Helen L. Gilster
ONALASKA/LA CROSSE Helen L. Gilster passed away peacefully on Friday, May 16, 2008, at Bethany Riverside Care Center in La Crosse, where she was a resident after reaching the age of 100.
She was born March 21, 1908, in La Crosse to William and Marie (Hoffmann) Woehlke. She married Alfred Gilster on June 26, 1926, in La Crosse. He preceded her in death on Feb. 10, 1987. Helen and her husband ran a vegetable and dairy farm in the town of Medary for many years.
She is survived by five children, Kenneth (DeLaney) Gilster of Onalaska and their children, Joel of Onalaska and Ellen (Tony) Sletten of Holmen, and a stepdaughter, Gail Saltz of Onalaska; Elaine Fossum of Holmen and her son Curt of Onalaska; David Gilster and friend Barbara Kemp of Holmen; Philip (Lynn) Gilster of Sheboygan, Wis., and their children, Kevin and Chris, of Sheboygan; and Margery (Dr. Dale) May of Salem, Va., and their children, Darren (Irene) of Winston Salem, N.C., Dr. David (Melissa), Dr. Troy (Denise) and Colette May, all of Salem, Va.; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister, Elsie Staples.
Private family services will be held in the Chapel at Oak Grove Cemetery in La Crosse. The Rev. Mark Riekie will officiate. Emtombment will follow in Garden Mausoleum at Oak Grove Cemetery.
Thank you for everything, mother, and all you have done for us. A special thank you to the staff, nurses and care providers at Bethany Riverside Care Center for all of the wonderful care you gave our mother over the years that she was a resident.
Fossum Funeral Home of Onalaska assisted with arrangements.
Margaret Russell
ONALASKA Margaret Russell, 89, of Ona-laska died Saturday, May 17, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Dickinson Family Funeral Homes.
Mary Jane Skaff
ONALASKA Mary Jane Skaff, 91, died Sunday, May 18, 2008, at Onalaska Care Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Dickinson Family Funeral Homes.
Mary H. (Schaefer) Bates
HOLMEN Graveside services for Mary H. (Schaefer) Bates, 86, will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at Green Mound Cemetery in Holmen. Pastor Allen Hanson of New Amsterdam (Wis.) Presbyterian Church will officiate. Mary had passed away March 15, 2008.
Survivors include two sons, Dale (Barbara) Bates and Lyndon (Donna) Bates; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; and her half brother, Dean (Nancy) Spangler.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to New Amsterdam Presbyterian Church.
Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Homes of La Crosse assisted with arrangements.
Ernest L. Jostad
MINDORO Ernest L. Jostad, 85, of Mindoro died Saturday, May 17, 2008, at his home. Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home of West Salem, Wis., is assisting the family with arrangements. A complete obituary will follow.
Clark E Nixon
FORT MYERS, Fla./LA CROSSE Clark E Nixon, 90, of Fort Myers and formerly of La Crosse died Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, at Shell Point Village Hospice, Fort Myers.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 31, at 11 a.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 2503 Main St., La Crosse.
Clark Nixon was born Oct. 13, 1917, in Milwaukee, son of George C. Nixon and Ethel (Clark) Nixon. He graduated from Appleton High School and Lawrence University, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He received a master’s degree in business administration from Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania.
He entered the Navy as an ensign in 1941 at the Navy Supply School at Harvard Business School. He was war bonds officer for the Ninth Naval District at Great Lakes, Ill., was disbursing officer for the Naval Operating Base and Air Station at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and supply officer on the USS Liguria (AKS-15). He spent 32 years in the naval reserve retiring with the rank of captain.
At the conclusion of World War II he entered business in La Crosse with his father, George C. Nixon, as Pension & Profit Sharing Planners Inc. and Compensation Consultants Inc. He spent 23 years as a pension designer, administrator and actuary.
He received the designation of chartered life underwriter and was president of Western Wisconsin Life Underwriters Association. He was president of Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, a member of the board of the Riverland Girl Scouts, served the advisory board of Viterbo College (now University), and was treasurer of the board of Bethany St Joseph Health Care Center. In 1969 he was named to the Council on Aging Committee by Gov. Warren P. Knowles.
In 1957, Clark was elected president and chairman of the board of Bank of Galesville (Wis.), where he served until 1987. In 1967, he was elected president and board chairman of the Bank of Holmen (Wis.), now Park Bank, and served until 1987.
Clark received voice training at the Lawrence Conservatory of Music and enjoyed singing as a soloist and member of a number of civic choirs. In the La Crosse area he sang in the Wesley Methodist Church and First Congregational Church choirs.
He was a member of Badger Lodge No. 345, Eau Claire, Wis., La Crosse Scottish Rite Consistory and Zor Shrine Temple in Madison. He was a member of the Firehouse Jesters and as such was “Flippo” the clown. Nothing pleased him more than to have a pre-schooler standing in front of him, so excited to be with a clown, that he or she couldn’t move a muscle. He appeared in many parades, schools and his grandchildren’s classrooms.
An avid railroad buff, Clark rode railroad trains in the U.S., Europe and China. In 1941, Clark rode in the cab of the three-car Burlington Zephyr from La Crosse to Savannah, Ill., at a time when this was the fastest scheduled run in the world. Many of his recent trips were on special trains and in privately owned railroad cars. He was a member of the National Railway Historical Society and an associate member of the American Association of Private Car Owners.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Z. Michel Nixon, whom he married in 1950; by four children, Nancy (John) Raasch of Pewaukee, Wis., Nina (William) Schiegg of Venice, Fla., Jacquelyne (Bruce) DenUyl of Wilmette Ill., and Carol Lynn (Chester III) Claudon of Seminole, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Mark (Danielle) and Matthew Raasch, Brian (Jennifer) Schiegg, Julie (Matthew) Ritchie, Clark and Eric DenUyl, and Chester IV and Scott Claudon.
A private family interment will be held at Pine Grove Cemetery in Galesville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to: La Crosse Congregational Church UCC organ maintenance, 2503 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse, 1331 Clinton St., La Crosse, WI 54601; Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation, 1836 South Ave., La Crosse, WI 54601; University of Wisconsin La Crosse Foundation; Shrine Hospitals for Children, 2025 E. River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55414; or the charity of your choice.
Herman O. Clark
CASHTON, Wis. Herman O. Clark, 78, of Cashton passed away at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby, Wis., on Tuesday, May 13, 2008, with family by his side.
He was born Dec. 14, 1929, in Monroe County, township of Sheldon, Cashton, the son of Emo and Salina (Melby) Clark. In 1955, he married Betty Lind in Hillsboro, Wis. Herman worked for Trane Co. for 43½ years, retiring at the age of 65. He was a member of Trane’s 25-Year Club. Herman loved farming and camping, and most of all he loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Herman is survived by his wife, Betty of 52 years; his children, Norman Clark and fiancιe, Renee Mahlum of Holmen, Wis., Kenneth (Andrea) Clark of Sparta, Wis., Gerald Clark of Cashton, Kimberly (Ken) Schuttemeier of Westby, and Kathy (Mark) Parshall of Westby; grandchildren, Finley Clark, Haley Clark, Ashley Clark, Karissa (Aaron) Keenlance, Kyla Schuttemeier, Kenny Schuttemeier, Tyler Clark, Ricki Parshall and Keean Parshall; great-grandchildren, Kiarra, Amaya and Alyx Keenlance; stepgrandchildren, Tina (Ben) Walkey and Rebecca (Eric) Green; step-great-grandchildren, Noah Rueckheim and Nathanel and Megan Walkey; sisters, Deltha Schumacher of La Crosse, and Judy Stanek of Kenosha, Wis.; and brothers, Ivan (Betty) Clark of La Crosse, Mahlen (Rosie) Clark of Norwalk, Wis., and Bob (Margy) Clark of Yuba, Wis.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Richard Clark; sister, Elaine Tydrick; brothers-in-law, Bernard Schumacher, Martin Tydrick and Don Stanek; and sister-in-law, Ruby Clark.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, May 19, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Westby. Pastor Gary Daines will officiate. Burial will be in North Coon Prairie Cemetery, rural Cashton. Friends may call Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Vosseteig Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. (Hwy. 14) in Westby. Friends may also call at the church Monday from noon until the time of services at 1 p.m. Online condolences may be offered at www.vosseteigfuneralhomes.com.
Vosseteig Funeral Home of Westby is serving the family.
