Mary E. (Sebion) Boortz
WEST SALEM — Mary E. (Sebion) Boortz, 61, of West Salem died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Middle Coon Valley Lutheran Church in rural Chaseburg. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to services Thursday at the church. A complete obituary will follow from Seland Funeral Home in Coon Valley.
Bonnie J. Burns
BOSCOBEL, Wis. — Bonnie J. Burns, 81, of Boscobel died Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at her home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Kendall Funeral Home in Boscobel. Burial will be in Boscobel Cemetery. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to services Wednesday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the family.
Barbara Bussiere
WIND LAKE, Wis. — Barbara (nee Gavin) Bussiere, 60, of Wind Lake died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee.
She was born April 20, 1948, in La Crosse to Robert and Helen (Nedvidek) Gavin. Her early life was spent in La Crosse and Milwaukee. She attended Aquinas High School in La Crosse and graduated from Divine Savior High School in Milwaukee in 1966. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1970.
She married Paul Bussiere on June 4, 1988, at Holy Assumption Catholic Church in St. Martins. She was a resident of Wind Lake since 1988, co-owner of George Webb Restaurants in Franklin and Greenfield, Wis., and was also a co-owner of Quality Tours with her father, Robert Gavin. She was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Waterford, Wis., and was formerly a social worker with Milwaukee County Social Services.
She is survived by her husband, Paul Bussiere; her mother, Helen Gavin; stepson, Rick (Karen) Esenberg; stepdaughter, Theresa (James) Flegel; brother, Robert (Jackie) Gavin; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. She was the loving aunt of Katie (John) Furrer and Sarah Gavin. She is further survived by aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Gavin Sr.
Funeral services will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Waterford, Wis., with the Rev. Gene Doda Jr. officiating. Burial will be at St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery in Waterford. Visitation will be 4 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Wisconsin Donor Network, 900 W. Chester St., Suite 250, Milwaukee, WI 53214.
Mealy Funeral Home of Waterford is assisting the family with arrangements.
Dennis Lee Denning
McGREGOR, Iowa — Dennis Lee Denning, 76, of McGregor died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at Great River Care Center in McGregor after a long illness. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Congregational Church in McGregor. Burial with military rites will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, McGregor. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Thornburg-Hanson Funeral Home in McGregor and 10 a.m. to services Wednesday at the church.
Rodney W. Ellefson
ONALASKA — Rodney W. Ellefson, 74, of Onalaska died Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at his home. A complete obituary will be provided by Dickinson Family Funeral Home.
Catherine ‘Cathy’ A. Foulker
BLACK RIVER FALLS — Catherine “Cathy” A. Foulker, 67, of Black River Falls died Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at Family Heritage Care Center in Black River Falls. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Buswell Funeral Home in Black River Falls. Burial will at Shamrock Union Cemetery in rural Black River Falls. Family and friends may call from noon to services Thursday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be offered at www.buswellfuneralhome.com.
David Heinz
DODGE, Wis. — David Heinz, 57, of Dodge died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pine Creek, Wis. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Arcadia. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. today, with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service, at Wozney-Killian Funeral Home in Arcadia and from 10:30 a.m. to services Wednesday at the church. Memorials are preferred to “Family Wishes.” Online condolences may be offered at wozneykillianfh@ aol.com.
Jesse G. Helgeson
HOLMEN — Jesse G. Helgeson, 91, of Holmen died Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at Onalaska Care Center.
He was born May 17, 1917, in Holmen to Joseph and Gertrude (Nastvold) Helgeson. He married Virginia (Greene) on Sept. 26, 1942, and she preceded him in death on Feb. 14, 2002. Jesse worked for the Ford Garage in Holmen before returning to farm the family homestead. Over the years, Jesse and Virginia raised 64 foster children.
He is survived by a daughter, Kay (Leonard) Erickson of Holmen; three grandchildren, Lisa, Jason and Jessalynn; 17 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Oscar Helgeson of Galesville.
In addition to his wife, Jesse was preceded in death by a grandson, Leonard Jr.; his parents; a sister, Alice Johnson; and a brother, Arthur Helgeson.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Halfway Creek Lutheran Church. The Rev. Jean Pagliaro will officiate, and burial will be in Halfway Creek Cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Wednesday from 9 a.m. until the services.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given.
Dickinson Family Funeral Home of Holmen is assisting the family.
George A. Kalina
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN — George A. Kalina, 80, of Prairie du Chien died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at Bethel Home in Viroqua. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Prairie du Chien. Burial will be at a later date at Calvary Cemetery in Prairie du Chien. Friends may call on Friday at Garrity Funeral Home in Prairie du Chien from 9 a.m. until departure time for the church. A family rosary will be at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Fred ‘Fritz’ J. Malin
WINONA, Minn. — Fred “Fritz” J. Malin, 91, of Winona died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at North Memorial Medical Center in Minneapolis.
Fritz was born in La Crosse on Aug. 13, 1917, the son of Joseph and Mae (Jambois) Malin.
