Miscellaneous Barron County, Wisconsin Obituaries - 1998

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Arnold Anderson
Arnold "Swede" Anderson, 87, of Rice Lake died Sunday at Heritage Manor here.
Mr. Anderson was born Jan. 31, 1911 to Mr. and Mrs. Anton Anderson at Appleton, Minn. He married Viola "Ole" Sirlee there on Oct. 21, 1934, and they moved to Watertown, S.D., where he managed a locker plant until moving to Rice Lake in 1943. He owned and operated Anderson Locker Plant here until 1972.
He is survived by a son, Jerry of Stone Lake; a daughter, Sharon Pellowski of Lake City, Minn.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Mr. Anderson was preceded in death by his wife, Viola, in 1986.

Albert Bader
Albert P. Bader, 73, of Barron died Tuesday at his home.
Mr. Bader was born Aug. 23, 1924 on the family farm in the Town of Clinton to Alfred and Mary (Marx) Bader. He was raised on the farm and was a WW II veteran. Mr. Bader married Delorice Malone at Barron on Nov. 12, 1947, and they farmed near Poskin for many years. He also operated Al's Repair in Poskin and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Barron VFW Post. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Delorice; his mother, Mary of Barron; a son, Mark of Centerville, Minn.; three daughters, Mary Ann Peterson of Barron, Carol LeSueur of Parker, Colo., and Betty Bruno of Milwaukee; two brothers, Clarence of Rockford, Ill., and Paul of Clayton; two sisters, Lorraine Schmitz of Cameron and Phyllis Floan of Milwaukee; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Robert Bader, in 1996.

Vera Berg
Vera Marjorie Berg, 82, of Oak Harbor, Wash., died Tuesday, May 5, at Whidbey Island Manor.
Mrs. Berg was born in Laharp, Kan., on Dec. 8, 1915 to Robert and Tina (Malne) Walker. She grew up and graduated from high school in Kansas, and on Oct. 16, 1947 married Lars Berg in Nevada. They moved to Hawaiian Gardens in Orange County, Calif. In the early 1950s, they moved to a farm in Canton and moved to Oak Harbor in 1985. She loved canning, cooking, gardening and visiting friends.
She is survived by two sons, Robert of Oak Harbor and Larry of Cottage Grove; five grandchildren; and a twin sister, Veta Feitchmeir of Modesto, Calif.
Mrs. Berg was preceded in death by her husband, Lars, on Aug. 8, 1991.

Grace Bird
Grace Dorothea Bird, 84, of Comstock, died April 19 at Cumberland Extended Care Unit.
Mrs. Bird was born Dec. 21, 1913 in Mason City, Iowa, to Charles and Gladys (Willoughby) Shepherd. She married Wilbur Bird on April 13, 1934 in Turtle Lake and worked at 3M Co. in Cumberland for 24 years.
She is survived by four sons, Kenneth of Comstock, Daniel of Cornelius, Ore., Bradley of Grove City, Minn., and Ronald of Brainerd, Minn.; 11 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Charlene Francis of Mason City; and a half-sister, Darlene Arndt of Mason City.
Mrs. Bird was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur, on Jan. 12, 1996.

Sister Ann Boyd
Sister Ann Michael Boyd, 71, of Bartlett, Ill., died April 15 at the Immaculata Congregational Home there.
Sister Boyd was born July 3, 1926 to Charles and Agnes Boyd and was a member of the religious congregation The Sisters of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis. Prior to her retirement, she was an licensed practical nurse and therapist, with a ministry in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, and Illinois. She held the position of Mother General in the community of the Sisters of St. Francis of St. Clare of the Diocese of Superior when they merged with the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF in 1967.
She is survived by a brother, Oscar; aunts Ada Belle and Martha Merritt; cousins Dorothy Williams and Jean Carson; a niece; a nephew; and the sisters with whom she spent 45 years of her life.

Donald Burton
Donald James Burton, 70, of St. Augustine, Fla., died April 18.
Mr. Burton was born Aug. 14, 1927 in Rice Lake and was a 1945 graduate of Cameron High School.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth; a son, Stephen of Columbia Heights, Minn.; a sister, Shirley Hubbard of Minneapolis, Minn.; a brother, Ralph of Babbitt, Minn.; and two grandchildren.

Gene Butte
Gene Butte, 79, of Chetek died Saturday at Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.
Mr. Butte was born Aug. 29, 1918 in Mt. Carmel, Ill., to Frank and Gertrude (Baxter) Butte. He had been a steel roller for Inland Steel in Gary, Ind., for 30 years until moving to Stoughton. He married Clara there on June 5, 1989, and they moved to Chetek. He served in WW II in the South Pacific, was a longtime VFW member and past commander of Post 7591 in Stoughton, was a member of the Knights of Columbus and had been a commentator for his church for over 10 years.
He is survived by his wife, Clara; two daughters, Lois Schwenn of Union Grove and Mary Ann Butte of Whiting, Ind.; a stepdaughter, Sherrie Imm of Nyssa, Oreg.; a stepson, Daniel Stiehm of Albuquerque, N.M.; a brother, Herschel of Dunnelon, Fla.; two sisters, Alice Kondik of Logo Vista, Texas, and Mary Sax of Horse Shoe, N.C.; three grandchilden; and a stepgrandchild.

