System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!
John W. Fitzpatrick
John W. Fitzpatrick, 89, of La Crosse, died in his home on Monday, Sept. 7, 1998. He was born in La Crosse on Oct. 2, 1908, to Archie and Clara (Peterson) Fitzpatrick. He married Esther Hill in Winona, Minn., on Oct. 2, 1927. Prior to retirement, he was a salesman for Stark Electronics. John was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Richard W. (Patricia) Fitzpatrick of La Crosse, and Donald R. (Janice) Fitzpatrick of Weslaco, Texas; eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and a daughter-in-law. He was preceded in death by a son, John Michael; a great-grandson; one sister; and one brother.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Bethany St.-Joseph Care Center. The Reverends Ron Nowland and Michael Frandsen will officiate and burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the Sletten McKee Hanson Funeral Home today from 5 to 7 p.m. and at the care center on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of services. Memorials are requested for the First Presbyterian Church or the Bethany-St. Joseph Care Center.
Elmer R. Walchak
Elmer R. Walchak, 87, of La Crosse, died at his home on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1998. He was born March 13, 1911, in Muscatine, Iowa, to Anton and Julia (Kampa) Walchak.
Prior to his retirement, he had worked as a lithographer for La Crosse Printing for 25 years, and Inland Printing. He was a well known area musician.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; two sons, Paul of Rosemount, Minn., and Ramon (Sue) of La Crosse; two daughters, Audrey (Bernard) Maney of La Crosse and Colleen (Phillip) Tykwinski of Richfield, Minn.; a stepdaughter, Sherry Plager of La Crosse; a stepson, Timothy (Deb) Lisick of La Crosse; six grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; and a great-grandson.
Memorial services will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Dickinson Family Funeral Home, 809 Gillette Street, La Crosse. Fran Browning, F.S.P.A., pastoral coordinator of the funeral home will officiate and burial of the cremains will be at a later date in the French Island Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from noon until the services.
Memorials may be given to the hospice unit of the Franciscan Skemp Medical Center, La Crosse.
Lyman W. `Red' Saunders
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. - Lyman W. ``Red'' Saunders, 69, of Black River Falls, died Monday, Sept. 7, 1998, in his home. Funeral services, with full military honors, will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday from Faith Baptist Church, Black River Falls. Burial will be at a later date in Melrose Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Buswell Funeral Home, Black River Falls; and from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church.
Patricia `Pat' Jefson
Patricia ``Pat'' Jefson, 51, of La Crosse, died peacefully with dignity, of cancer, on Sunday, Sept. 6, 1998 at the Onalaska Nursing Home, surrounded by her family and friends, and we are comforted by knowing our loved one has found eternal peace, after her never ending will to live. She graduated from Aquinas High School in 1965, and then attended nursing school in La Crosse. She raised two children and spent some of her lifetime in Australia. She married Tony Anthony Jefson, and they were later divorced.
She is survived by her mother, Audrey Sanny of La Crosse; two daughters, Tammy Jefson of Milwaukee and Cristy Jefson of Milwaukee; one brother, Mike Sanny of La Crosse; two sisters, Jackie (Tim) Reagles of La Crosse, and Sue (Tim) Carrier of Onalaska; and one grandchild, Tommei Jefson-Rhodes of Milwaukee.
She was preceded in death by her father, John ``Jack'' Sanny.
Memorial Mass for Patricia will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, 1998, at the St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Onalaska. Rev. William Matzek will officiate. Burial will be at a later date. The Fossum Funeral Home in Onalaska is assisting the family with arrangements.
``How fortunate I was to have been able to experience the love of my family and friends, while here on earth, and to have heard their kindness spoken to me before my death. To my two beautiful daughters, that encouraged me and offered me words of wisdom, the words I gave to them as children, and then gave to me in return, before my death.''
Robert R. Luxford
PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. - Robert R. Luxford, 82, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., and formerly of La Crosse, died Monday, Aug. 31, 1998 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz. He was born Jan. 3, 1916, in Cleveland, Ohio. He lived in La Crosse from 1943 until 1972, when he moved to Arizona.
He graduated from Ohio State University. He was a member of the Masonic Temple; owner of Luxco Engineering; and owner of Ridgeview Stables. He was a member of the La Crosse Sailing Club and also did speed boat racing. He enjoyed many outdoor sports - skiing, horseback riding, fishing, hunting and golf. He also enjoyed flying and restoring classic cars.