He was united in marriage to Theresa Penchi on Sept. 20, 1938, at Genoa. She preceded him in death Oct. 16, 1999.
Fritz’s life was family and farming, which he did for 37 years in Wiscoy Valley of Winona County, retiring in 1979.
He is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Winona.
He is survived by his children, Robert (Luella) of Wilson, Minn., Fred Jr. (Eva) and Thomas and Michael (Karen), all of Rushford, Minn., Martin (Julie) of Peterson, Minn., and Steven (and special friend Pam Cox) of Winona, Jane (Donald) Anderson of Minnesota City, Minn., and Edith (Rodney) Ratajczyk, Rochester, Minn.; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Jerome (Alice) Malin of Holmen and Irvin (Jelaine) Malin, Belle Plain, Minn.; and one sister, Emmaline Garvalia of Genoa.
Fritz was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Theresa; a son, Richard; and five brothers.
A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Fritz’s life will be at noon Wednesday, Oct. 22, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Winona, with the Rev. William Becker officiating. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Winona. Friends may call Wednesday in the Visitation Commons of St. Mary’s Church from 10 a.m. to noon.
Casketbearers will be Fritz’s grandsons, Joel and Tyler Malin, Michael and Timothy Flynn, David, Daniel and Kevin Ratajczyk and Keith Jonsgaard.
Services entrusted to Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Winona.
Words of sympathy and remembrance may be left at www.fawcett-junkerfuneral home.com.
Rodney Peterson
VIROQUA/READSTOWN, Wis. — Rodney Peterson, 69, of Viroqua and formerly of Readstown died Monday,
Oct. 20, 2008, at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua. Memorial services will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Sime Funeral Home in Readstown. Friends may call from 3 p.m. to services Friday at the funeral home.
Judy Jo ‘Grandma’ Pierce
Judy Jo “Grandma” Pierce of La Crosse died Friday, Oct. 17, 2008. She was born July 24, 1947.
She is survived by one daughter, Tanyia (Mark) Olson; and two sons, Don Ebata and John Ebata. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Amber Ebata.
A gathering for friends and family will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1010 Sill St., La Crosse. Funeral services will be announced at a later date.
Eileen Elizabeth Potter
LA CROSSE/VIROQUA — Eileen Elizabeth Potter, 82, of La Crosse and formerly of Viroqua passed away Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Hillview Nursing Care Center in La Crosse.
She was born Oct. 9, 1926, in Viroqua to Isaac and Emma (Sordahl) Lavold. She graduated from Viroqua High School with the Class of 1944. On July 25, 1945, she married Keith Potter. She was later married to Norman Bowerman on May 31, 1974. Eileen worked at Ivy Motel, Bluffview Motel and Holiday Inn. She then worked at Doerflingers, Fantels and Herbergers. Eileen enjoyed knitting and crafts but loved to dance.
Eileen is survived by her children, Myron (Penny) Potter of Milwaukee, Anthony (Jeanette) Potter of Tucson, Ariz., Bruce (Shari) Potter of Oswego, N.Y., Elizabeth Fillner of Onalaska and Kristine (Dennis) Terpstra of La Crosse; 18 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mary Ann Olson of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and a brother, Lloyd (Mary) Lavold of St. Petersburg, Fla. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Ivan (Marion) Lavold, Norman (Rachael) Lavold and Luther (Gert) Lavold; and an infant sister, Ruth Marie.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Thorson-Reetz Funeral Home in Viroqua. Officiating at the service will be Pastor Stephen Terpstra, with burial to follow in Viroqua Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. at Thorson-Reetz Funeral Home in Viroqua.
Online condolences may be offered at www.thorson-reetz.net.
Mary E. Shepherd
WHITEHALL — Mary E. Shepherd, 85, of Whitehall died on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, at Tri-County Memorial Hospital in Whitehall. Arrangements are pending with Jack Funeral Home in Whitehall.
Blia Vue
Blia Vue, 90, of La Crosse and formerly of Laos passed away Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at her home.
She was born Dec. 31, 1917, in Laos to Xai Chao Vue and Yia Lee. She married Chia Toua Vang in Laos, and he preceded her in death in 1976. Blia was very proud that her husband served with the United States CIA for covert military actions in Laos during the Vietnam War. On Feb. 10, 1988, Blia and her family moved to La Crosse after spending 10 years in a refugee camp in Thailand. On April 11, 2002, at age 84, Blia stood before a judge in Madison and pledged her allegiance to the United States, becoming a U.S. citizen.
Survivors include six children; four daughters and two sons, four residing in La Crosse, one in Onalaska and one in Minnesota. Blia is also survived by 34 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, Blia was preceded in death by one daughter.
There will be continuous visitation from 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at the Hmong Cultural and Community Center, 1815 Ward Ave., La Crosse, until departing at 10 a.m. Monday for burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Winona, Minn.
Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home of La Crosse is assisting the family and the Hmong Community with arrangements.
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