Brian L. Ashwell
Brian L. Ashwell, 22, died Sunday, May 25, 2008, at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in Sparta, Wis. Service details will be announced by Torkelson Funeral Home of Tomah, Wis. Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.
Evelyn Babcock
ANGELO/SPARTA, Wis. — Evelyn Babcock, 92, of Angelo died Saturday, May 24, 2008, at HospiceCare Center in Madison.
She was born Feb. 25, 1916, in Bangor, Wis., to Henry and Katherine (Schroeder) Ballman. She was baptized on March 26, 1916, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and confirmed on March 24, 1929. Evelyn attended school in both Bangor and Sparta and graduated from Sparta High School. On Sept. 1, 1945, she was married to Edwin Babcock by Pastor Arthur Berg of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Evelyn and Ed spent their entire lives in his family home in the town of Angelo. Evelyn worked at the Angelo School for many years, was a devoted member of St John’s and was active in several community organizations, including the Angelo Homemakers, Angelo 4-H Club, American Legion Auxiliary and the Angelo Coffee Klatch. She loved visiting her many friends in Angelo and Sparta, and they all had open invitations to drop in on Ed and Evelyn any time, which many often did.
She loved to garden, was an accomplished cook and dedicated thousands of hours to caring for the 19th Century farmhouse and property, including regularly mowing its many acres, that she and Ed shared in their 54-year marriage. She was very involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Evelyn attended all the milestone events in their lives and was especially proud of their achievements in school and athletics. She was especially diligent in keeping her two youngest grandsons, Todd and Charley, from playing in the creek that ran from the beautiful artesian well on the Angelo farm.
After Ed’s death in 2000, Evelyn lived with Eileen and Fred in Stoughton, Wis., and Margie in Madison. They included her in many of their regular activities, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and loved spending time with their friends, especially Judy, Mary and Judy. She also made trips to visit her grandsons at each of their homes.
Evelyn suffered a stroke in the late morning of Thursday, May 22. After spending a day at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, she was transferred to HospiceCare of Madison. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Saturday, May 24.
She is survived by two daughters, Margie Weigle of Madison, and Eileen (Fred) Shoemaker of Stoughton, Wis.; daughter-in-law, Jean Babcock of Rosemount, Minn.; grandsons, Scott (Dawn) Shoemaker of Sun Prairie, Wis., Zeke (Mindi) Babcock of Farmington, Minn., Charley Babcock of Prescott, Wis., and Todd (Darci) Shoemaker of Plymouth, Minn.; great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Evelyn, Zachary and Zoey; two sisters-in-law, Yvonne Ballman of Sparta and Beverley Ballman of Sparta; and many other family members, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Edwin, on Dec. 16, 2000; a son, James Babcock; and two brothers, Herbert Ballman and LaVerne Ballman.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sparta, with the Rev. Mark Wessel officiating. Burial will be in St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Wednesday from 9 a.m. until time of services. Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com.
Memorials may be given to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, The Macular Degeneration Foundation at eyesight.org or HospiceCare of Madison.
Lanham-Miller Funeral Home of Sparta is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Goodwin D. Hass
Goodwin D. Hass, 92, of La Crosse died Saturday, May 24, 2008, at his home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mary Mother of The Church Parish at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in La Crosse. Burial with military rites will be in St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum at the Catholic Cemetery in La Crosse. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service, at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse and at the church Friday from 10 a.m. until time of services. A complete obituary will follow.
Philip T. Luebke
SPARTA, Wis. — Philip T. Luebke, 56, of Sparta died Sunday, May 25, 2008, in his home. Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Lanham-Miller Funeral Home of Sparta.
Julianne Meyer
WEST SALEM, Wis. — Julianne Meyer, 74, of West Salem died Monday, May 26, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. A complete obituary will follow. Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home of West Salem is in charge of arrangements.
Leo Arnold Pfaff
Leo Arnold Pfaff, 80, of La Crosse found eternal rest on Friday, May 23, 2008, at Hillview Health Care Center in La Crosse.
He was born Nov. 16, 1927, in Sparta, Wis., the son of Ray and Marie (Wegner) Pfaff. Leo graduated from La Crosse Central High School. He was an Army veteran of World War II, having served in Japan. Following his discharge, he returned to La Crosse to find his life’s love, Shirley Wrobel. They were married July 22, 1950, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in La Crosse. It was there he found his faith and fellowship of believers, and he served the congregation as an usher for many years.
