Story originally printed in the Coulee News or online at www.couleenews.com

Published - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Obituaries for May 13, 2008

Donald R. ‘Don’ Mattie Sr. | Judith R. Schaller | Shirley Fruechte | David Bechtold Hoff

Donald R. ‘Don’ Mattie Sr.

LA CROSSE -- Donald R. “Don” Mattie Sr., 81, of La Crosse died Saturday, May 11, 2008, at Mulder Health Care Facility, West Salem, Wis.

He was born July 21, 1926, in La Crosse to Roy and Catherine Mattie. Don was employed as a deputy sheriff for La Crosse County for over 20 years. He also owned and operated a Trucking Co. in La Crosse for many years.

Survivors include his son, Donald, Jr. (Sandy) of West Salem; one grandson, Barry Stetter of La Crosse; two great grandchildren, Brianna and Bronwyn; and a cousin, Louie Mattie of Prairie du Chien, Wis. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A graveside service will be 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Oak Grove Cemetery, 1407 La Crosse St. La Crosse. Pastor J. Taylor Haley will officiate. Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, La Crosse is in charge of the arrangements.

Judith R. Schaller

BANGOR — Judith R. Schaller, 68, of Bangor passed away early Monday morning, May 12, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse. A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bangor. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Jandt Funeral Home, Bangor, and from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass on Thursday at the church. Memorials may be given to the Bangor First Responders or the Bangor Scholarship Foundation.

David Bechtold Hoff

MADISON — David Bechtold Hoff, Brigadier General (Ret.), died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, in Madison surrounded by his family.

He was born in Ettrick, Wis., on Aug. 31, 1932, the son of Oscar Frederick and Elsie Marie (Bechtold) Hoff. Hoff graduated from West Salem High School in 1949. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with high honors from the UW-Madison in 1953. Hoff was one of about 30 undergraduates nationwide awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship for graduate study in 1953 based on his outstanding scholarship and leadership ability. He joined Air Force ROTC while in college, serving a tour of active duty in Texas, Florida and Fuerstenfeldbruck AFB in Germany. When he returned to Madison in 1958, General Hoff joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard (ANG), where he served as a pilot until 1989, retiring as air commander of Truax Air Base and Wing Commander of the 128th Tactical Fighter Wing.

He was involved in many civic and professional organizations, and was a charter member of American Legion West Side Memorial Post 151. Hoff graduated from the UW-Madison Law School in 1989, cum laude and Order of the Coif. In 1994, General Hoff was inducted into the Wisconsin ANG Hall of Fame.

General Hoff is survived by his wife, Patricia; brothers, Oscar and Ralph Hoff; sister Carla Harrington; brother-in-law, Reynolds Tomter; sister-in-law, Dolores Hoff; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, William and Barbara Hass; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Louis and Ruth Shifrin; children, Frederica (Andrew) Schuster, Kristine (Robert) Schriesheim and Seth Hoff; grandchildren, Karen, Eric, David and Rebecca Schriesheim and Heidi, Joseph and Adrienne Schuster; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service with military honors will be held at Nakoma Golf Club in Madison on Friday, May 23, 2008. Contact Cress Funeral Home at (608) 238-3434 or www.cressfuneralservice.com for details. Cards may be sent to: P.O. Box 44324, Madison, WI 53744. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to: The Association for Families, 1919 E. Grange Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53707 (provides support for ANG members and their families); University of Wisconsin Foundation, David B. Hoff Scholarship, P.O. Box 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278; or Massachusetts General Hospital ALS Clinical Research, c/o Jocelyn Hoey, MGH Development, 165 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114.

Shirley Fruechte

ELKO, Minn./WESTBY, Wis. — Shirley Fruechte, 80, of Elko and formerly of Westby passed away peacefully on May 7, 2008, at The Lodge at Natchez Hospice Facility in Elko with her family at her bedside.

Shirley was born June 22, 1927, in Redwood Falls, Minn., to Norval and Leila (Blanchard) Weeks. She married Armin Fruechte June 9, 1951. Shirley graduated from Macalaster College in 1949. She was the 4-H Club agent in Houston County, Minn., until marrying Armin in 1951, and moved to Westby. Shirley was a volunteer at Norseland Nursing Home and Vernon Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She was supervisor of the 4-H building at the Vernon County Fair for over 30 years, a member of Eastern Star, past president of the Ladies Aid at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and enjoyed her bridge clubs. She also enjoyed camping in Hatfield, Wis., and considered her campsite on Arnold’s Creek her second home for 30 years.

Shirley is survived by her children and families, Linda (Brad) Morse of West Salem, Wis., and their son, Derek (Amy) Morse; Bruce (Christine) Fruechte of Eau Claire, Wis., and their children, Laura Shaw and her children, Robert and Andrew; Bruce Elliott, Gabrielle and Kaitlinn; Lisa (Marty) Lunde of Eden Prairie, Minn., and their children, Christian, Elizabeth and Katherine; Robin (Joe) Becher of Mondovi, Wis., and their children, Nichole and Jacob. She also is survived by her sister, Kay Prouty of Redwood Falls, Minn.; brother-in-law, Burton (Lois) Fruechte of Caledonia, Minn.; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Estenson of Northfield, Minn.; Audrey Hulsey of Omah, Neb.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Armin, in 1979.

Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, May 16, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Westby. Pastor Gary Daines will officiate, with burial in Coon Prairie Cemetery. Friends may call from 7 until 9 p.m. Thursday, May 15, with an Eastern Star service at 8:30 p.m. at the Vosseteig Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. (Hwy. 14), in Westby. Friends may also call at the church on Friday from 8 a.m. until the time of service at 9 a.m. Memorial services will be held in Eden Prairie on Monday, May 12, 2008. Online condolences may be offered at www.vosseteigfuneralhomes.com.

The Vosseteig Funeral Home of Westby is serving the family.

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