Mike Schackman
Mike Schackman, age 85, died on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Tennessee’s Jackson Madison County General Hospital.
A native of New York, he was born on Jan. 24, 1924, the son of the late Benjamin and Ida Kramer Schackman. He was a veteran of the United States Army and was retired from NCR in Viroqua as plant manager. Mike was a loyal member of Gold’s Gym and enjoyed "working out.” He was also an art and music enthusiast and enjoyed reading in his spare time.
He is survived by two daughters, Kate Kirton of Jackson, Tenn., and Martha Murphy of Petaluma, Calif.; a son, Ben Schackman of Lahaina, Hawaii; a stepdaughter, Cindy (Smith) Beatty of Duluth, Ga.; and a stepson, Barry Smith of Sacramento, Calif.; six grandchildren, Jill Beatty, Brandon Beatty, Jake Murphy, Jack Kirton, Nathan Kirton and Michael Kirton; and a brother, Walter Schackman and family of New York City.
The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to the American Cancer Society c/o Relay for Life, 2935 Highway 45 By-Pass, Jackson, TN 38305.
James “Jim” Sisbach
James “Jim” Sisbach of Wasilla, Alaska, and Viroqua, passed away suddenly at his home on Dec. 14, 2008.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 11, 2009, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Viroqua, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Jim is the son of Ruby Sisbach and Eileen (Ray) Getter of Viroqua.
Mabel I. Scott
Mabel I. Scott, of Beloit, Wis., passed away June 24, 2009, at the Beloit Memorial Hospital at the age of 89 years, 10 months.
Mabel was born Sept 1, 1919, to Lizzie Wilder of rural Viola. She married Lorren Keith Scott on June 15, 1938. In 1988, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Beloit, Wis. They farmed for many years in the Viola area before moving to Beloit in 1956. They had three daughters, Ella Jane (Roger) Spring of Machesney Park, Ill., Elizabeth (William) Ottum of Tomah and Irene Ewers of Shopiere, Wis. She spent most of her life as a loving homemaker and mother until Keith’s death in 1995.
Mabel will be sadly missed by her three daughters; a brother, Ronald Phillips; 10 grandchildren, Teresa (Wesley) Revels, Kelly Lyden, Jeffrey Ottum, Scott (Michelle) Spring, Marian (Everett) Petty, Nancy (Stephen) Lang, Allen Spring, Roxanne (Kevin) Bunch, Michael (Julie) Ewers and Rhonda Harold (significant other Rodney McDaniels). She is further survived by 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren, and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith; an infant daughter; her mother, Lizzie Phillips; two brothers, Gerald Wilder and Virgil Wilder; a sister-in-law, Barbara Phillips; a son-in-law, Myron Ewers; and a great-grandson, Nikolas Ewers.
Funeral services were held on Monday, June 29, 2009, at the Readstown Church of Christ. Pastor Lance Lorenz officiated and burial was in the Kickapoo Center Cemetery. Friends called at the Sime Funeral Home in Readstown on Sunday evening and on Monday at the church before the time of services. Condolences may be sent to simefuner alforum.com.
Fredrick S. Egeness
Fredrick S. Egeness, age 67 of Viroqua, died Thursday morning, June 25, 2009, at Vernon Manor Nursing Home in Viroqua.
He was born June 30, 1941, to Stephen Egeness and Ruby Tobias Egeness. On Feb. 20, 1981, he married Joan Thompson Fernstaedt in Oregon, Ill. Fred was employed as a quality assurance technician by Bemsco, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he conducted inspections to assure Q.A. tolerances of government aircraft components. He also worked in quality control at Barber Coleman in Rockford, Ill. He was the owner and operator of the Ranch House Tavern in Rockford, Ill. He was a member of the Viroqua Eagles 2707. He loved to go fishing and enjoyed hunting deer with his bow and arrow.
