ZeDona Ellingson Christiansen
ZeDona Ellingson Christiansen left this earth on Aug. 15, 2008, to be with her loving Father in heaven and to be united in spirit with her revered ancestors and loved ones who preceded her in death, namely: her dear husband, parents and two sisters.
She will be remembered in the La Crosse community for her many years of volunteer service—especially for the Lutheran Hospital Auxiliary of which she was the last living charter member and its first treasurer. She served as chairman of the County Board of WHAR and also sat on the state board of that organization. She was a working member of the Red Cross Blood Program for over 30 years, serving seven of them as chairman of Blood Services for the county.
She leaves behind one daughter, Kari Lee Makarewicz of Sedona, Ariz. and a few food friends, especially Gretchen Burns.
Memorials may be given to the Carsten and ZeDona Christiansen Scholarship Fund at the UW-L Foundation or the Salvation Army.
Nancy Collins
BANGOR, Wis. — Nancy Collins, 43, of Bangor died Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse. Funeral services will be announced by Jandt Funeral Home, Bangor.
Inez P. Deters
ONALASKA, Wis. — Inez P. Deters, 85, of Onalaska, died on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. Funeral services will be announced by Fossum Funeral Home of Onalaska.
Phyllis A. Johnson
SPARTA, Wis. — Phyllis A. Johnson, 62, of Sparta died Friday, Aug. 22, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse. Memorial graveside services will be 4 p.m. Monday in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Sparta. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Lois M. Jones
Lois M. Jones, 93, of La Crosse passed away peacefully Friday, Aug. 22, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse.
She was born Jan. 20, 1915, to Elmer and Ella (Swanson) Wienke in Cannon Falls, Minn. Lois married David Harold Jones on Feb. 14, 1936, in Waukon, Iowa. They celebrated 60 years of marriage before he passed away on March 21, 1996.
The Jones’ owned and operated Hillview Greenhouses on North 24th St., where Lois was the floral designer and helped with all aspects of the business. She also worked for a time at The Gauge.
Lois took great pride in her home and having the nicest yard on the block. She looked forward to her annual Mother’s Day trip with her daughter Judy and granddaughter Autumn to area flower markets to buy geraniums, petunias, pansies and begonias for her flower gardens. She would then spend countless hours making sure everything was perfect.
She enjoyed being with family and looked forward to Sunday visits when everyone would gather for dinner.
Lois was proud to have seen the birth of her great-grandson Vincent in March of 2007, and loved joking with him and watching him grow.
She was a kind, loving woman who will be missed by many.
Lois is survived by her daughter, Judy (Mark) Grooms of Onalaska, Wis.; son, David R. (Lynn) Jones of Eagan, Minn.; grandchildren, Autumn (Mike) Heisz, Heidi (Dominic) Colonna, Tara Jones and Kelly (Beth) Jones; great-grandchildren, Vincent Heisz, Tristan Colonna, Trace Colonna, Tyler Fencl, Nick Fencl, Dominic Colonna, Athena Colonna, Grace Heisz, Erin Heisz and Matthew Heisz; Maggie (Richard) Cotter; dear friend Betty; and many friends at her Onalaska, Wis., apartment building.
In addition to Harold, she was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Elmer (Eileen) Wienke.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Ave. S., La Crosse. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call one hour prior to services Tuesday at the funeral home.
The family would like to thank the staff at Gundersen Lutheran Four Center for the excellent care they provided Lois during her time there.
Richard ‘Kazy’ Kasten
WEST SALEM, Wis. — A memorial rendezvous for Richard W. “Kazy” Kasten, 60, of West Salem will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008, at Camp Salem. For information, call Tom Sprain 608-786-3444. Kazy died April 1, 2008, at his home.
