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Arthur Peterson
Arthur Peterson, 85, died at a La Crosse nursing home on Friday, Oct. 16, 1998. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Dickinson Family Funeral Home, 1425 Jackson St., La Crosse.
Alexina `Sandra' Devenport
Alexina ``Sandra'' Devenport, 61, died at her home on Friday, Oct. 16, 1998. She was born Nov. 16. 1936, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Roderick and Christina Finlayson. She married John Devenport on June 16, 1973. Sandra was extremely proud of her Scottish heritage.
She is survived by her husband John; two sons, Roderick Urquart of Scotland, Patrick (Sandra) Hill of Georgia; two daughters, Marion (Burt) Coffman and Charmian (Eddie) Curry, both of Alabama; eleven grandchildren; two brothers, Charles Finlayson and Alisttair, both of Scotland; nieces and nephews; and special pets, Precious and Frankie.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Dickinson Family Funeral Home, 809 Gillette St., La Crosse. The Rev. Phil Somsen will officiate and burial will be in the Retreat Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home today from 4 to 7 p.m.
Noel Halama
INDEPENDENCE, Wis. - Noel Halama, 10, daughter of Kenneth J. and Janell Halama, of rural Independence, died Friday, Oct. 16, 1998, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Independence. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at Edison Funeral Home, Independence, where there will be a prayer service at 3:30 p.m. Sunday for the school children and parents, a public prayer service at 7:30 p.m. followed by a rosary at 8 p.m.
Alice L. Sobkowiak
Alice L. Sobkowiak, 88, of La Crosse passed away Friday, Oct. 16, 1998, at the Hillview Health Care Center. Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church. A complete obituary will follow.
Henry Atkins
VIROQUA, Wis.- Henry Atkins, 76, of Viroqua, died on Friday, Oct. 16, 1998, at the Bethel Home in Viroqua. Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Thorson Funeral Home in Viroqua. Complete obituary to follow on Monday.
Roberta V. Larson (Nee Steinmetz)
LA FARGE, Wis. - Roberta V. Larson (Nee Steinmetz) age 97, of rural La Farge, passed away Friday, Oct. 16, 1998, in the Bethel Home, Viroqua, Wis.
She was born April 9, 1901, on a Jug Creek farm near La Farge to Charles Henry Steinmetz and Mary Jane (Shattuck) Steinmetz.
On May 3, 1925, Roberta married Olen E. Larson of rural La Farge. Roberta and Olen resided and farmed almost all of their many years together on the present farm site near La Farge from 1931 on.
She was a long time member of the La Farge United Methodist Church. Roberta was active in the Womens Relief Corps, Rebekah Lodge, Black Hawk Chapter D.A.R., Bear Creek Birthday Club, United Methodist Women, and served for many years on the West Lima School Board. Roberta organized the original 4H Club on Bear Creek.
Roberta attended Jug Creek rural school, graduated from La Farge High School, and subsequently graduated from the Vernon County Normal School with a teaching degree. Roberta taught in rural schools at Seas Branch, Otter Creek, Pleasant View, and Middle Bear with as many as 40 students some of whom spoke only Norwegian until she converted them to the English language in the class room.
Roberta accepted Jesus as her Savior at the age of 13 years and was baptized at the Jug Creek United Brethen Church. She later became a member of the La Farge United Methodist Church.
Surviving are three daughters, Beatrix Larson of Richland Center, Phyllis (Mrs. John) Widstrand of Cedarburg, and Mary (Mrs. Ernest) Mosher of Topeka, Kan.; seven grandchildren, John Widstrand Jr. of Kohler, Paul Olen Widstrand of Cedarburg, Mrs. Susan (Widstrand) Kowaleski of Mequon, Allen Mosher of Washington D.C., Mrs. Melinda (Mosher) Diamond of Naperville, Ill., Mark Mosher of Olathe, Kan., and Matthew Mosher of Independence, Kan.; seven great-grandchildren, Mrs. Amy (Widstrand) Wiltzius, Andrew Widstrand, Kelsey Mosher, Elizabeth Mosher, Emily Kowaleski, Aubree Mosher, and Nathan Mosher; and one sister, Mrs. Beatrix (Steinmetz) Hanson of Mayville.
Roberta was preceded in death by her husband Olen; her parents; an infant son; two brothers, George P. Steinmetz, and Charles Donald Steinmetz; and an infant sister, Ruth.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998, at 2 p.m., in the La Farge United Methodist Church. Pastor Julio Alvarado will officiate. Musicians will be Organist Jean Steinmetz, and Vocalist Christy Leatherberry. Interment will be in the bear Creek Cemetery, rural La Farge.
Pallbearers will be Kent Steinmetz, grandsons, John Widstrand Jr., Allen Mosher, Mark Mosher, Matthew Mosher, and great-grandson, Andrew Widstrand.
Visitation will be held Monday, Oct. 19, 1998, at the Seland Funeral Home, La Farge, from 7 to 9 p.m. with a prayer service at 8 p.m., and at the church on Tuesday, from noon until the time of services.
We know Roberta is reunited in her heavenly home with friends and family that have preceded her. Loving prayers of family members and friends and acquaintances will be with her living soul.
