Guy R. Jewett
WEST SALEM — Guy R. Jewett, 101, of West Salem died Sunday, July 5, 2009, at Lakeview Health Center, West Salem. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home, West Salem.
Harold Smith
WEST SALEM — Harold Smith, 90, of West Salem and formerly of La Crosse died Friday, July 3, 2009, at Mulder Health Care Facility. He was born June 17, 1919, in Esteline, S.D., to Charles and Kathryn (Adams) Smith. Harold married Mildred Paulson in 1942, and after living in various places, settled in the Black River Falls area. They raised four children. Mildred passed away in 1963, and in 1967, he married Ruth (Schmidt) Suntken from Meservey, Iowa. She also had four children, which resulted in a large blended family. Harold and Ruth moved to La Crosse in 1967. He had worked his entire career as a semi-truck driver, earning numerous safe driving awards from the Teamsters Union and retired from Milwaukee Motor Transportation Co. in 1981. In retirement, Harold and Ruth enjoyed many years of traveling in their camper, fishing, visiting with friends and relatives, playing cards and socializing at bingo games. They also enjoyed being able to spend time with their grandchildren.
He is survived by five daughters, Carole (Gary) Albrecht of Rushford, Minn., Sharon (John) Evanoff of Indigo, Calif., Kathleen (Leonard) Larson of Ridgeway, Minn., Audrey (Randy) Oreskovich of Black River Falls and Marlys (Dean) Pruisman of Mason City, Iowa; one son, Dennis Suntken of Thornton, Iowa; 13 grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren; one sister, Delores Moore of Fargo, N.D.; and one brother, Dale (Iretta) Smith of Borup, Minn.
He was preceded in death by his wives, Mildred and Ruth; two sons, Gary Smith and Delbert Suntken; a grandson, Wayne; two brothers and two sisters.
Special thanks to Dr. Stephen Pavela, the staff at Salem Terrace Assisted Living and all of the family and friends who helped make Harold’s last years memorable and meaningful. We miss you very much!
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Ave. S., La Crosse. Burial will take place at a later date in Meservey Cemetery, Meservey. Friends may call from 10 a.m. Tuesday until the time of services at the funeral home.
Doris M. Walters
LA CROSSE -- Doris M. Walters, 85, of La Crosse died Thursday, July 2, 2009, in Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, La Crosse.
She was born in La Crosse on March 17, 1924, to William Elise (Mosher) Lumley. She married Kenneth L. Walters on June 4, 1948, in Immanuel Lutheran Church in La Crosse.
Ken stated, “After our honeymoon I could never get Doris to ride another rollercoaster.”
Mom loved to read, watch the Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy. She almost always solved the puzzles first and frequently solved the Bonus Round in Wheel. She had a spin ID number for the Wheel Watchers Club.
Her baking skills were loved and appreciated. When her daughters were in grade school, she was their room mother and baked Valentine, Halloween and Christmas cookies for their holiday school parties.
Her baking skills were also well-known and loved in Milwaukee with her grandchildren. Their friends were also familiar with her baked goods. They would frequently ask Kari and Kyle if they had been to their grandmother’s because then they knew they were in for a treat.
Mom was a good friend — taking those who could not drive to doctor appointments, grocery stores, for scenic drives, to local restaurants and on other errands. She would save spots for people for the Oktoberfest parades, then at home for friends and relatives for brats, German potato salad, hamburgers, hots dogs and lots of chocolate goodies. She also enjoyed dining out with family and friends.
Kari and Kyle loved their summer visits with Grandma and have fond memories of their week they spent at Grandma’s house in La Crosse. When Kari was really young she would request corn in the green jackets (corn on the cob) which she helped Grandma to clean. Kyle was thrilled to have met a former Green Bay Packer, Al Gudie, who played with the Packers in the ‘40s, at a restaurant.
She will be sorely missed by all who knew her for her kind, loving and generous heart. We will miss you Mom, Grandma, and Doris!
She is survived by her husband, Kenneth L. of La Crosse; three daughters, Diane of Racine, Wis., Janet Walters of Milwaukee, and Marla (Robin) Hanson of Mindoro; two grandchildren, Kari and Kyle Schlais; and one great-grandchild, Jaden Caldwell. She is further survived by two brothers, Earl Lumley of Lansing, Iowa, and Roy (Louise) Lumley of Dubuque, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Fern Harget.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 6, at Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Home, 1501 West Ave. S., La Crosse. The Rev. Tom Meyer will officiate. Family and friends may call from 1 p.m. until the time of services at the funeral home on Monday.
We would like to thank all those who helped with her care. Their compassion and kindnesses were greatly appreciated.
Memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
Henry F. Heider
WEST SALEM — Henry F. Heider, 97, of West Salem died Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at Francis-can Skemp Medical Center, La Crosse.