Sigrid Carlson
Sigrid Caroline Carlson, 83, of Barron and formerly of the Chetek area died April 18 at the home of her sister, Agnes Anderson.
Ms. Carlson was born July 28, 1914 in the Town of Dovre to Sigurd and Lillian (Olson) Carlson. She attended Chetek High School, and later was employed at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire and as a nanny in Chicago. Much of her life was spent at the homestead, giving generously of herself to her extended family and others. She was the proverbial "Nana" to her nieces and nephews and wrote weekly letters to family members who lived away from home. Letters she received in return were saved and now form an extensive family history.
She is survived by siblings Iduna Holter of Chetek; Mathilda Swanson and Agnes Anderson, both of Barron; Chris of Chetek; Ruth Anderson of Barron; Martin of Chippewa Falls; Naomi Post of Beone, Iowa: Dorothy Ostlie of Northfield, Minn.; 23 nieces and nephews, 40 great-nieces and nephews and 12 great-great-nieces and nephews.

James Copeland
James Harold Copeland, 81, of Rice Lake died April 15 at the Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.
Mr. Copeland was born May 15, 1916 to James and Alma (Franzen) Copeland at Mellen. After graduating from high school, he served in the Army during WW II. He was honorably discharged in August 1945, and then worked for a potato farm doing mechanical work, did brickwork, worked for Minnesota Mining, and later for the 3M Company in Cumberland until retiring in 1978. He was a member of the American Legion and Rice Lake Senior Center.
He is survived by a son, Harold of Rice Lake; a daughter, Marlene Dickenson of Cameron; seven stepchildren; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Chuck Copeland of Comstock; and a sister, Agnes Matthys of Cumberland.
Mr. Copeland was preceded in death by his wife, Alvina; a son, Rick; and a daughter, Donna.

Marne Curtis
Marne L. Curtis, 70, of Rice Lake died April 25 at Lakeview Medical Center.
Mrs. Curtis was born Sept. 27, 1927 to Patria and Harry Weber at Belvidere, Ill., where she grew up, received her education and cared for her father until his death. On Sept. 9, 1950 she married Jack (John) Curtis in Belvidere, where she was a security guard at Wiese Deptartment Store for a short time until becoming a homemaker. In 1972 the couple moved to Shell Lake. She had lived in Rice Lake since 1992.
She is survived by two special friends, Roy Odden of Rice Lake and Charlene Maki of Hayward.
Mrs. Curtis was preceded in death by a daughter, Sandra.

Eufemia DeNucci
Eufemia DeNucci, 100, of Cumberland died May 8 at Cumberland Extended Care Unit.
Mrs. DeNucci was born Nov. 24, 1897 in Chicago, Ill., to Joseph and Bambina (DiGiovanni) Lucente. She married Joseph DeNucci Sr. in Cumberland on Sept. 29, 1917 and had worked at 3M Co. in Cumberland for 10 years. She was a longtime member of the altar society of St. Anthony Catholic Church.
She is survived by two sons, Joseph Jr. of Cumberland and Fred of Richfield, Minn.; two daughters, Lucille Nelli of Cumberland and Mayme Ricci of St. Paul, Minn.; 27 grandchildren; 56 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; six stepgrandchildren; and 12 stepgreat-grandchildren.David LaFinniere
David LaFinniere, 75, of Rice Lake died Sunday at Lakeside Nursing and Rehabitation Center in Chippewa Falls. There will be a private funeral service at the Jarocki Funeral Home in Rice Lake, with Rev. Kevin Gordon officiating and interment in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minn., with full military rites.
Mrs. DeNucci was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, on July 12, 1984; and by a son, Lt. Leonard DeNucci.

Walter Erdman
Walter R. Erdman, 73, of the Town of Long Lake died April 17 at the Community Hospital in Spooner.
Mr. Erdman was born Feb. 5, 1925 to Walter and Nellie (Oestriech) Erdman at Evansville and raised there. He served with the Navy during WW II and later owned and operated a Mobil service station at Janesville and then drove school bus for the Spooner school district for 24 years until retiring last January. He vacationed on Long Lake for many years and had lived there for 25 years. Mr. Erdman served from 1982-1988 on the Long Lake Town Board and was the town chairman for two terms and served from 1988-1992 on the County Board of Supervisors. He enjoyed the lake and nature.
He is survived by a son, Mark of Elkhorn; a grandson, Daniel; two brothers, Robert of Janesville and Francis of Evansville; and a special friend, Lorraine Thompson of Earl.

John Emerson
John W. Emerson, 16, of Winter died May 1 in Barron.
Mr. Emerson was born May 12, 1981 in Barron to James and Lorie (Meyer) Emerson. He grew up in Bruce and Winter, attended elementary schools in Bruce, and was a junior at Winter High School. He was a member of the varsity golf team and the pep club and enjoyed music, playing basketball and fishing. The teen enjoyed being with his friends and his family.
He is survived by his parents, James and Lorie; a brother, Jim of Winter; his paternal grandmother, Mary Emerson of Barron; and his maternal grandparents, Bob and Doris Meyer of Bruce.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Franklin Emerson; and his uncle, Ted Emerson.

