Richard Dick’ Peterson
MT. HOREB, Wis. Richard “Dick” Peterson, 78, of Mt. Horeb died Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, at Bloomfield Manor in Dodgeville, Wis.
Richard was born Aug. 8, 1930, in Jackson County to Carl and Mabel (Otterson) Peterson. He married Corinne L. Guenther on Aug. 21, 1954, in La Crosse. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 20 and served in the Korean Conflict for two years and then returned to finish his undergraduate degree at UW-La Crosse and later a master’s degree in administration at UW-Madison. In 1954, Richard started his career in Juneau as a math teacher. His numerous contributions to public education included being the principal of Omro School District (Wis.), five years as a teacher and basketball coach at La Crosse Central High School, superintendent of schools in Cochrane-Fountain City, Wis., and superintendent of schools in Mt. Horeb from 1967 to 1987. From 1988 to 1993, he worked at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and was a financial unit advisor of Lutheran Brotherhood until his retirement. He was active in Rotary, den master of Cub Scouts, and a member of American Legion Post 113. His hobbies included refereeing football, volleyball, cross country, basketball and track. He enjoyed hunting on the family farm in Melrose, telling Norwegian jokes and sharing stories with his grandchildren. Watching his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events were a great source of pride and fulfillment for him throughout his life. During his high school and college years, Richard played basketball, had leading performance roles in stage plays and enjoyed ballroom dancing. He was a member of Mt. Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he taught adult Sunday School.
Survivors include his wife, Connie; two daughters, Deborah (Mike) Wolfe and Diana (David) Steele; two sons, Daniel (Darolanne) Peterson and David (Susan) Peterson; 15 grandchildren; a brother, Arland (Katy) Peterson of Holmen; two sisters, Carol Mae “Toots” Olson of La Crosse and Arlene (Robert) Purdum of Holmes Beach, Fla.; a longtime friend, Ron “The Barber” Waldsmith of Mt. Horeb; and many other relatives and friends.
Richard was preceded in death by a son, Donald Robert Peterson; his father, Carl; his mother, Mabel; three brothers, Chris, Wally and Bob; and one sister, LaVon.
Funeral services and a celebration of Richard’s life will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Mt. Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mt. Horeb. Burial will be in Mt. Horeb Union Cemetery, where full military honors will be accorded. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Ellestad Funeral Home, 500 N. Eighth St., Mt. Horeb. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials that will be divided between the activity program at Girlie’s Manor in Mt. Horeb and an education scholarship to be set up at MHHS in Richard Peterson’s name.
Honora Agnes Hawk
BLACK RIVER FALLS/MELROSE Honora Agnes Hawk, 72, of Black River Falls and formerly of Melrose and Galesville passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008, at Black River Memorial Hospital with her family at her side.
Honora was born July 3, 1936, to Anna and Paul Schultz. She was raised in Chicago. She married John T. Hawk, Jr. on Oct. 20, 1956, and they moved to Wisconsin to raise their family. He preceded her in death.
Honora was a selfless and devoted mother and grandmother who enjoyed cooking, gardening and making the holidays a special celebration for her family. She was a longtime Elvis fan.
She is survived by her beloved children, Richard (Mayanna) Hawk of San Antonio, Texas, Russ (Cynthia) Hawk of La Crosse, Ray Hawk of Eau Claire, Wis., Susan (Randy) Hollister of Richfield, Wis., and Sandy (Keith) Erickson of Houston, Minn. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Cory Hawk, Ryan Hawk, Alex Hawk, Jordan Hawk, Isaac Hawk, Emma Hawk, Ava Hawk, Sierra Hollister, Eric Hollister, Nicholas Erickson and Jarrett Erickson. She is further survived by her brothers, Ray Schultz of Dewey, Ariz., and Paul (Delores) Schultz of Chicago; her sister, Bernice Tomasek of Phoenix; and many nieces and nephews, including her special niece, Terry Famas of Paulden, Ariz., and her caring nephew, Wayne Arntsen of Chicago.
Honora was preceded in death by her parents; her adoring sister, Lorraine Arntsen; her brother-in-law, Bob Arntsen; her sister-in-law, Josie Schultz; and her infant daughter, Sharon Lynn Hawk.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Buswell Funeral Home, Black River Falls. Private family interment services will be Wednesday at Stone Church Cemetery, Houston, Minn.
Family and friends are invited for visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given to Jackson County Humane Society, 403 Pine View Road, Black River Falls, WI 54615 or Jackson County Food Pantry, P.O. Box 188, Taylor, WI 54659.
Special thanks are extended to the staff of Pine View Care Center who befriended and cared for Honora for the past several years.