Reginald Stanley ‘Mac’ McCullin
Reginald Stanley “Mac” McMullin, 89, of La Crosse died on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008, at Hillview Health Care Center. He was born on May 28, 1919, in La Crosse to Curtis and Gladys (Link) McMullin. He graduated from Beloit High School, Beloit, Wis., and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940. He was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps and served as a radio operator and gunner on a B-17 Bomber “Flying Fortress” in the South Pacific. Mac received the Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Quadruple Bronze Star Attachment and Honorable Service Lapel Button World War II. He was discharged in September of 1944. Mac married Violet Smith on Sept. 17, 1944, in Ardmore, Okla. Mac had worked as a pattern maker for Allis Chalmers from 1945 to 1964 and as a real estate agent for Bob Deal Realty from 1960 to 1979. Mac also did home repairs for many years until his retirement in 1992. He was a member of the Gittens-Leidel American Legion Post 595, La Crescent, Minn., the VFW, the Coulee Region Promenaders, AARP and RAMP.
Mac is survived by his wife Violet; four children, Helen Lee McMullin of La Crosse, Gary (Linda) McMullin of Mindoro, Wis., Janet (David) Villeneuve of Onalaska, Wis., and Patricia Battaglia of Park Ridge, Ill.; seven grandchildren, Lisa (Douglas) Filips, Keli (Scott) Stach, Wendy McMullin, Colleen (Douglas) Miskowiak, David (Lori) Ruegg, Kurtis (Vicki) Ruegg and Thomas Battaglia; 11 great-grandchildren, Joseph and Olivia Rice, Loretta, Matthew, Michael, Carissa and Ashly Ruegg, Samuel and Allison Miskowiak, and Grace and Annabella Filips; and a sister, Lillian Anderson of St. Augustine Beach, Fla. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Scott Battaglia; two sisters, Rosella Scurrah and Geraldine Rebhan; and a brother, Richard McMullin.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Asbury United Methodist Church, La Crosse. Pastor Lewis Lebbaken will officiate. Entombment with military rites will be in the Chapel of Devotion Mausoleum, Woodlawn Cemetery, La Crosse. Friends may call from 9 a.m. Wednesday until the time of services at the church. Memorials may be given to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, American Heart Association, or Asbury United Methodist Church. The Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse is in charge of arrangements.
Leonard ‘Blackie’ D. Meltz
SPARTA, Wis. — Leonard “Blackie” D. Meltz, 85, of Sparta died Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008, at his home. Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Sparta. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery, Sparta. Family and friends are invited to call from noon Wednesday to services at the church. Lanham-Miller Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Nancy L. Nelson
GALESVILLE, Wis. — Nancy L. Nelson, 63, of Galesville passed away on Aug. 22, 2008, after a brief yet fierce battle with cancer. She spent her last days surrounded by family and friends.
Nancy Louanne McCoy was born in Viroqua, Wis., on July 1, 1945, to Don and Phyllis (Parrish) McCoy. She grew up with her four sisters on a farm outside of Ontario, Wis. Nancy graduated from Brookwood High School in 1963 and matriculated to UW-La Crosse where she graduated in 1968 with a degree in psychology and biology. That year she also married Phillip Nelson.
Phil and Nancy moved to Trempealeau, Wis., where they raised their two children, Eric and Kara. Nancy became an active member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, where she served in many capacities, including church council and WELCA, as well as organizing and leading the youth group. She was also an avid bowler and served as vice president of her bowling league.
After working for over 15 years as the assistant director of Volunteer Services at St. Francis Hospital, Nancy decided to return to school. She graduated from Winona State University in 1991 with a BSN. She began working at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital and happily spent the last seventeen years as an RN on the third floor of the hospital. She enjoyed the hours she spent orientating new nurses and working with student nurses. She was instrumental in developing the Preceptor Program on her floor, including guidelines for new staff orientation which became the foundation for the hospital’s Nursing Orientation Program. Her favorite aspect of nursing was her contact with the patients. She was recently honored with a nursing excellence award. While she loved being a nurse, Nancy’s greatest joy came from spending time with her family: trips with her mother and sisters, bowling with her husband, visiting her son, Eric, shopping with her daughter, Kara, and most of all, spoiling her grandson, Riley. She touched the lives of many and will be greatly missed.