Myron Falkner
Myron E. Falkner, 58, formerly of Rice Lake, died April 22 in Kent, Wash.
Mr. Falkner was born Jan. 19, 1940 in Wisconsin Rapids. He graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1958 and served in the Air Force. He married Lynnette Smith of Sinclair, Wyo., and was employed by IBM until retiring in 1995.
He is survived by his wife, Lynnette; three sons, Michael of San Diego, Calif., Eric of Kent, Wash., and Anthony of Portland, Ore.; a grandson; his mother, Hazel of Rice Lake; and two sisters, Phyllis Kringle and Norma Frank, also of Rice Lake.

Dale Featherly
Dale Edward Featherly, 49, of the Town of Webb Lake died May 5 at the Community Hospital in Spooner.
Mr. Featherly was born Feb. 19, 1949 in the Town of Chicog to Donald and Beatrice (McKee) Featherly. He was a lifelong resident of that area and had worked as a logger and a truck driver. On May 11, 1984 he married Bonnie Piaseczny in Pine City, Minn.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; two sons, Richard of Rice Lake and Dale of Birchwood; a daughter, Denise Featherly of Cameron; nine grandchildren; a brother, Richard of New Auburn; three sisters, Tessie Huset of Silver Bay, Minn., Zelda Monnier of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Bonnie Jackson of the Town of Chicog.

Harold Gille
Harold John Gille, 79, of Turtle Lake died April 25 at Golden Age Manor in Amery.
Mr. Gille was born Dec. 4, 1918 in White Bear Lake, Minn., to Nicholas and Mary (Fenton) Gille. The family moved to rural Amery and later to a farm in rural Turtle Lake. In September1946, he married Florence Nottom. He farmed and then owned and operated heavy equipment until retiring in 1976.
He is survived by two sons, Tom of Maple and Dennis of Amery; a daughter, Joyce Booth of Glenwood City; seven grandchildren; three sisters, Rosie Yeske of Amery, Ethel Yeske of Turtle Lake, and Mary Buchholtz of Milltown; and a brother, Joe of Danbury.

Mabel Hanson
Mabel M. Hanson, 83, of Barron died April 19 at Barron Medical Center extended care unit.
Mrs. Hanson was born April 12, 1915 in Taylor, Neb., to Otto and Molly (Thompson) Ostendorf. She grew up in Taylor and moved to Frederic in 1935. She married Alvin Hansen, who preceded her in death. She moved to Barron and worked at the nursing home in Cameron and then as a cook and waitress at the White House in Poskin, Maloney's and the Mileage Diner in Barron. She then married Helmer Hanson, who also preceded her in death. She had been a resident of Monroe Manor for several years until moving into extended care unit 2 years ago.
She is survived by five sons, Richard Hansen of Fridley, Minn., Robert of Barron, Karl Hansen and Gene Hansen, both of St. Paul, and Dennis Hansen of Birchwood; four daughters, Carole Holmquist of Barron, Lois Hoff of Almena, Darleen Cizek of Rice Lake, and Patty Hanson of Black Mountain, N.C.; two sisters, Eva Thompson of Campbell, Calif., and Mae Dwinell of California; 19 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Hanson was preceded in death by her husbands, Alvin Hansen and Helmer Hanson, and by a son, Larry Hansen.

Jordan Hartung
Jordan Kyle Hartung, 3, of Rice Lake died April 15 at the St. Paul Children's Hospital.
Jordan was born Feb. 8, 1995 to Candi Hartung at Barron. He loved dinosaurs and his little sister, Courtney, and cousin, Michael.
Jordan is survived by his mother and stepfather, Candi Hartung and Jim Holec; his sister, Courtney Hartung Holec; his grandparents, Nancy and Sam Swanson, all of Rice Lake; his great-grandmother, Erline Walker of Prairie Farm; and aunts, uncles and cousins.

Florella Hollister
Florella M. Hollister, 82, of Rice Lake died May 1 at Lakeview Medical Center here.
Mrs. Hollister was born May 9, 1915 to Sadie and Roy Smith at Chetek, where she grew up and received her education. On March 7, 1933 she married Ben Hollister at Barron. The couple farmed in Barron County, including the Sioux Creek, Chetek and Rice Lake areas, until retiring and moving into Rice Lake in 1959. Mrs. Hollister began working at St. Joseph Hospital in Rice Lake in 1960, and when the hospital closed she continued working for Northland Care Nursing Home in the same facility until retiring in the late 1960s. She loved to make crafts ranging from knitting to pound puppies.
She is survived by her husband, Ben; two daughters, Lois Johnston of Cameron and Colleen Manecke of Rice Lake; a son, DeWayne, of Marine on St. Croix, Minn.; 14 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Ardella Johnson of Chetek.
She was preceded in death by a son and a great-great-granddaughter.

Roy Hustad
Roy Sanford Hustad, 86, of Cumberland died April 26 at Barron Medical Center.
Mr. Hustad was born March 27, 1912 in Cumberland to Sever and Sena (Robot) Hustad. On Dec. 30, 1941 he married Eileen Wickstrom, who preceded him in death on Nov. 26, 1975. On May 29, 1989 he married Catherine Miller at Elk Mound. He farmed in the Cumberland area.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine; three sons, Allen and Loris, both of Cumberland, and Greg of Colfax; a daughter, Sharon Neuenfeldt of Somerset; six grandchildren; three stepsons, Orrin Haugli of Menomonie, Paul Haugli of Elk Mound, and John Haugli of Cambellsport; two stepdaughters, Mary Pfeiffer of Cambellsport and Anita Imnel of Fond du Lac; five stepgrandchildren; and a sister, Mabel Ness of Rice Lake.