Online condolences are available at www.buswellfuneralhome.net.
Elnora Koenig
MABEL, Minn. Elnora Koenig died peacefully Sept. 25, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.
She was born in Mabel to Florence and Lloyd Williams. She graduated from Mabel High School and attended Western Wisconsin Technical College. Survivors include a daughter, Judy Pacciotto; son, Dennis Johnson; sister, Lois Johnson; and brother, Harold Williams. In addition to her husband, Elnora was preceded in death by her parents, one son and a sister.
In accordance with her wishes, she was cremated and a private memorial service was held at Mabel Cemetery.
Jack Schwem
La Crescent, Minn. Jack Schwem, 68, of La Crescent died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, in his home. Arrangements will be announced by Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crescent.
Raymond Urbick
ARCADIA Raymond Urbick, 95, of Arcadia died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at St. Michael’s Lutheran Home in Fountain City, Wis. Wozney-Killian Funeral Home, Arcadia, will assist the family.
Lori Ann (Hundt) Fincher
WEST SALEM Lori Ann (Hundt) Fincher, 40, of West Salem passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at her home.
She was born Nov. 20, 1967, in La Crosse to Howard and Catherine (Greene) Hundt. Lori was a 1986 graduate of West Salem High School and then attended UW-La Crosse, where she received an accounting degree. On Sept. 20, 1997, she married Timothy Fincher in West Salem. Lori was employed as an accountant at Chart Industries in La Crosse. She was an avid Packers fan and loved animals and playing volleyball. Lori was a devoted mother who loved her children, and she will be sadly missed.
Survivors include her husband, Tim; three children, Kaleb, Riley and Serena, all of West Salem; her mother, Catherine “Kate” Hundt of
West Salem; her sisters and brothers, Karen (Ken) Brayton of Corvallis, Ore., and David (Joleen) Hundt, Robert Hundt, Rosanne Muellenberg, and Richard (Becky) Hundt, all of West Salem; two special aunts, Myrt Keim of Onalaska and Lorraine Newbrough of La Mesa, Calif.; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bill and Shirley Fincher of Cross Plains, Wis.; two brothers-in-law, Monty (Tina) Fincher of Salem, Wis., and Dennis (Kris) Fincher of Antigo, Wis.; her special lifelong friend, Katie (David) Reedick of Sparta; along with many other special aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; and her cat, Nala. She was preceded in death by her father, Howard; and her beloved dog, Daisy.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Leo The Great Catholic Church, 210 W. Hamlin St., West Salem. Father Bob Hegenbarth will officiate. Burial will be in Neshonoc Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at St. Leo The Great Catholic Church and also at 10 a.m. Tuesday until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to establish a memorial fund for Kaleb, Riley and Serena. Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home, West Salem, is in charge of arrangements.
Bazzel J. Byers
DE FOREST / PORTAGE, Wis. Bazzel J. Byers, 88, of DeForest died Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at Serenity Homes in DeForest.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Crosspoint Assembly of God Church in Portage, with the Rev. Victor Hillestad officiating. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Home Cemetery, between Ontario and Cashton in Monroe County. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, and from 10 a.m. Monday until the time of services at the church.
Bazzel was born Aug. 24, 1920, in Hillsboro, the son of John M. and Mary (Franklin) Byers. He was married to Norma Charlotte McVay Byers for almost 57 years. She preceded him in death July 12, 1997. He farmed in Ontario, La Farge and West Salem for 56 years. Bazzel was a lifetime member of Wesleyan Methodist Church.
He is survived by 10 children, Mildred Chan, Saugus, Mass., Bruce (Ireta) Byers, Belvidere, Ill., Doris Byers, Florida, John Byers, Sterling Heights, Mich., Bryan (Susan) Byers, Griffin, Ga., Mary (Norman) Addington, Pardeeville, Wis., Kristine (Michael) Larson, Postville, Iowa, Kathy (Mike) Johnson, West Salem, Tom Byers, La Crosse, and Ellen (Mike) Olson, Eau Claire, Wis.; 32 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; his sister, Rosemary (Earl) Brevig, La Crescent, Minn.; two sisters-in-law, Beulah Byers, La Crosse, and Darlene Byers, Hillsboro; other near relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his son, James in infancy; granddaughter, Susan Chan in infancy; son-in-law, Homan Chan; his brothers, Kleon, LaVerne and Lorin; and his sisters, Nellie Fish and LaVerna Fish.
Casey G. Knutson
COLUMBUS, Ohio/POYN-ETTE, Wis. Casey G. Knutson, 29, died unexpectedly Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at his home in Ohio. Arrangements are pending with Ryan Funeral Home, Madison. A full notice will be published at a later date.
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