Esther Blamey
VIROQUA — Esther Blamey, 95, of Viroqua died Thursday, Oct. 8, 2008, at Bethel Home in Viroqua. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Sime Funeral Home in Readstown. Burial will be in Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst, Ill. Friends may call from noon to services Monday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be offered at simefuneralforum.com.
Bazzel J. Byers
DE FOREST/PORTAGE, Wis. — Bazzel J. Byers, 88, of De Forest died Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at Serenity Homes in De Forest. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Crosspoint Assembly of God Church in Portage. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage. A complete obituary will follow.
Lori A. (Hundt) Fincher
WEST SALEM — Lori A. (Hundt) Fincher, 40, of West Salem died unexpectedly Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at her home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in West Salem. Burial will be in Neshonoc Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to services Tuesday, both at the church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to establish a memorial fund for Kaleb, Riley and Serena. Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home of West Salem is in charge of arrangements.
Lawrence Richard Knutson
BLAIR — Lawrence Richard Knutson, 78, of Blair died Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, at Grand View Care Center in Blair.
Lawrence was born July 9, 1930, in Turri Coulee, rural Blair, to Halvor and Elsie (Pawelke) Knutson. He married Annie Overton in 1953 in Milwaukee, and they later divorced. Larry married Doris Onsrud in 1977.
Larry served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He farmed in Turri Coulee and Garden Valley in rural Alma Center, Wis. He was later employed with American Motors/Chrysler Corp. in Milwaukee and Kenosha, Wis., prior to his retirement in 1992.
Larry was a member of the American Legion, the Sons of Norway and enjoyed deer hunting and visiting with people.
Lawrence is survived by his wife, Doris of Eau Claire, Wis.; four children and three children through marriage, Darlene (Jim) Hagen of Green Bay, Richard (Kathy) Knutson of Blair, Warren (Mary) Knutson of Arcadia, Russell (Lilly) Knutson of Eau Claire, Jeffrey (Suzanne) Sacia of Eau Claire, Shelley (Paul) Ayres of
Eau Claire and Pam (Steven) Pfeffer of Arizona; 25 grandchildren, Michael (Kristine) Hagen and Michelle Hagen of Green Bay, Matthew (Cami) Hagen of Bonduel, Wis., Melissa (Jeff) Carter of Barnstable, Mass., Tyson Knutson of St. Cloud, Minn., Jason (Monica) Knutson of Jackson, Minn., Amy (Jim) Poole and Sarah Knutson of
St. Paul, Travis Knutson of Whitehall, Dustin and Austin Knutson of Eau Claire, Jared (Meghan) Ketchens and Nate and Jordan Ketchens of Eau Claire, Jacob (Rebekah) Ketchens of Louisville, Ky., Heidi, Elisabeth, Erica, Marc and Amy Sacia of Eau Claire, Alex, Charlie and Emily Ayres of Eau Claire, and Jacqueline and Joseph Pfeffer of Arizona; 11 great-grandchildren, Bethany, Brooke and Braden Juricic, Summer, Ethan, Tyler and Alyssa Hagen, Andrew Knutson and Daemion, Blake and Trystan Ketchens; three sisters, Doris Rollins of Cudahy, Wis., Dorothy Kohler of Milwaukee and Myrtle Truchan of Cedarburg, Wis.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, Lawrence was preceded in death by two brothers, Albert and Charles; a sister, Ruth; one grandchild; and three great-grandchildren.
Larry will be remembered for his pride in his family and country, his devotion to his ideals and his longing for things eternal.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at First Baptist Church in Whitehall, with Pastor Greg Standafer officiating. Burial with military rites conducted by Knudtson-Mattison American Legion Post 231 will be in Trempealeau Valley Cemetery in rural Taylor. Friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Larry’s family would like to thank the staff at Grand View Care Center and Evelyn Hoover and her son, Bob, for all the love and care that they provided to Larry and to the staff and residents of House Next Door for their care and friendship.
Jack Funeral Home in Blair is assisting the family with arrangements.
Eugene Swadley
SOLDIERS GROVE — Eugene Swadley, 76, of Soldiers Grove died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, at Sannes Skogdalen Nursing Home in Soldiers Grove. Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. today at Sime Funeral Home in Readstown. Burial will be at Montgomeryville Cemetery in rural Soldiers Grove. Friends may call from 3 p.m. to services today at the funeral home.
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