Patricia Kuehn
Patricia J. Kuehn, 73, of Fall Creek died May 4 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire.
Mrs. Kuehn was born Oct. 30, 1924 to Harry and Lilian (Hoehn) Saunders in Eau Claire. On Oct. 12, 1946 she married Harold Kuehn in Eau Claire. They lived in Fall Creek before moving to Rice Lake, where they lived for 30 years before returning to Fall Creek 11 years ago. She had worked as a secretary for several years, including 3 years for Uniroyal; 5 years for Cooper-Spangler Engineers in Rice Lake; and 7 years for American Excelsior in Rice Lake. Mrs. Kuehn's hobbies were playing cards, fishing, collecting birdhouses and working puzzles. She was an avid sports fan and loved the Green Bay Packers and the Fall Creek Crickets. Family gatherings and being with her grandchildren were her priorities.
She is survived by her husband Harold; a daughter, Mary Gustafson of Fall Creek; two grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Ernest Koski
Ernest Koski, 61, of Barronett, died April 18 at Cumberland Extended Care Unit.
Mr. Koski was born Nov. 3, 1936 in Chicago to Ernest and Helen (Vinseck) Koski. On July 6, 1963, he married Loretta Kabakovich. He served in the armed forces and worked for General Motors Electromotive in LaGrange, Ill., for 15 years.
He is survived by his wife, Loretta; a daughter, Kimberly Ruthenberg of Barronett; a grandson; and two sisters, Patricia Hayes of Rockford, Ill., and Helen Lever of Coral Gables, Fla.

Alan Kuehndorf
Alan "Kooch" Kuehndorf, 52, of Barron died May 4 at his home.
Mr. Kuehndorf was born June 11, 1945 in Rice Lake to Charles and Marcella (Korsbon) Kuehndorf. He grew up and attended school in Barron and graduated from Barron High School in 1963. He attended college in Eau Claire for 2 years and owned and operated his own business, Al's Auto Body, for over 20 years. On June 11, 1988 he married Marilyn Lawrence in Iowa. He enjoyed Harleys and fast cars.
He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; three sons, Nathan and Zachary of Barron and Justin of Glenwood City; a daughter, Ali of Barron; a stepson, Troy Samson of Barron; seven grandchildren; a brother, Gale of Barron; and a sister, Patti Johnson of Chico, Calif.

David LaFinniere
David LaFinniere, 75, of Rice Lake died Sunday at Lakeside Nursing and Rehabitation Center in Chippewa Falls.
Mr. LaFinniere was born Aug. 10,1922 to Joseph and Mary (Mechaquette) LaFinniere in Iron River, Mich. In 1941 he enlisted in the Army, where he served in the African and European Theatres and received numerous decorations and citations. After discharge in 1946, he was an auto mechanic and later drove semi for the auto industry until his retirement.
He is survived by a brother, Russell of Fairchild; and a sister, Mary Driver of Rice Lake.
Mr. LaFinniere was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth.

Niles Lake
Niles J. Lake, 76, of Belvidere, Ill., died May 12 at St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Ill.
Mr. Lake was born March 4, 1922 in Barron to Jesse Lake and Maude Hansen. On Jan. 17, 1944 he married Evelyn Peterson in Pine City, Minn. The couple had lived in Algonquin, Ill., until moving to Belvidere in 1973. Mr. Lake was a retired semi truck driver. He had been employed by Shedd's Foods and later by Waddell Truck Center. He was a member of the Belvidere Lodge 60 A.F.&A.M., the Scottish Rite Valley of Freeport, the Tebala Shrine, the Boone County Shrine Club and the Teamsters Local 330.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; a son, Jeffrey of Lake in the Hills, Ill.; six daughters, Florence Ross of Carpentersville, Ill., Janet Bruening and Tina Black, both of Algonquin, Ill., Judith Karsten of Hampshire, Ill., Linda Galik of Lake in the Hills, Ill., and Carol Stumpf of Belvidere; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Dorothy Schneider of Eau Claire and Irene Finsterwalder of Minneapolis, Minn.

Rose Livingston
Rose M. Livingston, 90, of Rice Lake died April 22 at Heritage Manor in Rice Lake.
The former Rose Saffert was born Dec. 19, 1908 at Sleepyeye, Minn. At the age of 13 she and her parents moved to the Rice Lake area. On April 17, 1927 she married Hubert J. Livingston Sr. They farmed in the Canton area for many years. After her husband's death in 1959, she worked at Herberger's and later at Brecka's Flowers and Gifts. She was a member of the Canton Ladies Aide.
She is survived by six daughters. Marion Brecka, Lois King and Patricia Drost, all of Rice Lake, Jeanette Lampien of Chetek, Marcella McDonald of Holmen and Marjorie Montagne of St. Croix Falls; three sons, Donald of Rice Lake, Charles of Milltown and Hubert of Minnetonka, Minn.; 46 grandchildren; 98 great grandchildren; three sisters, Agnes Becker and Veronica Butorac, both of Menomonee Falls, and Margaret Kimler of Hanover, Minn.; and three brothers, Louis, Leonard and Florian Saffert, all of Rice Lake.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hubert; and three great-grandchildren.