Fred is survived by his wife, Joan; one son, Brian (Caroline) Egeness of Austin, Texas; one daughter, Sherri (Nathan) Radtke of Janesville, Wis.; two grandchildren, Salena Ambrosia of Rockford, Ill. and Connor Michael Eg-eness of Austin, Texas; one brother, Wen-dell (Lynn) Egeness of Stoughton, Wis.; one nephew, Chris Egeness of Boscobel, Wis.; two stepdaughters, Gail Kacin and Lynne Ross; and one stepson, Craig Fernstaedt; three step-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchilden. Other close relatives are his aunts, Eunice (Blair) McClurg and Edith Egeness, both of Viroqua.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2009, at the Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home, 123 W. Decker Street, (Hwy. 56) in Viroqua. Burial will be in the Viroqua Cemetery. Friends may call from 1 p.m. until the time of service. Online condolences may be offered at www.vosseteigfuneral homes.com.
The Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home of Viroqua is serving the family.
Alden Leo Jensen
Alden Leo Jensen passed away on April 17, 2009.
Born in La Farge, he graduated from Ontario High School, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1950 and his Master of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1957. Alden briefly taught high school in Black River Falls, Wis., prior to serving in the Korean War. In 1954, Alden married Sheila Lee Charak. They moved to New York, where Alden was employed by Lederle Laboratories, a subsidiary pharmaceutical company of American Cyanamid. Alden was a biochemist, process engineer and director of biological productions. During his 20- year career there, he worked in the production of vaccines for polio, flu, smallpox and DPT. In 1977, Alden moved to Boca Raton, Fla. In 1984, he founded and operated a residential/commercial real estate company and acted as broker/owner. Known fondly by his friends and associates as “S.J.,” he made many lifelong friends.
Alden is survived by his former wife, Sheila Lee; daughter, Taryne Faye Jensen; son, Dana Rand Jensen (Christine); four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, all of Colorado.
Alden Jensen was a quiet, modest and accomplished man who was loved and respected by family, friends and numerous realtor associates. He will be dearly missed.
Memorial services and interment will be at North Coon Prairie Church, Cashton, on July 11, 2009, at 11 a.m.
After the service, family and friends may meet for lunch at the Viking Inn restaurant in Viroqua.
Myra Emogene Olson
Myra Emogene Olson, age 80 of rural Soldiers Grove, passed away Friday, June 26, 2009, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse.
She was born July 22, 1928, at home in the township of Kickapoo, Vernon County, the daughter of Torger and Laura (Knutson) Fortney. She was baptized and confirmed in the Franklin Lutheran Church; and a current member of Mt. Sterling Lutheran Church. She was a 1946 graduate of Gays Mills High School. She married Melvin Olson on March 19, 1947, at the Franklin Church parsonage.
She and Melvin were lifelong farmers, along with being a homemaker, a loving wife and mother.
Myra is survived by her husband of more than 62 years, Melvin, of Soldiers Grove; their two daughters, Connie (Rick) Swenson of Soldiers Grove and Mary (John) Hunter of Madison, Wis.; grandchildren, Ryan (Emily) Swenson of Dodgeville, Wis., Kurt (Jesse) Swenson of Soldiers Grove, Corie Hunter and Kristy Hunter of Madison; great-grandchildren, Zoe, Ty, Nora, Kate and Jack; and by a brother-in-law, Irvin Dregne; sisters-in-law, Borghild Burkum, Ruth Fortney and Alice Olson; many nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a great-grandson, Griffin; a brother, Clifford Fortney; and sisters, Leona Dregne and Jeanette McDaniel.
Funeral services were Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at the Mt. Sterling Lutheran Church. Pastor Anna Sorenson officiated. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Visitation was Tuesday before the time of the services at the church.
The Dommersnaes Bertram Family Funeral Home of Gays Mills is assisting the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Ocooch or North Crawford Rescue Squads or the Mt. Sterling Lutheran Church.
Bernadine F. "Bunny" Anderson (nee Alexander)
Bernadine F. "Bunny" Anderson (nee Alexander) of Waukesha, Wis., died on Monday, June 1, 2009, at AngelsGrace Hospice at the age of 92.
Bunny was born in Liberty Pole, on Aug. 14, 1916, the daughter of Charles and Frances Mills Alexander. She had been a member of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church since 1948, and was a retired nurse from Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Bunny was preceded in death by her husband, Ray, in 1998.
