Obituaries

Dec 18, 2024

Michael Lovelace, age 70, Nekoosa native, passed away on December 18, 2024, from medical complications. Michael was born February 8th, 1954, in Wisconsin Rapids, to Virgene and Mike Wallace. Virgene later married James Lovelace and he adopted Michael as their son.

He was raised in rural Nekoosa and graduated from Nekoosa High School in 1972....

Dec 17, 2024

Ramon Sylvester Erickson, passed away peacefully of natural causes on December 17, 2024, at the age of 89, in his hometown of Viroqua, WI, where he was also born on February 10, 1935. A man of honor, warmth, and a jovial spirit, Ramon's life was a testament to the value of service, community, and family. He was married to...

Dec 17, 2024

Terry Mae Peterson, a beacon of love and selflessness, passed away on December 17, 2024, at the age of 66. Born on October 27, 1958, to Gordon and Dorothy (Smith) Eitland, Terry was a lifelong learner, having attended Madison East High School, furthering her studies at Wisconsin Technical College with an Accounting degree, and Viterbo College with an IT...

Dec 16, 2024

Tom Sharratt, age 82, of Westby, passed away on Monday, December 16, 2024. Tom was born in Milwaukee on August 1, 1942, to Kathleen (Hering) and Bill Sharratt and lived as a child in Madison, Appleton, and Milwaukee before completing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture at UW - Madison in 1964. At the same time, he received a commission...

Dec 9, 2024

Way back when the crash of 1929 hit, and many were in dire straits, a little baby girl was born up in “Griffen Holler”, rural Soldiers Grove, Myra Clare Dull… becoming Myra Chestelson later on. She was born on January 18, 1929, to Mary Pansy Dull and Arley Dull, as the fourth girl. They lived in the valley of...

Dec 9, 2024

Maynard Teach passed away peacefully at home on Monday, December 9, 2024, at the age of 89. Maynard was born on August 29, 1935, to the late Ellery and Grace (Cook) Teach who were both managers and later owners of Sunrise Orchards. Maynard grew up active in Boy Scout Troop 80 and after graduation from Gays Mills High School...

Dec 8, 2024

Genevieve Birkelo, age 101, of Viroqua passed away December 8, 2024, at her home at Maplewood Assisted Living surrounded by family.

She was born at home in rural Ferryville on February 20, 1923, to Julius and Nora (Bringe) Forde. The oldest of five children, she boarded in town and graduated from Viroqua High School and...

Dec 7, 2024

Ruth Ann Olson, age 86, of La Farge, died Saturday, December 7, 2024. She was born on June 17, 1938, to Charles and Ferna (Rockwell) Rush. After graduating from La Farge High School in 1956, she married Ted J. Olson on April 20, 1957. She lived and worked in Janesville for four years and returned to the La Farge...

Dec 5, 2024

Cole Allen Egge, age 30, of Westby, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 5, 2024. He was born on August 15, 1994, to Eric and Lori (Mickelson) Egge in Viroqua. Cole attended Anamosa High School in Iowa. After high school, Cole was able to spend time with his dad working for Ricklefs Excavating before his family relocated back to...

Dec 1, 2024

Donna Rochelle (Wemmer) Frihart, 83, of La Farge, passed away on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse. She was born on September 30, 1941, in Viroqua, to Robert and Gertrude (Hilton) Wemmer. Donna loved to watch western movies, puzzle books, search and finds, loved being with her family, and was a jokester. Later...

Nov 30, 2024

Bruce Mullendore, age 90, of Viola, passed away on Saturday, November 30, 2024. He was born on May 20, 1934, to the late Clarence and Helen (Lepley) Mullendore, the youngest of four children. Bruce was a 1952 graduate of Viola High School and was a graduate of UW-Madison for Animal Husbandry. On June 9, 1956, he married Virginia Baker...

Nov 30, 2024

Robert Eugene “Bob” Johnson, age 83, of Gays Mills, formerly Soldiers Grove, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Soldiers Grove Health Services. He was born to the late Melvin and Doris (Cooley) Johnson on August 10, 1941, in rural Soldiers Grove.

Bob grew up in Montgomeryville and has told many stories of...

Nov 30, 2024

Raydeana “Dee” Monica Knutson, of Ferryville, passed away on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Dee was born in Brooklyn, NY, on September 20, 1952. She was the third of 12 children. She married Lewis Knutson on September 22, 2000.

Dee was a very happy, talkative lady who loved fishing, gardening, and canning. She very much loved...

Nov 23, 2024

Carol Jean Lunde, age 84, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2024, at her daughter’s home in rural Viroqua, surrounded by the warmth of her family. Carol was born on November 27, 1939, in La Crosse, to the late Otto and Mathilda (Hansen) Horman.

Carol's journey began on the family farm where she grew up...

Nov 22, 2024

Beverly Hope Slade, age 97, of Readstown, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Soldiers Grove Health Services. She was born on February 3, 1927, to the late Earl and Hazel (Brown) Lowrey. She graduated from Readstown High School with the class of 1945. Following graduation, she moved to Denver, Colorado where she worked at a factory...

Nov 20, 2024

Violet Nellie Jorgenson, age 97, of rural Cashton, Wisconsin, passed away on November 20, 2024, at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, Wisconsin. She was born on April 16, 1927, to Omer and Nellie Clark, near Dell, Wisconsin. She was raised with a large family of four brothers and six sisters. Following her graduation from Cashton High School, she married...

Nov 19, 2024

Therese M. Fortney, age 80, of Viroqua, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. She was born on June 11, 1944, in La Crosse to Lawrence and Ethel (Leahy) Kearney. Following her schooling, she did housekeeping and was a farm wife in the Gays Mills area. She married Victor Fortney and helped him...

Nov 16, 2024

Keith Leroy Wright, age 85, of Boma Ridge, rural Ferryville, WI, passed away on Saturday, November 16, 2024. He was born on April 13, 1939, in Alice, IA, to the late Orville and Augusta (Baldwin) Wright. Keith was baptized at Coggon Methodist Church in Iowa.

He married Dorothy Baute on December 24, 1959, in the...

Nov 12, 2024

Deirdre L. Harris, age 71, of Viola, passed away on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at Elroy Health Services. She was born on November 14, 1952, to Joseph Gyle and Norma (Smith) Harris.

Deirdre is survived by her aunt, Elnora Nicks of Viola; nieces: Yolanda (Jason) Maly of Muscoda, Nicole Ewing (special friend, Ray Erickson) of...

Nov 12, 2024

Cynthia "Cindy" Inman Burkum, a beacon of love and creativity, passed away on November 12, 2024, at the age of 63. Born on June 19, 1961, Cindy was born to the late Richard and Margaret (Larson) Inman in Beloit, WI.

Cindy graduated from Westby High School in 1980, the place where she first began to...