Mary E. Knutson
Mary E. Knutson, 85, of La Crosse, passed away Friday, Oct. 16, 1998, at the Bethany St. Joseph Care Center. She was born on May 31, 1913, in La Crosse to Margaret (Wolfgarten) and Frank J. Dockendorff. She was a 1930 graduate of Central High School and a 1932 graduate of the La Crosse College of Commerce. She also had one year of nurses training at the St. Francis School of Nursing. She was a medical secretary and record librarian at the Grandview Hospital and Clinic, a position she held for 5 1/2 years.
During WWII, she ran her husband's service station and was a successful manager for Standard Oil Co. for 2 1/2 years. She was, at that time, believed to be the first woman in the Midwest to manage a station for Standard Oil Co. After Mr. Knutson's return from the service, together they were owners of the Recreation Lanes, Walt's Restaurant and the Cavalier Inn over a period from 1945-1975 and then retired.
Mary was a past member of the Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Beta Sigman Phi sorority, the Zonta Club, American Red Cross, League of Women Voters, Vice-president of Elkettes, Vice-president of the La Crosse Women's Bowling Association, and the National ``600'' Club for women bowlers. In 1959, Mrs. Knutson was instrumental in organizing the La Crosse County Club Women's Bowling League. She was a past member of the Maple Grove and La Crosse Country Clubs, American Legion and Lutheran Hospital Auxiliaries, and the Ladies Club of Blessed Sacrament Church.
She had served on the Executive Board of Directors of the La Crosse Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse from 1981 through 1987. While serving on the Board she was the recipient of the 1981 Treasurers Award in appreciation of her outstanding support of the Boys and Girls Club. At the time of her death she was a member of the St. Francis Auxiliary, the Ladies Club of St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral and on the Corporate Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club.
She is survived by her brother, Joseph Dockendorff of Skokie, Ill. and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Borge (Bugs) Knutson; a sister, Margaret Dockendorff of La Crosse; a brother, Tony of Ocala, Fla.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at the Marian Chapel of St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral. Revs. Anthony Wolf and Carl Dockendorff will concelebrate with entombment in St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum in the Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call at the Blaschke Funeral Home, 401 West Ave. S., on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Friends may also call on Monday at the funeral home from 9:30 a.m. until leaving for church. The family requests memorials to St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, the Boys and Girls Club, the Gundersen Lutheran Foundation of La Crosse or the Franciscan Skemp Medical Foundation.
Richard F. Blaschke
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Richard F. Blaschke, who resided in South Bend, Ind., went to God on Oct. 13, 1998. He was born in La Crosse, Wis., July 9, 1924, lived at 2115 Main St., and graduated from Aquinas High School. In 1944, in Gulfport, Miss., he married Joan Mae Satek, also of La Crosse, just before going overseas to serve his country in World War II. He flew a B-17 in the European Theater, logging many missions, sometimes as squadron leader, and as one of the youngest pilots in the Army Air Force. After the war, he attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Bendix and Allied Signal in the Brake and Steering Division, designing and testing automotive brakes until his retirement. After retirement, he formed his own company and continued in the engineering field as a consultant.
He was gentle and kind: a loving husband and father, friend and neighbor. His daughter, Janet, summarized his effect on others most succinctly when she said "Everyone who knew him fell in love with him."
He is survived by his loving wife, caretaker and friend of almost 54 years, Joan. He has four living children, Janet Frost, Craig Blaschke, Mary Kay Blaschke, and Kim Felser. A sister, Dorothy Kamperschroer, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren will also miss him, along with many others.
A funeral mass was held Friday, Oct. 16th at 10:30 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, South Bend, Indiana.
Harry Atkins
VIROQUA, Wis. - Harry Atkins, 76, of 633 East Court Street, died on Friday morning, Oct. 16, 1998, at the Bethel Home in Viroqua. He was born on July, 18, 1922, at Longbenton, Northumberland, England, to William and Nellie (Hankin) Atkins, Sr.
At age 18, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served during WWII on the HMCS Ontario. He was a member of the Ontario Provincial Police Department for 15 years. For several years he participated in the intermediate hockey league in Canada and was an avid hockey fan.
On July 20, 1968, he married Jeanne Streeter at Northbrook, Ill. They lived in Ontario, Canada, for one year and then moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he owned and operated a refrigeration and air conditioning repair business. In 1985, they moved to Viroqua. He had been a member of the Officer's Club and Masonic Lodge in Canada, and currently was a member of the Viroqua Eagles Aerie No. 2707.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; three sons, David, Brian, of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, Greg (Joy) Atkins of Holmen; one daughter, Carrie Atkins and her special friend, Larry Davids of Viroqua; four grandchildren, Sherry (Neal) Hachey, Melanie (Kevin) Considine, Christian Atkins, Kirstin Atkins; three great-grandchildren, Levi Atkins-Considine, Mason Hachey, and Taylor Considine. He is also survived by two sisters, Anne (Bill) Richmond of Essex, Ontario, Canada, Etta Barber of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada; and two brothers, Bill (Peggy) Atkins of Waterford, Ontario, Canada, and Dennis (Mary) Atkins of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Fred and Brian.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998, at the Thorson Funeral Home in Viroqua, with Bert Gebert officiating. Burial will be in the Liberty Pole Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home today, Oct. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. where there will be a prayer service at 6:45 p.m. Friends may also call at the funeral home after 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