Mabel Meisner
Mabel C. Meisner, 93, of Chetek died April 26 at Barron Medical Center.
Mrs. Meisner was born on Jan. 24, 1905 in the Town of Dovre in rural Chetek to Charles and Maria (Newman) Holter. She married Robert Meisner in October of 1948, in Chicago, Ill. She was an inspector for Stewart/Warner Co. in Chicago for many years before moving to Chetek in 1969. She was a member of the Dovre Ladies Aid, the Dovre Lutheran West Oak Grove Circle and the Dovre Lutheran Choir. She enjoyed quilting with the Dovre Ladies Aid and Circle.
She is survived by a sister, Anne Pederson of Cameron; two brothers, George and Carl, both of Chetek; two stepsons, Robert and William, both of Naperville, Ill.; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Meisner was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, in 1975.

Thomas Moeller
Thomas H. Moeller, 55, of Rice Lake died April 30 at his home.
Mr. Moeller was born on March 4, 1943 to Madeline and Henry Moeller at Milwaukee. He moved with his parents to the Hayward area, where he grew up and received part of his education before moving to Page, Ariz., where he graduated from high school. He then attended technical school and on-the-job training to become a machinist and worked in the Chicago area before moving to Rice Lake in 1994. He had been employed by Thomas Precision Machining of Rice Lake. Mr. Moeller loved hunting and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
He is survived by a daughter, Virginia (Ginger) Dietrich of New Auburn; and a brother, Tim, of New Berlin.

Edgar Nelson
Edgar W. Nelson, 80, of Rice Lake died May 10 at the Heritage Manor here.
Mr. Nelson was born Nov. 10. 1917 in Cumberland to John and Olga (Josephson) Nelson. He graduated from Cumberland High School and worked for several grocery and hardware retail stores in Cumberland and later in Rice Lake, including Johnson Forbes Hardware. On Sept. 22, 1940 he married Anna Marie Cotone at Cumberland. The couple owned and operated the Herberger Grocery Department from 1951 to 1959. They opened the V&S Hardware Store (True Value) in Rice Lake in 1961 and co-owned it with Don Zaspel until 1977. Mr. Nelson was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose and the Rice Lake Elks Lodge.
He is survived by his wife, Anna Marie; a sister, Jean Algeo of Cumberland; and six nieces and nephews.

Joseph Nelson
Joseph Nelson, 92, of Rice Lake, died April 24 at his home.
Mr. Nelson was born Oct. 12, 1905 at Dallas to Anton and Mary (Ruse) Nelson. On Aug. 1, 1928 he married Evelyn Johnson at St. Paul, Minn., and the couple lived in Rice Lake, where he owned and operated Joe's Electric until 1955. He was then employed as an electrician in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He had been a member of the Electricians Union, was an avid baseball fan and loved to hunt and fish.
He is survived by two sons, R.L. of Rice Lake and Wayne of Waukesha; two daughters, Maryida Trujillo of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Janet of Rice Lake; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mr. Nelson was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, in 1973.

JoFrank Oser
Frank M. Oser, 72, of Rice Lake died April 19 at his home.
Mr. Oser was born April 22, 1925 at Toluca, Ill., where he grew up and received his education. He worked as a farm laborer until entering the Navy in July 1943 and serving in WW II. After his discharge, he returned to Illinois and worked at various jobs before moving to Nevada in 1976, where he lived until moving to Rice Lake in 1997.
He is survived by two sons, Tom of Rice Lake and Steve of Nevada; two daughters, JoAnn and Diane, both of Arizona; and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr. Oser was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, in 1995.

Walter Peterson
Walter A. Peterson, 93, of Menahga, Minn., and formerly of Rice Lake, died April 19 at Green Pines Nursing Home there.
Mr. Peterson was born Oct. 25, 1904 to Nellie and John Peterson in Noonan, N.D. His parents moved to Menahga, where he was raised and received his education. On Jan. 27, 1940 he married Ruth Melgaard in Minneapolis and continued working as a floor refinisher. The couple later started their own floor refinishing business in Minneapolis and operated it until retiring in 1969. They moved to Wisconsin and later to Rice Lake and, following the death of his wife in 1983, Mr. Peterson moved to California and later to Minnesota.
He is survived by a brother, Byron of Portland, Ore.; and three sisters, Mildred Eberhardt of Paradise, Calif., Edna Millard of Louisville, Ky., and Helen Anderson of Plymouth, Minn.
Mr. Peterson was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, in 1983.

Wayne Prairie
Wayne Delmar Prairie, 59, of Birchwood died May 12 at Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.
Mr. Prairie was born Sept. 3, 1938 in Momence, Ill., to Delmar and Louise (Hebert) Prairie. On July 27, 1959 he married Roberta Workman in Kankakee, Ill. He worked for the Strongheart Dog Food Co. and Munyon and Hibbs grain elevator and Applelawn Farms in Momence until moving to Birchwood in 1981, where he was a tractor driver for Birchwood Lumber and Veneer. Mr. Prairie was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved camping, spending time with his family and socializing with friends.
He is survived by his wife, Roberta; two sons, Tracy of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Richard of New Richmond; four daughters, Theodora Guterriz of Sandwich, Ill., Katherine Depoister of Birchwood, and Alberta Iacono and Kathaleene Birkholz, both of Bolingbrook, Ill.; nine grandchildren; his mother, Louise of Momence; two sisters, Linda Mollema of St. Anne, Ill., and Debra Filipek of Lake Village, Ind.; five brothers, Ronnie of Phoenix, Ariz., Gerald of Joliet, Ill., Dean of Bersrod, Germany, and Steve and Frances, both of Momence.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Joshua Depoister.

