three months and 22 days.  

Sandi was a member of Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone where she taught Sunday School. She and Louie were instrumental in helping to start the Civil War Days in Pipestone in 1989 and enjoyed participating as re-enactors in the event. She was currently serving on the band board at the Pipestone Area Schools. Starting in her teens, she enjoyed riding motorcycles. She also enjoyed learning to fly airplanes and loved to go flying with her husband. Her family was her number one priority, and she especially enjoyed spending time with them.


She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Louis Lanie of Ihlen, Minnesota, her three children, Jesse Lanie of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and Erin and Cassie Lanie of Ihlen, Minnesota; two sisters, her twin sister Sonya Johnson and her husband "Buckwheat" of Windom, Minnesota, and Kathy Sievers and her husband Travis of Reading, Minnesota; and her brother, Arthur Johnson of Balaton, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents.