Before dawn on June 17, 2014, John Koenig died at Zilber Hospice, in the Wauwatosa neighborhood he had lived in for 55 years.

John was born to John and Barbara Koenig in Caledonia, Minnesota, on May 17, 1927. All of his four siblings (Margaret, Bernice, Allen and Virginia) predecease him. John served in WWII right out of high school.  He later attended college at Marquette University in Milwaukee and earned his B.A. in 1952. That same summer, John married Mary Lou Daley of La Crosse, Wisconsin and their marriage lasted 62 years.  Eight children were born of this union, and seven survive John, along with spouses:  David (Bobby), Katherine (Vic), Betsy (Jim), John (Jane), Jim (Dasha), Tom (Ann) and Rob (Lisa).  Son, Timothy, died in 2006. Grandchildren include Tim, Ben, Karina, Ryan, Aidan, Annie, Mikey, Helen, Adelle, Colleen, Andrew, Griffin, Daley, Olivia, Zak and Nicky.  Great-grandchildren include Curtis, Kylei, Timothy and Christopher.

John graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1956.  For most of his career, John worked in the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, serving under four D.A.s (William McCauley, Hugh O’Connell, Mike McCann and Dave Cannon).  Retiring after 25 years, John continued to practice law for 15 more years out of a private firm located on Bluemound Rd.

John relished practicing law, but his first passion was his family.  John and his wife hosted many neighborhood parties over the years, and John’s particular favorites were 4th of July and New Years Eve. John loved planning family reunions and visits. He enjoyed cookouts and camping with family and friends.  He also “played” long hours in his woodworking shop.  During the 1980s and ’90s, John and Mary Lou traveled with great gusto in a mobile home to many delightful spots across the U.S.  Many autumns included a trip with the “Door County friends.”

A celebration of John’s life will take place on Monday, June 30 at St. Pius X Church at 76th and Wright in Wauwatosa. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. At 10:45 a.m., a concert of sacred music will be offered by John’s family, with a funeral Mass to follow at 11:30. All are welcome.  Reception to follow.

Memorial donations may be directed to St. Pius X Church or St. Ben’s Meal Program (1015 S. 9th St, Milwaukee 53222). The family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Krippendorf, Froedtert Hospital, Vitas Hospice, Lutheran Home, Zilber Hospice and Balistreri’s Restaurant.  Special thanks to Sandy Krueger, Evelyn Loper and Barbara Motlong.

Orpha Gulbranson Weymiller, age 87, of Spring Grove, passed away Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at Green Lea Manor in Mabel, Minnesota.

Orpha was born February 10, 1927, to Albert and Lennie (Tollefsrud) Bergrud in Spring Grove. Orpha married Iver Gulbranson on June 16, 1945. The couple owned and operated Gulbranson Lumber Company in Spring Grove. Iver preceeded Orpha in death on October 6, 1973. After Iver’s death Orpha continued to operate their business, later selling it and then working for Roverud Construction until her retirement. She later enjoyed being a hostess at the Ballard House in Spring Grove.

On December 6, 1975, she married Leland Weymiller. For 38 years they enjoyed dancing at Elmer’s Supper Club, watching Twins games and spending time with their families and friends. Orpha was also known for her beautiful rose garden and flowers, her love for the Minnesota Twins and Monday bingo.

Orpha is survived by her three daughters, Cheryl Gulbranson (Ginny Boldt), Highlandville, Iowa; Deborah (Wayne) Buxengard, Mabel, Minnesota; and their children Ryan (Beth) Buxengard, Grant and Simon of Hudson, Wisconsin; Brooke (Matthew) Garness and their children, Samuel and Henry of Mabel; Lynette (Merle) Landsom and their children, Tiffany (Christopher) Langen and Rylee Landsom, all of LaCrescent, Minnesota; Carole (Harlan) Yohe,  Waukon, Iowa; Joyce (Melvin) Breezer, La Crescent; Gary (Diane) Weymiller, New Albin, Iowa and their families; two sisters, Mavis Arneson, Decorah, Iowa and Wanda (Eldie) Smith, Winona, Minnesota.

In addition to her husbands, Iver and Leland, she was preceeded in death by her brother, Archie Bergrud and her sisters Tinka Rud, Hazel Lundberg and Gyneth Brevig.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude for the compassionate care given to Orpha by the staff at Green Lea Manor during her four year stay.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Pastor Zane Anderson will officiate. Friends may call Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Roble Funeral Home in Spring Grove and one hour prior to services at the church on Monday.

Lester Emil Traff, age 73, of Austin, Minnesota, died Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at his home.

Lester was born to Emil and Lillie (Schroeder) Traff on January 22, 1941 in Caledonia, Minnesota. He graduated from Austin High School in 1959.  Lester married Barbara Earl at the First Methodist Church in Austin, on July 8, 1961. After 30 years, Les retired from Caterpillar Tractor.  In his spare time Les enjoyed fishing and playing chess, pool and snooker. Les could frequently be found at the Austin Senior Center.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Lillie, and sister, Gloria Traff.

Lester is survived by his wife, Barbara Traff, Austin; sons, Robert (Elizabeth) Traff, Rochester, Minnesota; Brian (Kim) Traff, Montgomery, Alabama; Michael Traff, Montgomery; Christopher Traff, Montgomery; 11 grandchildren; sisters, Norma Bray, Austin and Leona (John) Detwiler, Austin; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2014 at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary with Reverend Dale Christiansen officiating.  Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery.  Visitation will be for one hour before the service.

Victor Ray Christian, age 79, of Caledonia, Minnesota passed away peacefully on Monday, July 14, surrounded by his loving family at Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Victor was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin on July 28, 1934, to Oliver and Ione Christian and was the fifth of 14 children.  He graduated from Reedsburg High School in 1953 and married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Wagner also of Reedsburg, on July 24, 1954.  Victor proudly served in the US Army as an engineer, spending an extended tour in South Korea following the Korean Conflict.  His work history included time at Oscar Mayer, Alpenrose and Country Boy Dairies near Madison, Schiltz Farms Dairy of Caledonia and Borden Distributing of Baraboo, Wisconsin. In 1979 Vic and Ruth returned to Caledonia and purchased Haugstad’s Confectionary while Vic was employed at Farm Power Equipment of Caledonia, finally retiring in 1997.  Even more impressive than his work history was his dedication to his community through multiple organizations. Vic tirelessly volunteered at the Lions Club, American Legion, Chamber of Commerce, Caledonia Sno Gophers, Knights of Columbus and the National Wild Turkey Federation.  After retirement, Vic and Ruth became permanent RVers, travelling across North America, from Alaska to Georgia to Quebec to California and even deep into Mexico.  He spent time as a campground host near Zapata, Texas and at Camp Winnebago in Caledonia.

Victor is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Ruth; his daughter Teresa Holland (Dean); his sons, Alan (Annette), Melvin (Mary), Jeff (Trish), Kurt (MaryAnn), Pat (Judy) and Mark (Stacey); 17 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.  He is also survived by brothers, Lewis, Glen, Henry, Jack, Marvin, Richard and Gene, and sisters Barbara and Vera.

He is preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Rosemary; a brother, Herbert; and sisters Helen, Cornelia and Bonnie. He was also preceded in death by a grandson, Joseph Christian Holland; granddaughter, Allee Rae Christian; and great-granddaughter, Clara Jane Bjerke.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 am on Saturday July 19, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Father Matt Fasnacht will officiate and burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia with military honors by the American Legion. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Holy Family Hall, next to the church, where a rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be given at mccormickfuneralhome.net.

George James Albert, 86, of Caledonia, died peacefully July 14, 2014, with his family at his side at Caledonia Care and Rehab in Caledonia.

He was born October 6, 1927 in Forest Lake, Minnesota, to Henry and Ellen (Graf) Albert. The family moved to Caledonia in 1937 when his father purchased a family grocery store. George graduated from Loretto High School, Caledonia in 1944. He attended Notre Dame and then served with the U.S.Navy.

On September 6, 1948, he married Marie Peter at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Marie preceded him death on January 4, 1988. He married Virginia Ernster October 22, 1989 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. After being discharged from the Navy in 1947 and moving back home, his dad woke him the next day at 6 a.m. and said, “You got to go to work.” And George continued working at Albert’s Grocery for 53 years.

George served the Caledonia Fire Department as being a member for 24 years and Fire Chief for nine years.  He was named Father of the Year at St. Mary’s Church and he was recognized as the Outstanding Senior Citizen in Houston County in 2003. George was a founding member of Concerned About River People, “CARP” in Brownsville. In his retirement he worked at Lawrence Lake Marina, Brownsville. He enjoyed his boathouse on the Mississippi and being captain of his boat, The Sea-Nyle, with his crew chief, Virginia. He was an avid Viking fan and was a season ticket holder since 1963.

He is survived by his loving spouse, Virginia, of Caledonia; his six children, Tony (Maureen) Albert, Cornville, Arizona; Nancy (Ole) Braaten, Viroqua, Wisconsin; Karen (Kevin) Kruse, Eitzen, Minnesota; Daniel Albert,  Spring Grove, Minnesota; Mike (Tammy) Albert, Caledonia; and Gary (Adrienne) Albert, West Allis, Wisconsin; 12 grandchildren, Angee Albert; Jared, Tyler and Jenna Denstad; Emily and Sarah Kruse; Laura (Isaac) Goetzinger; Hilary (Sam) Schultz; Danika Albert; Arie and Alyssa Albert; and Vincent Hartley; and five great-grandchildren, Max, Shailey, and Mariah Wirtz; Quinn Denstad; and Connor Goetzinger.

In addition to his wife, Marie, he was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Barb; a granddaughter, Jessica Quinn Denstad; his sisters, Doris Joyce, Alice Klug, Mary Ellen Marnach and his brother, Bill Albert.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 18, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia. Father Matt Fasnacht will officiate and burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Holy Family Hall, next to the church, where a rosary will be said at 7:30 pm. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be given at mccormickfuneralhome.net.

In honor of George’s service as a fireman, the family requests memorials be given to the Caledonia Fire Department or a fire department of donor’s choice.

Esther Norma Strike, age 86, of Spring Grove passed away Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at Tweeten Lutheran Healthcare in Spring Grove.

Esther was born on November 21, 1927, to Julius and Louise (Exe) Johnson. On September 19, 1946 Esther married WWII veteran, Richard O. Strike. The couple farmed in the rural Rochester, Minnesota area for most of her life, where she enjoyed the simple pleasures of farm life, horses, gardening and raising a family of two boys Dave and Steve.

Esther loved to read her Bible in support of her strong Lutheran faith. Esther continued to farm with her husband until his death in 2000, when she moved to Spring Grove. She worked at the Tweeten Lutheran Healthcare until November of 2009, when she became a resident at Tweeten Assisted Living until a fall sent her to live at Tweeten Lutheran Healthcare in December of 2010 where she resided until her death.

Esther is survived by her two sons Dave (Tamara), a farmer in rural Spring Grove; and Steve, an engineer at IBM, living in rural Wykoff, Minnesota area; four grandchildren, Jason, Joel, Jill (Jim) Britain and Jody Strike; and four great-grandchildren, Jenna, Julie and Jacob Britain; and Myia Strike. She is also survived by two sisters, Ruth (Charles) Eickhoff and Eleanor Fremond and a brother, Lewis (Jeanette) Johnson.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, Louise and Julius Johnson; three sisters, Rosella Scrabeck, Lorraine Molde and Marion Tlougan.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Roble Funeral Home in Spring Grove. Burial will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Maple Grove Cemetery in Kasson, Minnesota. Pastor Zane Anderson will officiate. Friends may call Sunday from 1 until time of services at the funeral home.

Walter Louis Miller, 95, of Caledonia, died Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at Caledonia Care & Rehab surrounded by family.

He was born May 8, 1919, to Joseph and Rose (Vodraska) Miller on their family farm near Olivia, Minnesota. Later in 1919, he moved with his parents and older brother to a farm in Houston County.  He attended the Daley Country School and graduated from eighth grade continuing his career in farming. On Tuesday, October 29, 1946, he married Gertrude Miller at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Hokah, Minnesota. From 1946 to 1948, they operated the family farm near Freeburg, Minnesota in Mayville Township. From 1948 to 1951, they rented a farm in Brownsville Township. In October 1951, they purchased an 80-acre farm east of Caledonia in Mayville Township and continued farming until their retirement in the spring of 1982 when they moved into Caledonia.  He was a past member of St Nicholas Parish, Freeburg, and since has been a member of St Mary’s Parish in Caledonia.

Walter’s life interests included fishing, singing, visiting with family and neighbors, making various kinds of wines, playing cards and working on jigsaw and word search puzzles.

He is survived by his wife, Gertrude, of 67 years, six children, Arlene Welsh, Caledonia; Joyce Wicks, Owatonna; Rose (Bill) Gludt, Rochester; Leonard (Laurie) Miller, Holmen, Wisconsin; Willard (Kathy) Miller, Blaine; Joanne (Tom) Wagner, Caledonia; 13 grandchildren, Chuck, Mike (Melanie), Dan and Anthony Welsh (Cassie Boddy); Brian (Heather) Wicks, Kim (Crist) Riester, Matt (Kendra) Gludt, Terry and Duane Miller, Mandy and Jeremy Miller; Nick and David Wagner; five great grandchildren, Kylie and Anna Welsh; Hailey and Royce Riester; and Callie Gludt; two sisters, Evelyn Klug and Lilly Henry; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Dorothy Miller at age 3, Eleanor Klug and Mary Klug; three brothers, Lawrence, William and Robert Miller; and a son-in-law, Richard Welsh.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 21,  at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 513 S. Pine St., Caledonia.  Father Matt Fasnacht will officiate with burial in Calvary Cemetery, Caledonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, at McCormick Funeral Home, 205 E Main St, Caledonia, and one hour prior to the service at the Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St Mary’s Catholic Church, Caledonia or to donor’s choice.

Crystal “Cris” Ann Werner, 61, Caledonia, Minnesota, passed away on July 12, 2014.

Cris was born on March 30, 1953 to Orville and Charlotte (Muenchow) Werner.

Cris was a Sergeant E-5 in the United States Army, serving during Vietnam. She married Rita Ensign on September 19, 2013 in Winona, Minnesota. She survives of the home.

Chris is also survived by her sister-in-law, Shirley Ensign, Independence, Missouri; mother-in-law, Betty Hopkins, Gower, Missouri; nieces and nephews; and her boxer, Brie of the home.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m., Friday, July 18, at Evergreen Cemetery, Cameron, Missouri. Visitation is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at Poland-Thompson Funeral Home, Cameron. Memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Online condolences: www.polandthompson.com.

Kenneth H. Vinson, 78, of Brownsville, Minnesota, and formerly of Caledonia, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2014, at Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin.

He was born October 23, 1935, in Paducah, Kentucky and lived in Cuba, Missouri during his early years. While working for a logging camp in Wyoming, Ken was drafted into the United States Army. He served from 1958 until 1960, mostly in Europe. On October 5, 1963, Ken married Sandra Anderson in Caledonia and they later divorced. Ken was a self-employed logger and log exporter and was one of the largest domestic and foreign exporters of logs in the Midwest. After retiring from logging, he worked at CenturyTel (now, CenturyLink), as their outdoor grounds maintenance manager where he took great pride in his attention to detail. Ken loved golfing and deer hunting and he was always up for a good fish-fry. He also liked to sing and pick his guitar and even sang over the years at some area establishments. Ken was the ultimate St. Louis Cardinals fan and enjoyed following them and talking about them daily. Most of all, he will be remembered by his family as a supportive and loving dad and grandpa.

Survivors include three sons, Brian (Linda) Vinson, Caledonia; Ron (Marsha) Vinson, Lansing, Iowa; and Randy Vinson (special friend, Dianna), New Albin, Iowa; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and one great-grandchild to be arriving soon.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents and a special cousin, Earl Warnhoff.

Memorial services will be at 4 p.m., Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the New Albin Community Center, New Albin. Pastor Laura Gentry will officiate. Following the service, military honors will be rendered outside the community center by the Kenneth Casey VFW Post 5603 of New Albin and the United States Army Funeral Honor Guard. A visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the time of service Sunday at the Community Center.  Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory (Caledonia Chapel), is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.

The family would like to send a special thank you to Greg Foellmi, Donna Shuda, and Andrea Vinson for the attention given to Ken over the last several months.

Harriet Sylvia (Bratland) Newgaard, 95, a life-long resident of Spring Grove, Minnesota, passed away July 23, 2014 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Since April, 2012, she had resided at Tweeten Lutheran Health Care Center in Spring Grove.

She was born March 2, 1919, the middle child of six brothers, to Albert and Hannah (Solberg) Bratland. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring Grove.

She attended the Morken country school, District #77, from 1924-1932 in Wilmington Township. Being the only daughter in a family of seven children, she learned at an early age that her role was helping her mother tend to household chores and, although she didn’t know it at the time, she had to grow up fast. Attending school was her outlet, being with other girls her age, learning how to read and discovering what life was like for others. Walking a very long distance was the only way to get to and from school, but she had fond memories and shared many stories of those years. Her neighbors were also an inspiration and an influence in her inquisitive childhood years.

On May 2, 1936, she married Oberlin Newgaard. They farmed together in Black Hammer Township for over 55 years and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary during the Syttende Mai celebration prior to Oberlin’s death in December, 1996. Harriet made the difficult decision to move from her beloved farm home to a newly purchased house in town in 2001 at age 82. She grew to enjoy her new home and big yard and the new neighborhood and was blessed to reside there for over 10 years.

Harriet enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing, baking, crocheting, knitting, quilting and reaching out to others. She loved animals (especially horses and birds) and her home was filled with bird mementos received as gifts. She had been very active in all the church women’s groups, Sunday school, Houston County Homemakers, Meals on Wheels and Black Hammer Swift Scooters 4-H Club. Many relatives and friends were recipients of her great generosity in sending cards and letters over the years for birthdays and other special events.

She is survived by two sons, Ordell (Ruth), Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Alton, Spring Grove; and four daughters, Donna (Dick) Meyer, Menahga, Minnesota; Darlene (Donald) Evenson, Minneapolis; Phi (Fred) LaMarche, Northfield, Minnesota; and Linda (Larry) Gomer, Two Harbors, Minnesota; and daughter-in-law, Linda (Bjergum) Newgaard, Spring Grove; the extended families of 17 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Odell (Margie) Bratland, Chanhassen, Minnesota; two sisters-in-law, Pauleen Bratland and Elvina Bratland, both of Spring Grove; and many nieces and nephews.

Harriet was preceded in death by her husband, Oberlin; son, Clinton (2011); infant daughter; great-grandson, Cal Daniel (2009); five brothers, Kenneth, Burnell, Roland, Glenn and Vernon Bratland; two sisters-in-law, Gladys Bratland and Ann Bratland.

Blessed be her memory… she will be forever in our hearts.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove. Burial will be in the Trinity Church cemetery. Friends may call Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Roble Funeral Home in Spring Grove and one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Online condolences may be left at roblefuneralhome.com.

Daniel William Miller, 51, of Caledonia, Minnesota, died Thursday, July 24, 2014 at his home following a lengthy battle with cancer. He fought hard until his last breath with his family at his side.

Known as “Dan” to his friends and “Danny” to his sisters, he was born June 11, 1963, to William and Ann (Olafson) Miller in Caledonia.

He is survived by two daughters, Jesse Newquist and Miranda Peterson, both of Minneapolis; son, Mitchell Miller, New Ulm, Minnesota; his mother, Ann Miller, Rushford, Minnesota; three sisters, Susan Miller and Kelly Marin of Rushford; and Christie (Dan) Nicklay, St. Charles, Minnesota; girlfriend, Trina Longenecker, Caledonia; seven aunts, four uncles, many cousins, two nieces and one nephew.

Danny was preceded in death by his father, William Marcellus Miller; uncles, Lawrence Miller, Plainview, Minnesota; Walter Miller and Robert Miller of Caledonia; Mervin “Skip” Olafson, Holmen, Wisconsin; Omer Klug and Marcel Klug; Caledonia; aunts, Dorothy Miller, Olivia, Minnesota; Margaret (Lawrence) Miller, Plainview; Elleanor (Omer) Klug and Mary (Marcel) Klug, Caledonia; grandparents, Joseph and Rose (Vodraska) Miller, Caledonia; and Mervin and Adella (Erickson) Olafson, Caledonia; and dear friend, Wayne “Newt” Burmeister.

After living and working in Belleville, Wisconsin for nearly 20 years, Danny returned to Caledonia in 2007. He first began working for Miken painting bats, but the love of farming turned him to Sno-Pac where he had the opportunity to work his own family farm with his long-time friends, Pete and Nick Gangler.

Danny celebrated life every day. Anyone who visited him was greeted with, “Wanna beer?” and a trip to the shed, where he shared his infectious laugh, jokes, poking fun and tinkering with one project or another. He loved splitting wood with his brother-in-law, Dan Nicklay, and cousin, Jason Klinski and was especially pleased with the last load that cousin and best friend, Wayne Miller, cut and stacked for him. From his hospice bed in the living room, Danny looked out the window at the wood pile and said, “That looks good, Odie!”

Danny was also known for his fondness for his animals. He loved his dog, Patches, and was adamant in finding better ways to care for his chickens. His newest critter was a baby lamb named Simba, later nicknamed “Chops” by Danny and cousin, Alan Klug. His love of life, his family, friends and his animals made Danny the kind of man everyone loved to be with. So if you’re heading out to Danny’s, bring a 12-pack and a bag of ice. He’ll be in the shed.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, July 29, at McCormick Funeral Home in Caledonia, from 4 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service held at 7 p.m. In lieu of a funeral, Danny asked that he be cremated and his ashes spread on the family farm where he grew up with his parents and sisters.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the doctors and nurses of Gundersen Health System and their Hospice care. And a very special thank you to Lisa Miller, who was always there when Dan needed her, especially when he was craving KFC chicken.

Donald Arthur Nauman, 68 of Lake City,  Minnesota, died Thursday, July 24, 2014, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Lake City.

He was born February 25, 1946, in LeRoy, Minnesota, son of Harold and Mary (Williams) Nauman. He began his schooling in LeRoy and graduated from Caledonia High School on May 29, 1964. Shortly after graduating, he began his college years at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for engineering. He worked for the rubber mills during school and continued for a short while after. In 1973, he and his family moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he worked at the Prairie Island Power Plant in security up until 1977. He then moved back to La Crosse where he began working for Dairyland Power and eventually started schooling at the Dakota County Area Vocational Tech School in continuing education so he could be a supervisor.  He also spent some of his time working at Pinkerton Detective Agency.  Lastly, he worked for Wackenhut Security as a supervisor, retiring in 1997. During his retirement, he enjoyed beach combing and collecting treasures, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. He also enjoyed working part time for Target during his retirement and was an avid Twins fan for many years. He was a member of the Archeology Society in La Crosse.

Donald is survived by his three children, Michelle (Keith) Lysaker,  Galesville, Wisconsin; Deanne (Todd) Nelson, Fairchild, Wisconsin; and Darcey (Brad) Graner, Nelson, Wisconsin;  six grandsons; three granddaughters; nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Zachariah Graner; and one brother, Kenneth (Evelyn) Nauman.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Anderson-Peterson Chapel, with Reverend Paul Langmade officiating. Burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery in Lake City. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.  Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Lyndon James Kubitz, 48, of New Albin, Iowa, died Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at Mayo Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

He was born on February 3, 1966, to Richard and Teresa (Mitchell) Kubitz at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse. Lyndon graduated from Caledonia High School in 1984 and Kaplan University earning his Masters Degree in computer science.

Lyndon enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged. He was united in marriage with Wendy Hruska on September 29, 2001, at St Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin.

Lyndon worked on the family farm in Jefferson Township, New Albin. He also worked at different factories, repaired computers and tutored online. He enjoyed computers, spending time with his children and family, cooking, making homemade ice cream and grilling.

Lyndon is survived by his wife, Wendy, New Albin; his children, Tiana, Leah, Austin, Richard and Amy, all at home; his four siblings, Terrie (Randy) Roth, Coldwater, Michigan; Leon (Sarah) Kubitz, Lansing, Iowa; Lawrence “Joe” Kubitz, New Albin; and Dawn (Mark) Tewes, Eitzen, Minnesota; father and stepmother-in-law, Raymond and Shelly Peterson; mother and stepfather-in-law, Irene and Marvin Engel; five uncles, Lawrence, Gerald, David, Raymond and Earl Mitchell; three aunts, Esther Benesh, Marylou Meyer and Dorothy Ann Weiand; and many nieces and nephews.

Lyndon was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Debra Stubbe; brother-in-law, Michael Hruska; sister-in-law, Sandra Kubitz; and a niece, Kimberly Mae Kubitz.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin, Iowa with Rev. Ed Lechtenberg as the Celebrant. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 29, 2014, from 4 to 8 p.m. with a  4 p.m. Rosary and a 7:30 p.m. scripture service at the Community Center in New Albin. There will also be a one hour visitation before Mass at the church on Wednesday. Inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, New Albin.

Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Lansing, Iowa is helping the family with the arrangements.

Ronald Myrel Schiltz, 63, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully Thursday July 31, 2014 with his family by his side.

He was born September 24, 1950 in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Myrel and Angie (Lehman) Schiltz. He married Donna Brusic on August 2, 1997, in Whitewater.

Ron was known for his dedication to engineering and working hard for his family. He loved the outdoors and deer, turkey and duck hunting. In addition, he enjoyed boating, fishing, snow skiing with his family and friends and collecting antique decoys. He was a lifelong member of the NRA.

His lifelong dream was to go on a bear hunt. Two years ago, he traveled with his son, Brian, to Canada and the hunt was successful. The bear was mounted and is now proudly displayed in the family room of his home. Ron was a loyal Minnesota Vikings fan, a strong supporter of UW-Whitewater Warhawks athletics and the Milwaukee Brewers. He lived as a devout Catholic, dedicated to Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Whitewater. Ron was a loving father and grandfather. He enjoyed watching them participate in football, swimming, wrestling and dancing events. He donated regularly to charities such as St Jude’s Children’s Cancer Foundation. Ron demonstrated great strength and a positive attitude with his four year battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. Ron will be remembered for his determination, ambition, honesty, integrity and trustworthiness.

He served as a sergeant in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. While attending college, he worked as a Schwans delivery man. He also worked for a company that built large concrete grain silos. He used his silo building skills to add to an existing silo at the family farm in Caledonia, Minnesota. He graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in 1975. Ron was a devoted mechanical engineer. Ron’s career included 14 years at APV Crepaco in Lake Mills, six years at Cherry-Burrell in Delavan, six years at Johnson Controls in Watertown and eight years at BASO in Watertown. His positions included design and development manager, project/design engineer, senior QMI engineer and chief engineer. He even received patents as a result of his ingenuity.

In addition to his wife, Donna,  Whitewater, he is survived by their daughters, Sarah Beth Schiltz, Whitewater; and Rhonda (Robert) Stankiewicz, Niles, Illinois; and son, Brian (Jennifer) Schiltz, Mukwonago, Wisconsin, by his first marriage to Janis (Perry) Emmling; his siblings, Darlene (Jim) Verdick, Bettendorf, Iowa;  Carol (Ervin) Banse, La Crescent, Minnesota; Sandy (David) Nelson, La Crosse;  Dave (Sandy) Schiltz, Winona, Minnesota; Alan Schiltz, Winona; Margie (Don) Ferring, Caledonia; and Mark (Karen) Schiltz, Caledonia; three grandchildren, Derek and Jessica Schiltz and Adam Stankiewicz; and his mother, Angie Schiltz, La Crosse.

He was preceded in death by his father, Myrel Schiltz and sister, Donna (Thomas) Hammes.

A visitation will be held at Nitardy Funeral Home located at 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, on August 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. A church visitation will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and a Mass of Catholic Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on August 9, at Saint Mary Mother of the Church located at 2006 Weston St., La Crosse. Entombment will take place following ceremony at La Crosse Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Ron’s name in care of Rainbow Hospice Care, 125 Rockwell Street, Jefferson, Wisconsin (920-674-6255).

Loreen W. Fokema, 95, of Caledonia, Minnesota, died Sunday, August 3, 2014, at Madonna Towers Nursing Home, Rochester, Minn.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, August 7, 2014, at the Caledonia United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Dresbach, Minnesota. A visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of the service Thursday at the church. A complete obituary will follow. Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, (Caledonia Chapel), is in charge of arrangements.

Loreen W. Fokema, 95, of Caledonia, Minnesota, passed away Sunday, August 3, 2014, at Madonna Towers Nursing Home, Rochester, Minnesota.

She was born June 3, 1919, to William and Wilhelmina “Minnie” (Carson) Gerdes. On June 18, 1938, Loreen married Peter Fokema at the United Methodist Church in La Crescent, Minnesota. Together they farmed in La Crescent until 1947 when they moved to Union Township, rural Caledonia, where they farmed for many years. On December 15, 2002, Peter preceded Loreen in death. Loreen loved to bake and cook and spend time in her flower garden.

Survivors include one daughter, Miriam (Rev. Kenneth) Rogers of Rochester, Minnesota; one son, Marvin (Shirley) Fokema, Cambridge, Wisconsin; five grandchildren, Sarah (David) Medley, Daniel (Chelsea) Fokema, Michelle (Lorne) Hedin, Colin Rogers, and Katrina Rogers (fiance’ Josh Jacobson); 10 great-grandchildren; one sister, Eleanor Ostrem,  Mankato, Minnesota; one brother, Gordon (Verna) Gerdes, Ridgeway, Minnesota; and one sister-in-law, Charlotte Gerdes, Caledonia.

In addition to her husband, Loreen was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Matthew Fokema; one brother, Herbert Gerdes; and two brothers-in-law, Lauren Peterson and Marvin Ostrem.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, August 7, at the Caledonia United Methodist Church, 308 N. Kingston St. Rev. Mark Bengtson will officiate. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Dresbach, Minnesota. A visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of the service Thursday at the church.  Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, (Caledonia Chapel), is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.

Janice I. Schleifer, 81, of Mindoro, Wisconsin, passed away Monday, August 4, 2014, at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse.

She was born April 3, 1933, in La Crosse to Russell and Alma (Marohn) Simonson. Janice’s mother passed away at a very young age so to help Janice’s father, some church families came forward to provide foster homes for all of the children. Janice was lovingly cared for by the family of Charles and Edna Noelser, who became her second family. On October 7, 1961, she married Herbert Schleifer at the parsonage of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church in Burr Oak, Wisconsin. In addition to farming with her husband, Janice enjoyed gardening and canning and she was also an avid reader and enjoyed doing puzzles. She loved plants and never met a houseplant she didn’t like. Her green thumb has kept a plant alive since her father’s funeral over 40 years ago. Janice had a very creative flair with many things. She was an excellent seamstress who made many of her own clothes and earlier in life, worked at the Garment Company. In her later years, Janice became a quilter, making heirloom keepsakes for her family. She liked to bake and it was her pie that originally lured her husband in! Janice was a lifelong member of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church in Burr Oak, where she served on the ladies aid.  Janice was fearful of living on her own but with her daily visits to see Herbert and the wonderful care she received at Laurel Manor in Onalaska, she was proud to have succeeded for five years with ease and happiness. Herbert passed away on October 7, 2011, the day of their golden wedding anniversary. She will always be remembered for her loving and caring heart and will be sadly missed forever.

Survivors include her daughter, Laura L. (Wayne A.) Meyer of Eitzen, Minnesota; her sister, Ruth Stetzer, West Salem, Wisconsin; her brother, G.A. (Odelyn) Simonson, Springfield, Florida; her sister-in-law, Marian Simonson; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Lawrence and Mary Ann Schleifer; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her foster parents, Charles and Edna Noesler; her foster uncles, Frank and Walter; three brothers, Robert, Wayne, and Orville Simonson; her brother-in-law, Wendell Stetzer; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Merlin (Bernice) Schleifer, Ruth (Earl) Stetzer, and LaVern (Marie) Schleifer.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Friday, August 8, at Christ Ev. Lutheran Church, CTHs C and A, Burr Oak. Pastor John Werner will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. on Thursday at Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home, (Jostad Chapel), 121 N. Youlon St., West Salem, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Friday at the church.  In lieu of plants and flowers, the family requests memorials to be given to Christ Ev. Lutheran Church, Burr Oak. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.

The family would like to especially thank the staffs at the Laurel Manor in Onalaska and Mulder Health Care Facility in West Salem for the excellent care given to Janice.

Richard “Butch” Becker, 67, formerly of Caledonia, passed away at his home in Stagecoach, Nevada on July 23, 2014. He was preceded in death by his brother, Bob; sister, Betty; and wife, Norma.

He is survived by his children, Keith, Randy and Sheila; brothers, Bill and Jerry; sisters, Rosie and Judy; grandchildren, Brody and Joey and many nieces and nephews.

Condolences can be mailed to his daughter, Sheila Muller, 83 Tribute Ave, Hudson, WI 54016. Guestbook at www.fitzhenrysfuneralhome.net

Joseph R. “Joe”  Hauser, 62, of Lansing, Iowa, formerly of Caledonia, Minnesota, passed away Friday, August 8, 2014, at his home.

He was born December 30, 1951, in Caledonia to Howard, Jr., and Janice (Schomers) Hauser. Joe graduated from Caledonia High School. He married Karen Bjorge and they later divorced.

Survivors include one son, Joseph Hauser, Chicago, Illinois; one daughter, Jessie (John) Kuschel, West Salem, Wisconsin; his step-mother, Helen Hauser, Caledonia; one brother, John “Jack” (Diane) Hauser; and three sisters, Judith (William) Koch, Jill (Larry) Knight and Jane (Dick) Esch, all of Caledonia; and many nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents and his grandparents.

Memorial services will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, August 12, at Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home, 518 W. Main St., Caledonia. Rev. Tom Schultz will officiate. A visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until the time of service Tuesday at the funeral home. A private burial will be held at a later date in Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.

Harold Duane Thompson, 82, of Caledonia, Minn., passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife, children and his siblings, Wednesday, August 13, 2014, at Gundersen Health System La Crosse.

He was born November 20, 1931, in Le Roy, Minnesota, to Arne and Millie (Hanson) Thompson. Harold graduated from Spring Valley High School and then attended Luther College where he studied social work, theology and Latin, graduating in 1956. In 1958, he married Elaine K. Eggen and she preceded him in death. Harold lived in Blue Earth, Albert Lea and Winona, Minnesota, before moving to Caledonia in 1978. In 1984, he married Marlys K. (Lessor) Buttell. Harold was employed as Director of Social Services for Faribault County, Winona County and lastly, Houston County. Because of his faith and compassion, he was a strong advocate for people. Harold was instrumental in developing social programs in Houston County such as housing for the elderly, the Sunrise Facility in Spring Grove, Minnesota, education services for the developmentally disabled, services for the chemically dependent, child protective services and mental health services. He also gave temporary foster care to those in need through the county and he was a foreign exchange student host. Harold served on many boards in the community and he was a member of the Caledonia Lions Club and Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he taught Sunday School. He also received the Senior Citizen of the Year Award and the 2007 Volunteer of the Year Award.

Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Marlys; his son, Jeff (Dawn) Thompson; his daughter, Julie (Pat) Lynch; his step-children, Steve (Mary) Buttell, Laurie (Bob) Conway, Paul (Kat) Buttell, Jean (Ken) Tasler, Julie (Jeff) Stemper, Mark (Cathy) Buttell and Mike (Jeanette) Buttell; 26 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; his brothers and sisters, Glenn (Barb) Thompson; Arlys (Larry) Terbeest, Vernon (Diana) Thompson, Harlan (Karen) Thompson, Ilene (David) Robb, Gayle (Dennis) Johnson and Butch (Kathy) Thompson; many nieces and nephews; and six exchange students.

In addition to his first wife, Harold was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Monday, August 18, 2014, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Caledonia. Rev. Steven E. Meyer and Sr. Michaeline Healy will officiate. Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m., later that day, in Six Mile Grove Lutheran Church Cemetery, Lyle, Minnesota. A visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., Sunday, August 17, 2014, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service Monday, both at Immanuel Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory, (Caledonia Chapel), is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.