Gathern Rathbun
Gathern G. Rathbun, 77, of rural New Auburn died April 16 at Luther Hospital in Eau Claire.
Mr. Rathbun was born Oct. 31, 1920 in the Town of Rusk in Rusk County to George and Sadie (Nichols) Rathbun. He married Leah Coleman on Feb. 5, 1938 in the Town of Sampson. He was a dairy farmer in the Bear Lake community until the 1950s and maintained the town roads. He worked as a road builder and retired as a mechanic from the Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co. after 25 years.
He is survived by his wife, Leah; two sons, Rex of Chippewa Falls and Max of Cornell; a daughter, Judie James of New Auburn; a sister, Ruth Erbeck of DePere; 23 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Mr. Rathbun was preceded in death by a daughter, Jean DuBois; and four grandchildren.

Kevin Reif
Kevin John Reif, 41, of Rice Lake and formerly of Chicago, Ill., died May 5 at the Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.
Mr. Reif was born Dec. 29, 1956 in Chicago to Jerome and Dorothy Reif. He attended school there and worked for Local One Union Co. as a maintenance man for over 12 years. On May 6, 1986 he married Diane Thies in Chicago.
He is survived by his wife Diane; four brothers, Robert of Arizona, Joseph of Skokie, Ill., Patrick of Mount Prospect, Ill.; and Jerome of Chicago.

Edward Ricci
Edward David Ricci, 78, of Cumberland died April 29 at the Cumberland Hospital.
Mr. Ricci was born Sept. 5, 1919 in the Town of Crystal Lake in Barron County to Herman and Antonia (Ranallo) Ricci. On Aug. 5, 1954 he married Harriet Johnson in Las Vegas, Nev. He worked at 3M Co. in Cumberland for many years and was an accomplished shoemaker and leather harness and saddle maker.
He is survived by his wife, Harriet; and three brothers, Paul and Andy, both of Cumberland, and August of Seattle, Wash.
Mr. Ricci was preceded in death by a stepson, Douglas Krug; and a stepdaughter, Gloria Krug-Adams.

Joyce Robotka
Joyce D. Robotka, 64 of Chicago, Ill., and formerly of Birchwood, died May 9 at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago.
Mrs. Robotka was born June 29, 1933 to Gertrude and Jack Stursa at Rice Lake. She grew up in the Tuscobia and Haugen area and graduated from Rice Lake High School. She worked at Herberger's in Rice Lake and in August of 1956 married Frank Robotka at Haugen. The couple lived in Birchwood, where she worked as a secretary for the Birchwood Lumber and Veneer Co. and then as a teacher's aide for the Birchwood school system. Her husband died in 1976 and she later moved to Chicago to work for the Chicago Motor Club. She was planning to move back to the Rice Lake area. She liked to sew, shop, play bingo and watch her son shoot pool.
She is survived by her son, Steven of Chicago; a grandson; her mother, Gertrude of Rice Lake; a sister, Sharon Hanson of Eagan, Minn.; and a brother, Jack of Rice Lake.

John Rybicki
John Leonard "Buck" Rybicki, 92, of Weyerhaeuser died April 19 at the Rusk County Nursing Home.
Mr. Rybicki was born Nov. 19, 1905 to Stanley and Constance (Witkowski) Rybicki. He was a lifelong resident of the Rusk County area, where he had been self-employed as a mechanic. Mr. Rybicki entered the nursing home in January 1991.

Gladys Schweitzer
Gladys S. Schweitzer, 80, of DeKalb, Ill., died May 7 at the Oak Crest Retirement Center in DeKalb.
Mrs. Schweitzer was born Nov. 17, 1917 in Weyerhaeuser to William and Ruth (Lovke) Simpson. On Dec. 1, 1944 she married Willard Schweitzer in Naperville, Ill. She had lived in Rice Lake, Birchwood, Barron and Arlington before moving to DeKalb, where she was employed at J.B. Inderrieden Canning Co., Del Monte, and the DeKalb County Home Bureau.
She is survived by four sisters-in-law, Rosemarie Simpson of Rice Lake, and Edna and Alma Schweitzer, both of DeKalb, and Ethel Rockabrand of El Paso, Texas; two brothers-in-law, Lee Olsen of Rice Lake and Robert of DeKalb.
Mrs. Schweitzer was preceded in death by her husband, Willard.

Rodney Schnuckle
Rodney W. Schnuckle, 62, of Sarona died April 22 at his home.
Mr. Schnuckle was born Aug. 25, 1935 to Mable and Rollin Schnuckle in Duluth, Minn., where he grew up and graduated from Denfeld High School in 1953. He worked in the Duluth area and then enrolled at UM-Duluth, where he majored in math and physics. He married Karen Hill on June 20, 1959 there, graduated from UM-Duluth in 1961, and went to work for IDS in Minneapolis, where he worked in data processing and computer operations. In 1982 he assumed the duties of director of the data center for MSI Insurance in Arden Hills, Minn., until retiring in 1994 and moving with his wife to their retirement home on Long Lake. He loved hunting, fishing and the outdoors.
He is survived by his wife, Karen; two sons, Scott of Rockaway, N.J., and Gary of Los Angeles, Calif.; two grandchildren; a brother, William of Duluth; and two sisters, Beverly Rich of Buffalo, N.Y., and Lois LaMont of Denver, Colo.

Lawrence Schwaab
Lawrence T. Schwaab, 84, of Rice Lake died April 27 at Lakeview Medical Center.
Mr. Schwaab was born Dec. 7, 1913 to Frances and Lawrence Schwaab at Milwaukee. At age 6, he moved with his family to Plymouth, where he received his education and worked during high school in his father's machine shop as an apprentice tool and die worker. He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1931 and worked his way to the position of foreman at Cleveland Container Company before moving to Philadelphia, Penn. He returned to Plymouth at the beginning of WW II and worked in the shipyard at Manitowoc. He later worked in numerous businesses until retiring as a gunsmith in 1977 from Donaldson's Department Store in Minneapolis. He moved to Radisson and married Ethel Mattson there. They moved to Hayward and then to Rice Lake in 1992. Mr. Schwaab was an active member of the Hayward Moose Lodge before transferring to the Rice Lake Moose Lodge. He was an expert gunsmith and gun engraver.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel; a daughter, Kay McAllister of Hayward; a son, Karl of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; a stepdaughter, Shirley Haug of Manitowoc; and three sisters, Virginia Schwaab and Mary Truitt, both of Plymouth, and Ruth Plate of Sarasota, Fla.

Daniel Searles
Daniel "Bogman" Searles, 55, of rural Frederic died May 5 at his home.
Mr. Searles was born in Wisconsin Rapids April 15, 1943 to Nora and Harold Searles. He lived at Hertel until joining the Navy in 1961. In 1965 he began dividing his time between Wisconsin and Florida until returning to Wisconsin permanently in 1981. He retired from Searles Cranberry Marsh in the fall of 1997. His interests included scuba diving in Florida and local lakes, trap shooting at Southfort and Fishbowl Sportsmen Club, camping, sailing and snowmobiling.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy; two sons, Christopher of Shoreview, Minn., and Andrew of Monterey, Calif.; two stepdaughters, Kari Ann Piccione of Siren and Paula Stellrecht of Rice Lake; four grandsons; his parents, Nora and Harold of Hertel; and two sisters, Linda Root of Hertel and Sue Peters of Lorgan Town, W. Va.

June Siewert
June Freeman Siewert, 80, of Rice Lake died April 15 at the Rice Lake Convalescent Center.
Mrs. Siewert was born May 26, 1917 in Mellen to William and Lillian (Brown) Bruns. She attended school in Mellen, graduated from Mellen High School and attended Milwaukee School of Nursing. She worked as a registered nurse at Lakeside Hospital and Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake for 32 years. She married Clifford Freeman in Superior, and he preceded her in death in 1969. Later she married Ben Siewert at Rice Lake, and he preceded her in death in 1986. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
She is survived by a son, William Freeman of Rice Lake; four grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and two brothers, William Bruns of Harlington, Texas, and Donald Bruns of Hudson.
In addition to her husbands, Mrs. Siewert was preceded in death by a son, James Freeman, in 1993.

Mildred Simonds
Mildred E. Simonds, 89, of Dodge Center, Minn., died May 2 at Fairview Nursing Home there.
Mrs. Simonds was born Jan. 2, 1909 in Barron to Casper and Mary (Olson) Sundsmo. She grew up in Barron and on Sept. 19, 1931 married Robert Simonds in Freeport, Ill. They lived at Barron for several years before moving to Elkhart, Ind., and then to St. Paul, Minn., where they lived for over 45 years. After retiring in 1982 they moved to Tucson, Ariz., where they lived until settling in Dodge Center in 1989.
She is survived by two sons, Robert of Meridian, Calif., and Milford of Kasson, Minn.; three daughters, Elaine Saunders of Maplewood, Minn., Adrienne Schmidt of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and Trudy Brown of River Falls; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Simonds was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, in 1990; a grandson; and a granddaughter.

Eddie Solie
Eddie O. Solie, 81, of Rice Lake died April 27 at the Rice Lake Convalescent Center.
Mr. Solie was born Sept. 9, 1916 at Dallas to Gilbert and Antona (Kvernen) Solie. He entered the Army during WW II and after discharge in 1945 returned to Rice Lake, where he was employed by GTE as a service technician until retiring in 1981. On Oct. 12, 1957 he married Evelyn Kucko at Barron. He was a member of the Rice Lake American Legion Post, Blue Hills Fiddlers and Pickers and the Dusty Strings.
He is survived by his wife Evelyn; a daughter from a previous marriage, Gloria Hunsicker of Arizona; a daughter, Kelly Brown of Rice Lake; five grandchildren; a brother, Ginnard of Chetek; and two sisters, Gena Olson of Rice Lake and Ann Haglund of Albert Lea, Minn.

Maxine Speed
Maxine B. Speed, 67, of Rice Lake died April 16 at the Heritage Manor in Rice Lake.
Mrs. Speed was born June 25, 1930 to Roy and Beatrice Frost at Sioux Falls, S.D. She married J. Don Speed in October of 1948 in Hayward and worked at Wright Products for over 24 years.
She is survived by two daughters, Beatrice Speed and Sharon Albrecht, both of Rice Lake; a grandson; two sisters, Geraldine Hakkila of Iron, Minn., and Gloria Hissa of Iron River; and three brothers, Odean, Leland, and Larry Kiggins, all of Iron River.
Mrs. Speed was preceded in death by her husband, J. Don, in 1974; and two sons, Ronnie and Lonnie.

