Merlyn F. Zipse, 78, New Hampton

Chris was born in Webster City and raised in Charles City, which basically means he’s been corn‑fed and radio‑bred since day one. As a kid, he was always caught singing along to the radio — and while he’ll tell you he’s great at karaoke, let’s just say the audience’s ears often file a noise complaint. When he’s not busy butchering ‘80s power ballads, Chris enjoys starting overly ambitious home projects that rarely make it past the “great idea” stage. He lives in Charles City with his endlessly patient wife Vicki and their kids, Brynlee and Jaxon, who have already perfected the art of the eye‑roll every time Dad cracks another “dad joke.”