Insulation hung from the trees like cotton candy and metal was twisted around fences, poles and trees after an F-1 tornado ripped through Jones County on the evening of April 13.

The tornado caused millions of dollars in damage to property and toppled century old trees, just south and west of Anamosa. The twister affected four housing developments, including Lead Mine Addition, Huntington Hills, Dutch Creek and Deer Wood Trails.

Many of the residents were not at home when the tornado hit at 7:55 p.m., and only one minor injury was reported.

Jerome Oberbreckling sustained minor injuries when he was pinned beneath a refrigerator at his residence on Lead Mine Road.

Brenda Leonard, Jones County Emergency Management Coordinator said extra Sheriff deputies and the Anamosa Fire Department were called in to assist people immediately following the storm.

“The deputies went house to house and checked to make sure everyone was okay,” Leonard explained.

She spent much of the day April 14 assessing damage to report to the Iowa Department of Emergency Services.

Later that day emergencies were declared Jones County, along with Johnson and Muscatine counties.
The National Weather Service had reports of 12 tornadoes in the area, though little damage was done in Linn County.

Damage was widespread in the path of the tornado and ranged from missing shingles to parts of homes removed.

Richard and Annette Peterson of 10238 Red Fox Lane were at Thursday night services at St. Patrick’s in Anamosa when the tornado destroyed parts of their home, including the roof and windows.

“M & D Plumbing and the Martelle Fire Department were out helping people cover their roofs and providing light,” said Richard.
“We really appreciated that,” added Annette.

“I hate to say it, but it sounded like a freight train,” said Dave Ortgies, who lives across the street from the Petersons. “My wife, Jane, said, ‘I think that’s a sound we should be afraid of’ when the tornado sirens went off.”

In Lead Mine Addition, realtor Brett Barner was helping clean up debris at what used to be the Majerus Horse Ranch. Barner said he had a buyer who was ready to make an offer on the property.

“I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it,” Barner said, shaking his head.

As clean-up continued throughout the day, Department of Transportation workers replaced signs, county workers cleared broken trees from the road and residents tried to pick up whatever they could salvage.

Friends, family and strangers arrived to help remove debris, and Christy Coons delivered mail to her neighbors.

‘I told the mailman I would hand it out,” Coons said, as she doled out letters, magazines and catalogs.

“No one has a mailbox,” included Coons’ neighbor Kathy Anthony, whose home saw little damage.

Anthony, who said she was outside seconds before the twister hit, recalled what she saw, “The lightening flashed, we saw a big black cloud, but it didn’t look like a funnel cloud.”

When asked what the cloud looked like, she replied, “It looked like a big, black bag hanging down from the sky.”

The Anamosa veterinary Clinci sustained little damage compared to some of the buildings in Lead Mine Addition, where the most concentrated damage occurred.

“We were open the next morning,” said Veterinarian Brian Darrow, who said the clinic was missing, windows, shingles and fencing.

“We had no animals in the clinic the night of the storm,” Darrow added, and said that has been the question people have asked the most.

Marvin Rathje, who used to be a weather spotter, and his wife Sandra were outside watching the storm.

“It didn’t look that bad, and we wnet back in the house. As I was turning the crank on the window, stuff started hitting the house,” he explained.

Rathje, who also lives in Lead Mine Additio, said his garage took the main hit, and most of the items, including the box and cab of an old truck he was restoring, were scattered around the area. The chasis of the truck was still sitting on the cement slab.

“Today’s my bithday,” exclaimed Wayne Vernon, who lost two cattle sheds in the storm, one 50’ long and the other 96’ long.

There were cattle in the shed at the time, and Vernon said they freed themselves during the storm.

“We didn’t lose any cattle, but there are still a few on the loose,” he said, as a cow and its calf strolled through the field behind his house.

The Vernons were not home at the time of the disaster.

Clean-up from the tornado has been extensive, particularly along the Wapsipinicon River where dozens of trees were felled. On Tuesday afternoon, fires containing the massive amounts of debris still burned along the riverside, as a reminder of nature’s fury.

“Pretending that religion doesn’t exist or that it should not be seen or heard in public life is contradictory,” he said.

Pastor Laurie Riley of the United Methodist Church was also on hand. She began the breakfast with the blessing and ended the event with the benediction.

Matthew Griggs provided piano music or the breakfast, and Anamosa Floral provided the centerpiece. A drawing was held for the centerpiece, and Marilyn Albaugh was the winner.

Varlyn Fink fills up a plate at the Spring Prayer Breakfast. (Journal-Eureka Photos by Michelle Phillips)