He was born July 23, 1911, in rural West Salem to William and Wilhelmina (Drecktrah) Heider. On Nov. 28, 1935, he married Hazel Rahn, and she preceded him in death on Sept. 30, 1999.
After graduating from West Salem High School, Henry farmed with his parents on the family farm. Farming was a passion, and in his life he saw non-mechanization of farming to mechanization and then technical farming. Henry was very interested in progress and accepted new changes that came his way. In 1974, Henry and Hazel retired to a home on Harmony Street in West Salem. He commuted to the farm until his 90th year. Henry enjoyed doing field work on his John Deere tractor and working alongside his son, William, on the farm that has been in their family for over 120 years.
He loved to play cards with his friends and enjoyed talking German with his cousins. Henry was a June Dairy Days parade marshal, a board member of the West Salem Co-op and a member of the Holstein Breeders Association, the West Salem Rotary Club and the Presbyterian Church of West Salem. Henry’s final years were brightened by the friendship of Erma Hauser. They married in the presence of their combined families on March 9, 2008, at Presbyterian Church of West Salem.
Survivors include his wife, Erma; three children, Mary Heider of Cincinnati, Ohio, Carolyn (John) Hinz of Mankato, Minn., and William (Dorrene) Heider of West Salem; six grandchildren, Joseph (Kendra) Hinz, Katherine (Mark) Morse, Barbara (Greg) Roesler, Tamela (Chad) McCartney, Laura (Eric) Veglahn and H. Frederick (Dana) Heider; eight great-grandchildren; and a cousin, Elizabeth Heider Gates.
In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by a sister, Marie Heider.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 6, at Presbyterian Church of West Salem, 625 W. Franklin St. Pastor Larry Olson will officiate. Burial will be in Hamilton Cemetery. Friends may call at Jostad-Jandt Funeral Home, 121 N. Youlon St., West Salem, on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. and at the church on Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Memorials may be given to the Hazel Brown Leicht Library in West Salem.
Catherine M. (Moan) Erickson
GALESVILLE — Catherine M. (Moan) Erickson, 85, of Galesville went home to her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
Catherine was born in La Crosse to Aksel and Gertrude (La Fleur) Moan on Nov. 25, 1923. She was joined in marriage to James “Jim” E. Erickson in La Crosse on Jan. 15, 1944. Catherine and Jim shared a love of music and were dance partners for life. There was nothing more eloquent or graceful to witness as when they became as one and glided across a dance floor together. Mom passed this gift to all of her children when she taught them how to dance. Catherine and Jim resided in the Holmen area until 1968, when they moved to Galesville. In February 1987, Jim preceded Catherine in death. As a young woman, she worked at La Crosse Auto Lite and La Crosse Garment Co. Once married, Catherine devoted her life to her husband and her children. When her children became older, she worked at Outers Laboratories in Onalaska and finally retired from Gale Products in Galesville. Mom’s hands were always busy as she was an avid gardener, growing vegetables to feed her family and flowers to grace the inside and outside of our home. She was also a seamstress, making clothing for her children and herself. Her favorite pastime was crocheting, and our most treasured gifts are those that she created with her hands. Christmas was her favorite holiday, and she made sure that every one of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all their spouses had a special gift from her. Her shopping always began right after Christmas as she had many gifts to purchase — most recently that was a total of 88. With such a large family, we were not rich in worldly things, but nothing was more important and special to Mom than spending time with her family and friends. Just as she taught us how to dance, she taught and demonstrated to us that our real wealth is within us and with our family(s).
Catherine is survived by eight children, James (Gloria) of Houston, Minn., Edward (Lori) of Holmen, Richard of La Crosse, Allen (Judy) of Sparta, Sandra (David) Walsh of West Salem, Marlene “Mollie” Branson of Galesville, Michael “Puffer” of La Crosse, and Clarissa “Chris” Bates of La Crosse; 22 grandchildren; 28 great-granchildren; three brothers, Arthur (Gerry) Moan of Prairie du Chien, Clarence Moan of White Bear Lake, Minn., and Donald (Florence) Pearson of Turtle Lake, Wis.; two sisters, Clara (Chet) Andersen of Texas and Marilyn (Allen) Libby of Clayton, Wis.; one aunt, Bernadette Thurston of Onalaska; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Jessica; two great-grandsons, Joseph and Braeden; five brothers; two sisters; and a special friend, Irv Utecht.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, July 6, at Halfway Creek Lutheran Church, W6016 CTH W, Holmen. Pastor Jean Pagliaro will officiate. Catherine’s final resting place will be in the Halfway Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery. Friends may call at Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, 4239 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse, on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m., and at the church on Monday from noon until the time of service.
“Mom, we love you and we’ll miss you. Rest in peace; your work here is done.”
