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James E. Jirsa
James E. Jirsa, 65, of La Crosse, died peacefully at his home on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998.
He was born in La Crosse on Oct. 24, 1932, to John and Marie (Spah) Jirsa. He married Betty Sinniger on June 2, 1956, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in La Crosse.
Jim attended St. Wencelaus Grade School and was a 1950 graduate of Aquinas High School. He served in the United States Air Force following high school.
He worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service for 34 years before retiring in 1988. Jim was an active member of the Roy L. Vingers American Legion Post 52 of La Crosse where he served on the Post 52 Firing Squad. He was also a Golden Eagle in the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 1254 of La Crosse, a member of the Catholic Order of Sokols, and a member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 1920 of La Crosse. Jim was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church where he served as an usher. He was also very active in the Holy Trinity Men's Club at the parish, and served two terms as the organization's president. He also played softball with the battling Bo Hunks.
Jim was an avid golfer and bowler. He was a member of Virg's Golf Group at the Hillview Golf Club, and was a member of Chapter 1 of the 700 Bowlers Club of America. Jim also enjoyed his many fishing trips to Canada and working in his garden.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; one son, Tim (Barb) Jirsa of La Crosse; two daughters, Kathy (Stephen) Janquart of Winona, Minn., and Jane (Brian) Kapanke of Bangor, Wis.; seven grandchildren, Linzi, Kyle and Megan Jirsa, Jakob and Benjamin Janquart, and Jennifer and Jessica Kapanke; one sister, Barbara (Allen) Gutzel of La Crosse; one brother, Gene (Sharon) Jirsa of La Crosse; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, John ``Red'' Jirsa, Jr.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 10 a.m. from Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Rev. Lawrence B. Berger will officiate. Entombment will be in St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum in the Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse on Friday, from 5-8 p.m., where a Rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. and again on Saturday from 9 a.m. until departing for church. Memorials will be given in Jim's name to an organization to be designated later.
Jim was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be sadly missed by his family.
Coddie Gamroth
INDEPENDENCE, Wis. - Coddie Gamroth, 90, of Altoona, formerly of Independence, died Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1998, at Oakwood Villa in Altoona. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. Edison Funeral Home, Independence, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Mary Ann Novak
Mary Ann Novak, 62, of La Crosse, died on Monday, Aug. 31, 1998, at Franciscan Skemp Medical Center. She was born Sept. 16, 1935, at Stoddard, Wis. to Albert and Grace (Riley) Adams. She had lived at Bethany on Cass for the past five years. She married John F. Novak on April 24, 1954, in Rockland, Wis. John died April 8, 1992. Mary attended school in Stoddard and La Crosse Public Schools.
She is survived by four sisters, Eva Lamprech, Dorothy Leo, both of Stoddard, Ada Ramin, Alma Ekholm and one brother, James (Mauvette) Adams, all of Michigan; one brother-in-law, Clarence Schultz of Minnesota; many nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, she is also preceded in death by her parents and one sister.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998, at 2 p.m. at the Woodruff Funeral Home, 4239 Mormon Coulee Road. The Rev. William Stevens will officiate and burial will be in the Stoddard Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Stoddard United Methodist Church.
Christel Hermann Degner
SPARTA, Wis. - Christel Hermann Degner, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1998, at the age of 62 years. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 11 a.m. at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sparta, Pastor Del Begalka officiating. Visitation will be held at the Page-Smith Funeral Home in Sparta from 5 to 8 p.m. and at 10 a.m. at the church. Interment will be held following funeral services at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Sparta.
Christel was born on Feb. 20, 1936, the daughter of Fritz and Elli Hermann in Frohnhausen, Dillkreis, Germany. She was baptized as a child of God and heir of everlasting life in the Lutheran church in Frohnhausen. She spent her younger years with her family in Frohnhausen. She and her brother and sister were raised by their mother since her father was declared missing in action near Leningrad, Russia, in 1942.
Christel moved to the United States in 1955 where she lived with relatives in Madison, Wis. and Chicago, Ill. On June 10, 1961, she married Herbert L. Degner in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wonewoc, Wis. Together they raised two sons, Fritz Alfred Degner and Mark Herbert Degner. She became a U.S. citizen in March of 1965. She and Herbert lived in a number of states, including Alaska, during his military career. They resided in Germany for three years, from 1978 to 1981 and then resided in Sparta, Wis., following Herbert's retirement from the military.
In 1973, she received her GED and began part-time studies in child psychology at the University of Alaska. She enjoyed bowling and received many trophies for league and individual bowling accomplishments. In 1981, she finished fourth in the All European Master Amateur Bowling Championship Tournament in Worms, Germany. She was the only woman to bowl a perfect 300 game in the Sparta Bowling Alley.
As Mr. Degner's health deteriorated in the years after retirement, Christel dedicated herself faithfully to the care of her husband. She herself became ill with cancer several years ago and though she recovered for a time, she became more ill herself and could not continue the role of caregiver. Finally, the Lord brought an end to her suffering and called her home to himself in heaven last Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1998, having reached the earthly age of 62 years, 6 months and 11 days.
Christel is survived by her husband, Herbert; two sons, Fritz, wife Kristine of Sparta and Mark of Chicago; two grandsons, Cody and Joshua Degner of Sparta; a sister, Eleonore Buckart, husband Heinz of Frohnhausen, Germany; and a brother, Alfred Hermann of Frohnhausen, Germany. She is preceded in death by her parents.