Nancy is survived by her parents, Don and Phyllis McCoy of Ontario; her husband, Phil; children, Eric Nelson of Minneapolis and Kara (Jason) Sommerfeldt of Galesville; grandson, Riley Sommerfeldt; sisters, Pat (Bob) Nelson of Holmen, Wis., Elaine (Glen) Gran of Onalaska, Wis., Earlene (Bill) O’Keefe of Barneveld, Wis., and Dawn McCoy of Oconomowoc, Wis.; and many nephews and nieces.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Trempealeau. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and before services, both at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation or Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. Zwickey Funeral Homes, Galesville Chapel, assisted the family with arrangements.
Roger L. Nelson
Roger L. Nelson died Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. A complete obituary will be provided by Dickinson Family Funeral Home.
Cecilia Jane Reget
Cecilia Jane Reget, age 85, of La Crosse died at Bethany-Riverside Nursing Home on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.
She was born in La Crosse on April 19, 1923, to William and Ann (Strasser) Luebke. She married Robert F. Reget on June 30, 1945, and he preceded her in death on Feb. 20, 1998. Prior to her retirement, Cecelia had worked at the Garment Company for 21 years.
She is survived by two daughters, Janice (Ralmond) Bundy of Winona, Minn., and Donna (John) Gilbert of La Crosse; three sons, James (Suzanne) Reget of Appleton, Wis., Steven (Rebecca) Reget of Onalaska, Wis., and Kenneth (Susan) Reget of Onalaska; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Dennis; a sister, Lorraine Novitsky; and two brothers, William Luebke Jr. and Harold Luebke.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. James the Less Catholic Church, La Crosse. Father Marco will officiate and burial will be in the Gate of Heavevn Cemetery. Family and friends may call at Dickinson Family Funeral Home (809 Gillette St) today from 3 to 5 p.m. with a rosary to be recited at 4:30 p.m. Family and friends may also call from 9 a.m. Monday until the time of services at the church.
Myrtle M. Witte
ETTRICK, Wis. — Myrtle M. Witte, 92, of Ettrick died Friday, Aug. 22, 2008, at her home. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at South Beaver Creek Lutheran Church, Ettrick. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the church from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. Wednesday to services at the church. Memorials may be given to South Beaver Creek Lutheran Church. A complete obituary will follow in Monday’s La Crosse Tribune. Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home, West Salem, is in charge of arrangements.
Artis ‘Art’ F. Yandt
Artis “Art” F. Yandt, 80, of La Crosse died Friday, Aug. 22, 2008, at Bethany-St. Joseph Care Center, La Crosse.
Art was born Aug. 7, 1928, in Sparta, Wis., to Fred and Elsie (Schams) Yandt. He was a 1946 graduate of Central High School in La Crosse. Art was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served in the Korean War. On Sept. 24, 1949, he married Doris Lillethun at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in La Crosse. Art was employed as a draftsman in the engineering department of Allis Chalmers in La Crosse, Milwaukee and finally in La Porte, Ind. He enjoyed working on home improvement projects and was able to fix anything.
Survivors include his wife of almost 59 years, Doris; three children, Eric (Jan) Yandt and Lori (Don) Van Dierendonck, both of La Porte, Ind., and Rod (Susan) Yandt of Bloomington, Ind.; ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one sister, Lois Loveng of Watertown, Wis.; and one sister-in-law, Betty Yandt of Florida.
Art was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Diane Bayer; one brother, Marlin Yandt; and a brother-in-law, Wilfred Loveng.
In accordance with Art’s wishes, his body will be cremated and graveside services will be held at a later date in La Porte, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be given to First Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Crosse. Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, La Crosse, is in charge of arrangements.
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