He is survived by his wife, Betty of Arizona; a sister Augusta; a son and a daughter, Stephan Luxford (Beth) of Winter Haven, Fla., and Lynn Walters (Randy) of West Salem; two stepdaughters, Sally Stults (Jim) of Phoenix, Ariz. and Betsy Miller (Doug) of Phoenix, Ariz.; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Albert; a sister, Helen; and oldest son, Robert Christian.
Private family arrangements have been made. Memorials may be sent to the Arizona Heart Center of Phoenix, Ariz.
Marian R. Wittke
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. - Marian R. Wittke, 76, formerly of 206 N. Roosevelt Road, Black River Falls, died on Tuesday evening Sept. 1, 1998, in the Pine View Nursing Home in Black River Falls where she had been a resident since Sept. 2, 1993.
Marian was born in Black River Falls on May 6, 1922, to Clarence and Margaret (Kleven) Anderson. She graduated from Black River Falls High School in 1940.
She married Daryl (Bud) Wittke in Black River Falls on March 29, 1945. The couple resided their entire married lives in Black River Falls.
Marian was a clerk for 28 years in the agricultural stabilization and conservation service office in Black River Falls. She retired in 1982.
She was a member of the Black River Falls Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Surviving are one daughter, Suzanne (Michael) Olson of Casper, Wyo.; two sons, Zachary (Sharol) Wittke of Black River Falls and Tyghe Wittke of Casper, Wyo.; eight grandchildren, Michael and Rhead Olson, Kirstin (Sean) McAldin, Seth, Zara, Chemarin, Meagan and Marle Wittke.
Marian was preceded in death by her husband on Oct. 27, 1966.
Memorial funeral services for Marian R. Wittke will be Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998, at 12 noon from Torgerson's Funeral Chapel. Pastor Erik Zingelman will officiate and burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery. Friends may call at Torgerson's Funeral Chapel on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. until the time of services.
Harry J. Lamprech
STODDARD, Wis. - Harry J. Lamprech, 89, of Stoddard, Wis. died on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, at the Bethel Home in Viroqua, Wis. He was born on June 2, 1909, to William and Mary (Hoeksel) Lamprech. He married Eva Adams on April 5, 1929, in Winona, Minn. Harry had worked for the Burlington Railroad for fifty years and retired in 1974.
In addition to his wife, Eva, he is survived by a daughter, Darlene (Louis) Gilardi of Viroqua; a son, Earl (Joan) Lamprech of Aptos, Calif.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Harry Jr.; a sister; and two brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, 1998, at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse. The Rev. William V. Stevens will officiate. Burial will be in the Stoddard Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 1 p.m. until the time of service.
Knight E. Vernier
TOMAH, Wis. - Knight E. Vernier, 77, of Tomah, died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, at the Tomah Memorial Hospital.
He was born April 12, 1921, to Edwin and Agnes (Shanter) Vernier. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Norris on April 18, 1942, in Belleville, Ill.
Knight was a 1939 graduate of Belleville Township High School. After high school, he attended the College of Commerce in St. Louis, Mo. From 1943 to 1945, he was enlisted in the Army Air Corps as part of the China India Burma Command. After being discharged from the Army, he owned a used car lot called the ``Kar Korral'' in Belleville, Ill. On July 1, 1950, he and Elizabeth moved to Tomah where he and his father-in-law, Alex Norris, purchased Wagner Ford Agency and formed a partnership called Norris-Vernier Motor Sales.
Knight was a member of many local organizations, including past president of the Tomah Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary, past member of the Tomah Lions Club, member of the American Legion, VFW, Knights of Columbus and past chairman of the Lincoln-Mercury Dealer Advertising Association. He also was an active member of the La Crosse Jazz Society, Education for Employment Committee for the Tomah Schools and received a Friend of Education Award from that committee. Knight was an active member of the Lake Tomah Festival Committee and a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church.
In addition to his wife Elizabeth, he is survived by three sons, Stephen (Kennlyn) of Tomah, Michael (Carole) of New York City, and Timothy (Denise) of Tomah; one sister Carroll (Leo) Kohl of Chesterfield, Mo.; three grandchildren, Tamara (Richard) Dvorak of Oakdale, Troy of Tulsa, Okla., and Trevor (Marcie) of Chicago; two great-grandchildren, Alexander Dvorak and Sarah Dvorak of Oakdale; two nephews and three nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Doris (James) Kohl.
Knight was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, and he always had a smile on his face. He loved being with his family and also enjoyed jazz, boating and bird watching.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998, at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tomah. Father Daniel Kozlowski will officiate. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Tomah. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday evening, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the White Funeral Home in Tomah. Friends may also call from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday at the White Funeral Home.
The family has requested that memorials be given to the Tomah Memorial Hospital Association.