Bunny will be deeply missed by her son, the Rev. R.W. Pat (LeNay) Anderson of Brookfield; grandchildren, Patrick (Kim) Anderson of Alexandria, Va. and Timothy (Chris) Anderson of New Berlin; great-granddaughters, Sydney and Madeline and step-great-grandchildren, Derrick, Jacob, Madison, Nicholas and Morgan.
A funeral service for Bunny was held on Sunday, June 7, 2009, at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waukesha. Bunny will be buried on Wednesday, July 8, at 11 a.m. in Liberty Pole Cemetery, next to her husband, Ray; mother, Francis Mills Alexander; grandparents, Will Mills and Ida Mae Zitzner Mills and uncle and aunt, Troy Fish and Marie Mills Fish.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Scholarship Fund, 424 Hyde Park Ave. Waukesha, WI 53188.
The Cesarz, Charapata & Zinnecker Funeral Home, Cremation and Pre-planning Services is serving the family. For further information, call (262) 542-6609 or for an online obituary, directions or to leave a condolence, go to www.waukeshasfu ner alhome.com.
Howard V. Lee
Howard V. Lee, age 88 of Viroqua, died early Sunday morning, June 28, 2009, at his home with his family present, after a short illness with cancer.
He was born Nov. 30, 1920, the son of Lewis Lee and Hilda (Noboe) Lee on the home farm in Portland, rural Cashton. He was the youngest of 10 children. He attended school at Portland until eighth grade. He then farmed the home farm until he was drafted into the Army, and proudly served with the 95th Infantry Division on the shores of Normandy and Metz, France. Howard was wounded and returned to assist in the liberation of Buckenwold Concentration Camp. He continued to be an active member of the 95th Division, attending many reunions. He married Gladys Dunnum on April 22, 1949, and returned to the home farm until his retirement in 1978. Besides milking cows and raising crops, tobacco, cucumbers and children, Howard also sold Jenk’s Seed Corn. In retirement, he and Gladys moved to Viroqua. He worked at Cashton Feed & Seed, worked for Leland Lewison on his farm and also on Roland Christianson’s farm for many years. Howard volunteered at the local mealsites, was very active with the senior citizens groups, danced with the Old Stylers of La Crosse and enjoyed camping throughout the United States with friends. He was also a member of the VFW, Purple Heart and Disabled Vets. He enjoyed exercising at the Heart Center, playing cards and Saturday morning breakfast with Donny. In his later years, he enjoyed going for car rides in the country looking at farms, barns, cattle and crops. He could never get enough fishing and was always trying to catch the next biggest catfish.
Survivors are his wife, Gladys, of 60 years; six children, Linda (Gaylord) Emerson, Peggy (Wayne) Oesterle, Diane (Norbert) Resheske, Tom (Michelle) Lee, Dan (Melissa) Lee, and Don Lee; 12 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by infant son, Gerald, who died at birth; five brothers, Roy, Ray, Chester, Palmer and Orvis Lee; four sisters, Lillian Lee, Esther VanRiper, Ida Haugen and Sally Miller.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Viroqua. The Rev. Lindsay Paul Jordan and the Rev. Margaret Eiben Hoversten officiated. Burial with military rites by the Cashton VFW Post #8584 was in the Portland Cemetery. Friends called on the family Tuesday evening at the VosseteignLarson Funeral Home in Viroqua. Online condolences may be offered at www.vosseteig funeralhomes.com.
Helen Ann Crowley
Helen Ann Crowley, age 95 of Viroqua, died Saturday, June 27, 2009, at the Vernon Manor in Viroqua.
Helen was born on Nov. 10, 1913, to Fred and Elizabeth (Jacquette) Lemke. On Oct. 2, 1948, she was united in marriage to Paul Raymond Crowley. They lived in the Wauwatosa area for 25 years and moved to Viroqua in 1991. Paul died on July 3, 1992.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Patricia Crowley of Viroqua; one brother, Robert Lemke of Milwaukee; and nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two infant siblings and 11 other siblings.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Viroqua. Father Robert J. Cook celebrated the Mass. Burial was on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Waukesha, Wis.
Online condolences may be offered at www.vosseteig funeralhomes.com.