Martha (Mrs. Harry) Hagen
WESTBY, Wis. - Martha (Mrs. Harry) Hagen, age 100, of Westby, died Thursday, Aug. 27, 1998 at the Norseland Nursing Home in Westby. Funeral services will be held on Monday at 1:00 p.m. from the Vosseteig Funeral Home, with burial in the Coon Prairie Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday after 12:00 noon at the Vosseteig Funeral Home in Westby.
Arthur J. Sullivan
Arthur J. Sullivan, 81, of La Crosse, died Wednesday, Aug. 26, 1998, at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, following a brief illness.
Art was born Jan. 25, 1917, in Springfield, Ohio, to Joseph H. Sullivan and Mary McConnell Sullivan. He was baptized at St. Joseph's Church and attended St. Joseph's Grade School and Catholic Central High School in Springfield.
Following service in World War II with the Army Signal Corps in China, Burma and India, Art attended Loyola University, Chicago, where he earned his Bachelor's degree.
On May 3, 1952, he married Eleanor Skemp of La Crosse at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. In 1954, they settled on a farm on St. Joseph Ridge. After farming for about five years, Art taught at Cashton High School for nine years, and during that period earned a Master's degree from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Following his years at Cashton, Art spent 14 years on the faculty of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, Rice Lake, Wis. He retired from teaching in 1982.
Art engaged in local politics throughout his life. Recently, he was involved in Democratic Party activities, served on the Greenfield Township Board and was a member of the Ecumenical Group for Peace and Justice. He was also well known for his letters to the editor.
During his retirement he especially enjoyed designing cachets for First Day Covers. These led him to a happy association with the La Crosse Society of Arts and Crafts.
Art is survived by his twin brother, Thomas J. Sullivan (Mary Jane Hauk) of Columbus, Ohio and his sister Elizabeth (Louis) Baldini of Santa Rosa, Calif., and by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, James, and two sisters, Helen Hagan and Rita Sullivan.
His children were able to spend precious time with him prior to his death. They are Joseph Martin (Bobbie Garthwaite) of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; Mary, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Bernadette of Los Angeles, Calif.; Cait, of Dodgeville, Wis.; Gerard (Marilyn Flater) of Elmhurst, Ill.; John Dominic of La Crosse; and Grace (Jane Cee) of Oakland, Calif.
Art's grandchildren, James Arthur and Amelia Grace Sullivan of Elmhurst, Ill., children of Gerard and Marilyn, visited Art in the hospital during his illness.
The family expresses their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare and to Art's many friends who offered their prayers and sent cards and flowers to show their affection and esteem for him.
Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Ridge Catholic Church, or to the La Crosse Society of Arts and Crafts c/o The Pump House.
Visitation will be Friday, Aug. 28, 6-8 p.m. at St. Joseph Ridge Catholic Church, on Hwy. 33. The Rosary will be prayed at 7:30, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 8 p.m. Interment will be in the Church Cemetery. May Art rest in peace.
The Blaschke Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
Katherine J. `Kay' (Hundt) Moon
HALES CORNERS, Wis. - Katherine J. ``Kay'' (Hundt) Moon, 87, was born to Eternal Life Wednesday, Aug. 26, 1998. Beloved wife of the late Raymond C. Dear mother of Patricia Springer and Raymond J. (Donna) Moon. Loving grandmother of Denise Lynn (Eric) Kopecky, Kenneth Jeremiah and Justin Ray Springer and Michael Ray and Katie Lynn Moon. Great-grandmother of Alexander John Lovas. Dear sister of the late Marie Schmidt, Mabel (Walter) Cavadini, Bernard (Catherine) Hundt, Irene Martinek, Emil Hundt, Josephine Clements, Sally Oswald, Peter (Bernice) Hundt, David (Marcella) Hundt, Delia (Bernard) Bina, Delores (George) Althoff, Arnold (Madonna) Hundt, and Arlene (Norbert) Schmidt. Further survived by her special nephew, Fr. Robert Hundt: other nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.
Services Saturday, Aug. 29, at 11:30 a.m. at Blessed Trinity Church, N. 39th St. at W. Courtland Ave., Milwaukee. Visitation Saturday at the Church from 10 a.m. until the Funeral Mass at 11:30 a.m. Interment Holy Cross.
Kay as well as her late husband, Ray, were former employees of Evinrude. Kay was an active member of Holy Redeemer-Blessed Trinity Church, being involved with the Christian Women group, the church goods store, and the gift bearers at the weekend liturgies. Memorials to Easter Seals appreciated.
Jelacic Funeral Home, Milwaukee, is serving the family.
Thomas Marshall Scott
Thomas Marshall Scott, 55, of La Crosse, died on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 1998, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He was born on June 8, 1943, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Tom was a Vietnam Veteran, serving with the U.S. Army Infantry from 1968-1969. He received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Purple Heart and the Air Medal. He was a lifetime member of the Roy Vingers American Legion Post 52 and the Thomas L. Rooney V.F.W. Post 1530.
Tom is survived by his fiance Jacqueline Sullivan of La Crosse; a son, Thomas M. Scott, serving with the U.S. Army in Indiana; his special friends, Ken and Sandy McClurg of Coon Valley; and his special dogs, Jasmine and Bear.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1998, at 6 p.m. at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse.