For 37 years, Leo found steady work at Ed Phillips and Sons of La Crosse as a truck driver, working 12- to 15-hour days. Customers, greeting him on his daily rounds, nicknamed Leo, “The hardest workin’ man in the city of La Crosse.” In later years he worked for Kwik Trip Stores of La Crosse and retired in 2001. Leo found time to fish and spent many hours in his garden, often filling the freezer with “nature’s bounty.”
Leo and his wife, Shirley, together raised three boys and a girl, Timothy (Mary) Pfaff, of West Allis, Wis., Thomas (Christi) Pfaff of La Crosse, Samuel Pfaff of La Crosse and Deanna (Thomas) Blake of Colorado Springs, Colo. He found great pride in his granddaughter, Hannah Blake. He is further survived by three sisters, Joyce Johnson of Onalaska, Wis., Alvena (Francis) Schnedecker of La Crosse and Darlene Trapp of DeLand, Fla.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Debra Pfaff, in 1950; a sister, Dorothy Stoda; and two brothers, Arliegh and Benjamin Pfaff.
This gentle, quiet man found Parkinson’s disease to be his greatest struggle. In less than 10 years, Parkinson’s took his vigor, his balance and finally his mind. Yet, with his life’s partner, Shirley, at his side, he never lost his love, his faith, his family.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 29, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crosse, with Pastor Roger Sachs officiating. Burial, with military honors by Roy L. Vinger’s American Legion Post 52, will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, La Crosse. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse and at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until time of services.
Gary A. Pierce
BOSCOBEL, Wis. — Gary A. Pierce, 74, of Boscobel died Saturday, May 24, 2008, at Boscobel Area Health Care in Boscobel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Boscobel. Burial with military rites will be in the Boscobel Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a 7:30 p.m. rosary, at Kendall Funeral Home in Boscobel.
Francis E. Sawyer
Francis E. Sawyer, 89, of La Crosse died Monday, May 26, 2008, at Hillview Health Care Center in La Crosse. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse and at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until time of services. A complete obituary will follow in Wednesday’s Tribune.
Dorothy M. Skoyen
SPARTA, Wis. — Dorothy M. Skoyen, 89, of Sparta died Saturday, May 24, 2008, at Rolling Hills Rehabilitation Center in Sparta.
She was born May 27, 1918, in Northfield, Wis., to John and Nettie (Gilbertson) Thompson. She was baptized and confirmed in South Beef River Lutheran Church, rural Osseo, Wis.
Dorothy attended High School in Osseo and worked as a housekeeper for various people in the area. She moved to Sparta and stayed with an aunt and uncle. She worked at the Briggson and Garvin Hotels and at the Wisconsin Child Center for many years.
Dorothy married William Skoyen on Oct. 2, 1948, in the Lutheran Parsonage in Pigeon Falls, Wis. William passed away on Oct. 2, 2000.
She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, was active in the TLCW, Shalom Circle, Altar Guild and quilting for Lutheran World Relief.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a son-in-law, Mark Pfaff; a granddaughter, Kara Pfaff; four sisters-in-law; and two brothers-in-law.
She is survived by her children, Kathy (Don McVicker) of Sparta and Michael Skoyen of Sparta; grandchildren, Kristin (Leo), Kimberly, Matthew, Amy and Jessica; great grandchildren, Gavin, Kinzi and Makenna; a brother, James (Delores) Thompson of Pigeon Falls, Wis.; a sister, Frances (William) Blythe of Caldwell, Idaho; a sister-in-law, Selma Estenson of Whitehall, Wis.; a brother-in-law, Erling Hansen of Whitehall, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Sparta, with the Rev. Matthew E. Toso officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Sparta. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, and at the church Thursday from 10 a.m. until time of services. Online condolences may be offered at www.lanham-miller.com.
Lanham-Miller Funeral Home of Sparta is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Larry E. Thorson
HOUSTON, Minn. — Larry E. Thorson, 63, of Houston died Sunday, May 25, 2008, due to a farm accident on his farm. Hoff Funeral Homes-Houston Chapel is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
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