Marie G. Miller
BEAVER DAM, Wis. Marie G. Miller, 90, of Beaver Dam died Thursday, May 15, 2008, at Hillside Manor in Beaver Dam.
Visitation for Marie will be held at Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam on Sunday, May 18, from 4 to 7 p.m., where a rosary service will be held at 6:45 p.m. Friends also may call at St. Katharine Drexel Church, 511 S. Spring St. in Beaver Dam on Monday, May 19, from 10 to 11 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the church Monday beginning at 11 a.m. The Rev. Jerome Rinzel will officiate. Burial will be at St. Peter’s Cemetery in the town of Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wis.
The former Marie Gertrude Kronenberg was born March 24, 1918, in Madison to John and Ella (Western) Kronenberg. After graduation from Beaver Dam High School, Marie worked for Weyenberg Shoe Factory in Beaver Dam. On Oct. 27, 1945, she was united in marriage with Carl A. Miller at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Beaver Dam. Together they farmed in the town of Westford for many years. After retiring from farming in 1979, they embarked on a new adventure: They owned and operated Miller’s’ Pub in South Beaver Dam for two years. Carl preceded Marie in death April 12, 2005.
Marie was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, currently known as St. Katharine Drexel Parish. Marie’s family was always the center of her life and she was also an avid Packers fan.
Survivors include five children, Marjorie Gramtham of Rochester, Minn., Janet (Bill) Stofflet of Beaver Dam, Constance Schoepke of Beaver Dam, Rachel (Ken) Longseth of Beaver Dam, and John (Peggy) Miller of Onalaska, Wis.; nine granddaughters, Kalen (Jeff) Ruck of Oshkosh, Wis., Monica (Matthew) Modine of Beaver Dam, Elizabeth Keel of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Bridget (Eric) Spielman of Sheboygan, Wis., Melanie (Kenneth) Clifton of Gordon, Texas, Alison (Nicholas) Westphal of Beaver Dam, Heidi Keel of Minneapolis, Whitney Stofflet of Minneapolis and Kelly Miller of Onalaska; seven great-grandchildren, Kyrie Schoepke, Emily Ruck, Kenneth Hayden Clifton, Kyle Clifton, Madelyn Modine, Meredith Modine and Jaxon Westphal; her sister, Eleanor (John) Adams of Davenport, Iowa; three sisters-in-law, Helen Kronenberg of Beaver Dam, Esther Miller of Plymouth, Wis., and Genevieve Mahoney of Suring, Wis.; and nieces; nephews; other relatives; and friends.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four brothers, John, Fredrick, Harold and Leonard Kronenberg; and an infant sister, Esther.
The family suggests that memorials be made in Marie G. Miller’s name to St. Katharine Drexel School Endowment or Hillside Hospice in Beaver Dam.
Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam is caring for the family. Online condolences may be made at www.MurrayFH.com.
Arthur M. Ebner
Arthur M. Ebner, 90, of La Crosse died Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at Bethany Riverside Care Center, La Crosse.
He was born Jan. 1, 1918, in Rushford, Minn., to Albert and Margaret (Forsythe) Ebner. He married Viola Larson on Sept. 29, 1936. Arthur served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He had worked as a milkman for Betz Dairy, at Trane Co. and then as a baker at Erickson Bakery before retiring. Arthur was an avid fisherman and loved watching the Green Bay Packers. He was also a member of the Roy Vingers American Legion Post 52.
Arthur is survived by his wife, Viola; six children, Dale (Anahmarie) Ebner of La Crescent, Minn., Marilyn Klos of Richfield, Minn., Irene (Gerald) Hilleshiem of New Richmond, Wis., Karen (Paul) Levendoski of Madison, Kenneth (Patricia) Ebner of Holmen, Wis., and Linda (Larry) Platz of Holmen; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great- grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Clifford, Walter and Wallace; a sister, Harriett Roys; and a son-in-law, Russell Klos.
Funeral services will be Saturday, May 17, at 1 p.m. at Faith and Life Center at Bethany Riverside Care Center, 2575 S. Seventh St., La Crosse. Pastor Jim Arends will officiate. Burial, with military honors by the Roy Vingers American Legion Post No. 52, will be in Mormon Coulee Memorial Park, La Crosse. Friends may call at Faith and Life Center on Saturday from noon until the time of services. Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse is in charge of arrangements.