Lou Ann Stokes
Lou Ann Stokes, 43, of Barron, died April 25 at her mother's home there.
Ms. Stokes was born Aug. 6, 1954 in Rice Lake to Kenneth and Vada (Isaacson) Stokes. She grew up in Barron, graduated from Barron High School in 1972 and worked at Mastercraft in Rice Lake for several years. She then worked for Jerome Foods in Barron for 13 years and, later, at the Harvest Inn for a short time.
She is survived by a son, Corey Stokes of Virginia Beach, Va.; her mother, Vada; four brothers, Guy and Lee, both of Barron, Tom of Hillsdale and Joel of Cameron; two sisters, Linda Gregoire of Bloomington, Minn., and Barbara Balts of Chetek.

Dean Strand
Dean Curtis Strand, 75, of Mikana died April 29 at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., after complications from an injury at his Rice Lake farm April 9.
Mr. Strand was born April 13, 1923 to Oscar and Gertrude (Wenhaug) Strand in the Town of Doyle. He was raised on the family farm, attended Rice Lake public schools and served with the Army Air Corps in Alaska during WW II. He met Norma Jean Archer of Hope, Ariz., while working as a salesman in Chicago and attending Northwestern University in Evanston. The couple married in December 1951 and had recently retired to their Mikana home on Red Cedar Lake. He had worked as a regional sales representative for several commercial abrasives firms, had owned and operated Great Lakes Grinding, a precision metal finishing company in Chicago, and since the late 1970s had operated the family farm near Rice Lake.
He is survived by his wife, Norma Jean; three sons, Michael of Minnetonka, Minn., Jeffrey of Des Plaines, Ill., and David of Frisco, Texas; a daughter, Gale Strand of Minneapolis; seven grandchildren; and a sister, Eleanor Okerson of Fredricksburg, Va.

Mary Ellen Tighe
Mary Ellen Tighe, 76, of Minneapolis died April 24.
The former Mary Ellen Quinn was born Feb. 19, 1922 in Rice Lake. She graduated from St. Joseph's grade school and Rice Lake High School. She married Walter "Al" Tighe in 1946. They lived in Rice Lake, then later moved to the Twin Cities. Mrs. Tighe was a bookkeeper at Standard Oil for many years.
She is survived by her husband, Walter; a son, Terry of Sterling Heights, Mich.; a brother, Thomas Quinn of Rice Lake; and five grandchildren.

William Vine
William Vine, 88, of rural Friendship died April 25 of cancer.
Mr. Vine was born Oct. 8, 1909 in Greenwood to Edward and Mina (Harlow) Vine. On March 10, 1934 he married Evelyn Weaver in Birchwood, and they resided there until moving to Milton in 1956. He worked for General Motors until retiring in 1971 and moving to Friendship, where they lived at Buck Lodge. Evelyn preceded him in death on April 16, 1980, and he married Florence Dayboll of Burlington on July 14, 1988. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt, fish and trap. Mr. Vine had been in 49 states, worked on the pipeline in Alaska, and always had a story to tell over a cup of coffee.
He is survived by his wife, Florence; two sons, William Jr. of Janesville and Jack of Arkdale; three daughters, Annis Marceau of Hancock, Shirley Reynolds of Grand Marsh and Gladys Gruevenfilder of Blanchardville; a sister, Mae Breezee of Adams, two stepchildren, Jerry Dayboll and Mary DeFazio, both of Burlington; 13 grandchildren; and five stepgrandchildren.
Mr. Vine was also preceded in death two grandsons, Steve Arms and Mike Gruevenfilder.

Anna Voborni
Anna Vobornik, 87, of Ladysmith died April 28 at the Ladysmith Nursing Home.
Mrs. Vobornik was born April 6, 1911 in Illinois. She moved to Rusk County as a child and in 1931 married Louis Vobornik in Ladysmith. She is survived by a son, Richard of Ladysmith; two daughters, Ruth Kopras of Bruce and Judi Holzbauer of Madison, 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lucy Matus of Weyerhauser.

O. Glenn Werts
O. Glenn Werts, Jr., 88, of Chetek died May 2 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls.
Mr. Werts was born May 26, 1909 to Orval and Eva (Curtis) Werts in Russell, Iowa. The family moved to the Cameron area when he was 5, and he attended the Greenwood Country School and then graduated from Cameron High School in 1928. He attended the University of Iowa at Ames for 1 year and on June 21, 1933 married Vera Marsh at Cameron. The couple farmed in the Canton area until 1978. Mr. Werts was also employed part time by Kohel Implement for 15 years and was a rural mail carrier in the Canton area for 38 years. He was a member of the Rice Lake Elks Club and had been an avid sportsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and bowling and following his grandchildren's sporting events.
He is survived by a son, Edward of Canton; three daughters, Betty Lawin of Eagleton, Kathy Bagley of Spooner and Judy Antczak of Canton; 15 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Noonan of Green Bay.
Mr. Werts was preceded in death by his wife, Vera, on March 25, 1994; and a daughter, Nancy Crowell.


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