Obituaries

Jan 15, 2020

Virginia H. Dunnum, 79, of Onalaska, died Wednesday January 15, 2020 at her home.  She was born April 4, 1940 to Henry and Elnora (Dopson) Stakston in Vernon County.  She was baptized May 12, 1940 and confirmed May 1955 at Skogdalen Lutheran Church, rural Westby.  Virginia married Maynard Dunnum on August 23, 1961 in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in...

Jan 5, 2020

Rita L. Keuser-Wells, 73, of Gainsville, GA and formerly of Cashton, WI, died January 5, 2020. She was born March 1, 1946 to William and Kathleen Keuser.

Born to farmers in rural Cashton, Wisconsin, Rita always wanted more for herself than a life of farming. She loved to work and earn her own money, leading her to...

Dec 23, 2019

Marvin J. Heller, 76, of Sparta and formerly of Chaseburg, died Monday December 23, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Sparta.  He was born December 22, 1943 in La Crosse to Oscar and Ernestine (Leske) Heller.  Marv married Joan Johnson on July 31, 1965 at Middle Coon Valley Lutheran Church.  He farmed for many years and also worked...

Dec 10, 2019

Lorraine M. Stendahl, 86, of rural Chaseburg died Tuesday December 10, 2019 at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby.  She was born August 18, 1933 to Martin and Inga (Olson) Berg in Portland Township, Monroe County.  Lorraine graduated from Cashton High School followed by Vernon County Normal School. She then taught at the Clinton School for 2 years. On August...

Nov 26, 2019

Shirley M. Berg, 86, of Coon Valley, died Tuesday November 26, 2019 at Benedictine Manor in La Crosse. She was born to Paul and Edna (Seidel) Bakken on September 19, 1933.  She grew up in La Crosse on 5th and Hood Streets and attended school at Hamilton, Lincoln and Central High School where she graduated in 1951.  She worked...

Nov 16, 2019

Rosetta E. Heinze, 91, of rural Bangor died Saturday November 16, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse.  She was born June 29, 1928 to Herman and Ida (Martin) Schultz. Rosetta was baptized, confirmed and married at 1st Lutheran Church in La Crosse.  She married Louis Heinze on August 21, 1958. Survivors include 2 sisters, her twin...

Nov 9, 2019

Edward James Wrobel, Jr., 86, passed away on November 9, 2019, at his home with his five girls by his side.  He was born July 16, 1933 (his Dad’s birthday) to Edward & Esther Schroeder Wrobel.  He lived his entire life on or near the family farm on Chaseburg Ridge.

He was baptized and confirmed at St....

Nov 9, 2019

Janet A. King, 85 of Coon Valley passed away Saturday November 9, 2019.  She was born December 4, 1933 to Raymond and Agnes (Hundt) Arenz.  She was the oldest of 12 children. Janet married Sylvester King Jr. on June 30, 1956.  She worked for the La Crosse Garment Co., retiring after 25 years. Janet then took a part time...

Oct 26, 2019

Janice A. (Stylen) Lee of Coon Valley, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 26, 2019 with family by her side at Vernon Manor in Viroqua. Janice – wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, educator and friend – lived 87 meaningful years.

Janice was born on July 27, 1932 in La Crosse, to Edwin and Josephine (Knutson)...

Oct 24, 2019

Blaine “Jiggs” L. Oliver, 76, of Stoddard passed away on Wednesday October 23, 2019 at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby.  He was born November 25, 1942 to Arnold and Eileen (Suiter) Oliver in Viroqua.  He was employed for many years at Lawrynk’s Grocery and Feed in Stoddard.

On January 18, 1964 he married Judith Umberger and they...

Oct 9, 2019

Harold L. Dale, 88 of La Crosse and formerly of Stoddard, passed away at Gundersen Health System on Oct. 9, 2019.  He was born in Mt. Sterling on Oct. 23, 1930 to Roy and Jessie (Fesenfeld) Dale.  He graduated from Gays Mills High School in 1948.  He was an outdoor person and loved to walk the Crawford county hills...

Oct 3, 2019

Joyce C. Halvorson, 84 of Holmen died Thursday October 3, 2019. She was born May 10, 1935 to George and Clara Miller in Stoddard, and later baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stoddard. She attended grade school in Stoddard, where the principal recommended she become a teacher after seeing her great aptitude, and later attended...

Sep 25, 2019

Cary Ellis Gilbeck, 69, of Westby passed away on September 25, 2019, at Gundersen Hospital.

Cary was born on December 24th, 1949 in Viroqua, WI to Chester and Elsie Gilbeck (Ofte).  He was raised on a dairy farm outside of Coon Valley and continued his love for farming with his own cattle broker business. He spent many...

Sep 19, 2019

Sonja I. Pederson, 81, of Coon Valley died Thursday September 19, 2019 at Mayo Health System in La Crosse.  She was born February 16, 1938 in Richland Center to Telmer and A. Norma (Simonson) Skolos.  Sonja graduated from Westby High School. She married Robert Pederson on January 29, 1955 in Coon Valley.  Sonja began working for Seland’s Furnishings, Flooring...

Aug 31, 2019

Gretchen was born in Decorah, Iowa, on June 7, 1950, and passed away at her home in rural LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on August 31, 2019, at age 69.

She spent many happy years in the Decorah school system with her West Side friends--from kindergarten through high school graduation in 1968.

After graduating from Fairview College of...

Aug 9, 2019

Richard V. (Dick) Nestingen, 86, of Coon Valley, passed away peacefully on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. He was born Jan. 30, 1933 in Coon Valley to Julian and Gina Nestingen. After he graduated from Westby High School and Madison Short Course, he served in the Army during the Korean Conflict. He was employed at Norplex for over 40 years...

Jul 31, 2019

Clifford D. Armgard, 93, of Genoa, died Wednesday July 31 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.  He was born October 2, 1925 to Leonard and Effie (Fosdick) Armgard in Flanagan, Illinois the youngest of seven children.  He grew up in the Chicago suburbs of Lyons, Brookfield and La Grange. In 1943 he was drafted into the U.S. Army....

Jul 26, 2019

Janice L. Phillips, 87, of Stoddard died Friday, July 26, 2019 at her home. She was born on the family farm in rural Chaseburg, Wisconsin on November 27, 1931 to Herman and Alvina (Bray) Schlicht.   She was confirmed May 13, 1945 with full communion at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chaseburg.  Janice married Carl J. Phillips on December...

Jul 24, 2019

Nira Mae (Goplen) Torgerud, 93, passed away peacefully at her home in Westby, WI on Wednesday July 24, 2019. She was surrounded by her children Deborah (Colonero), LeRoy Torgerud Jr & Marcia (Russell).

She leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren who all loved her dearly.

A private celebration of life will be held at...

Jul 20, 2019

Delores M. Mickelson, 88, passed away Saturday July 20, 2019 at the Bethel Home in Viroqua.  She was born August 15, 1930 in rural Coon Valley to John and Olga (Olson) Hoff. She was the youngest, their only daughter.  She had three older brothers, Glen, Jerold and Clayton.

Delores grew up on a farm during the Depression. ...