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Violet Erickson
Violet Erickson, 80, of Des Moines, Iowa, and formerly of Rice Lake, died April 19 at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.
The former Violet Jacobson was born Feb. 23, 1917 to John and Mathilda (Nelson) Jacobson in Cumberland. She married Carl Erickson in Nashua, Iowa, on June 3, 1939. In 1942 they purchased a farm in the Town of Stanfold and resided there until Mr. Erickson died in 1981. In addition to farming, Mrs. Erickson had been employed at local hospitals for approximately 20 years.
Survivors include three daughters, Darlene Erickson and Lanna Scott, both of Des Moines, and Connie Drost of Indianola, Iowa; and four grandsons, a granddaughter, three great-granddaughters and three great-grandsons.
Lillie Estabrook
Lillie V. Estabrook, 93, of Rice Lake died April 17 at Heritage Manor.
The former Lillie Espeseth was born to Knudt and Ingeborg (Huset) Espeseth on Nov. 9, 1903 in Dallas. After graduating from high school, she attended business college in Minneapolis. She married William Estabrook and the couple moved to Eau Claire, where she owned and operated a restaurant for many years. They moved to Mikana after retiring, and Mrs. Estabrook moved to Rice Lake after her husband died.
Survivors include two nieces, Marion Phernetton of Rice Lake and Dolores Vrazsity of Rockford, Ill.; and two nephews, Gaylord Randall of Rice Lake and Harold Randall of Kissimmee, Fla. She was preceded in death by a son, William Jr.
August Halbesleben
August E. Halbesleben of Cameron, 75, died April 28 at Lakeview Medical Center.
Mr. Halbesleben was born Nov. 9, 1921 in the Town of Plover, Marathon County, to Arthur and Emma (Nelson) Halbesleben. He was raised in the Town of Plover and later worked in various sawmills there. Mr. Halbesleben moved to Cameron in 1983.
Survivors include two sons, Larry of Aniwa and Ivan of Tucson, Ariz.; two daughters, Sharon Halbesleben of Rice Lake and Debby Nelson of Cameron; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Howard Halbesleben of Birnamwood; and three sisters, Ruby Oberholtzer of Streeter, Ill., and Alice Guernsey and Dorothy Holoska, both of Chicago.
Thelma Hodson
Thelma Winifred Hodson, 87, of Cumberland died April 18 at Cumberland Extended Care Unit.
Mrs. Hodson was born Feb. 2, 1910 in Ames, Iowa, to Ira and Jessie (Mann) Rouzer. She moved to the Pipe Lake area in 1920 and graduated from Cumberland High School in 1929, later becoming a registered nurse after attending the Asbury School of Nursing. She worked many years at Cumberland Hospital, retiring as director of nurses at age 68. On Feb. 3, 1936 she married Harry "Hoddy" Hodson, who died July 2, 1996. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Patricia Splatt.
Survivors include two daughters, Joanne Hegg of Superior and Suzanne Flach of Cumberland; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother, Ira Rouzer of Cumberland.
Ruth Johnson
Ruth H. Johnson, 98, of Chetek, died May 13 at Knapp Haven Nursing Home there.
Mrs. Johnson was born May 29, 1898 in Rice Lake to George and Ida (Hanson) Hovland. She married Gustave Johnson on May 29, 1926 in Sand Creek. Mrs. Johnson began teaching at age 16 at Sand Creek Schools. She attended Barron County Normal Teachers School and Eau Claire Normal Teachers School. She taught Norwegian and was a supervising teacher for Barron County. Mrs. Johnson also substitute taught for the Chetek School District. She was a charter member of Chetek Lutheran Church Deborah Circle and a member of the Rebecca Lodge.
Survivors include a daughter, Beverly Page of Eau Claire; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; and a niece, Sharon Dyste. Mr. Johnson died in 1979.
Helen Kallenbach
Helen Kallenbach, 74, died May 13 at her home in Dallas.
Mrs. Kallenbach was born March 3, 1923 in Dallas to Carl and Gena (Halverson) Lee. She was raised in the Dallas area and graduated from Prairie Farm High School in 1941. On April 26, 1942 she married Earl Kallenbach at Dallas. Mrs. Kallenbach farmed with her husband for many years and also had worked as a cook for Pioneer Nursing Home and Prairie Farm High School. Later, she worked at Wal-Mart in Rice Lake and, most recently, was a home health care provider.
Survivors include her husband, Earl; a son, Bruce of Dallas; two daughters, Dawn Knutson of Menomonie and Jocelyn Larson of Clayton; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Bob Lee of Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Gerald Lee of Tucson, Ariz. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Barbara.
Dennis Kraft
Dennis L. Kraft, 61, of Cumberland died May 4 at Cumberland Hospital.
Mr. Kraft was born Nov. 6, 1935 in Cumberland to Clarence and Adena (Carlson) Kraft. He began farming after graduating from Cumberland High School in 1953. Together with partners Mickey Ritchie and M.E. Ritchie, he bought Island City Equipment, a Ford tractor and farm machinery dealership that he operated for about 15 years. On June 26, 1965 Mr. Kraft married Joan Gilbertson in Barron. With partner Bob Avery, he bought a rutabaga business in 1974. A few years later, Mr. Kraft bought out his partner and continued farming rutabagas until his death. He also was a dairy and crop farmer. Mr. Kraft was active in the community as a volunteer fireman and an officer in the Island City Snowmobile Club.
Survivors include his wife, Joan; a daughter, Susan Paulson of Cumberland; a son, Brian of Eau Claire; two granddaughters; his mother, Adena of Cumberland; and a brother, Glenn of Grand Junction, Colo.
Shirley Lefebvre
Shirley L. Lefebvre, 70, of Rice Lake died May 16 at Barron Medical Center.
Mrs. Lefebvre was born May 22, 1926 in Paw Paw, Mich., to Roy and Ethel (Isaacson) Isted. On Oct. 6, 1945 she married Donald Lefebvre in Rice Lake. They lived in Little Rock, Ark., for a short time while Mr. Lefebvre was in the service. They spent most of their married life in Rice Lake, raising six children. Mrs. Lefebvre moved to Cameron in 1982, and in 1994 she moved back to Rice Lake to be with her children. Her husband died July 6, 1977.
Survivors include three sons, Larry, David and Rick, all of Rice Lake; three daughters, Lois Jaecks and Nancy Jepperson, both of Rice Lake, and Patti Paulson of Cumberland; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Beverly O'Flanagan of Minneapolis, Lorna Rolette of Coon Rapids, Minn., and Carol Jones of Savage, Minn.
Verne Minnick
Verne D. Minnick, 75, of Birchwood died April 26 at Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.
Mr. Minnick was born Aug. 25, 1921 in Turtle Lake. After graduating from high school he entered the Air Force. Mr. Minnick worked for Local 139 Construction Company for many years as a heavy equipment operator. He lived in Arizona for the last 15 years and recently moved to Birchwood.
Survivors include a son, Lee of Birchwood; a daughter, Donna Michaels of Osceola; four grandchildren; two brothers, Carroll and Elroy, both of Dresser; and a sister, Marion Measner of Osceola.
Hilda Mortensen
Hilda M. Mortensen, 97, of Chetek died April 16 at Knapp Haven Nursing Home in Chetek.
Mrs. Mortensen was born Feb. 14, 1900 in the Town of Dovre to Iver and Martha (Mustad) Skoug. She married Halvor Mortensen there on May 28, 1921. Mrs. Mortensen farmed most of her life, was a homemaker and did baby-sitting. She lived on the family farm until 1964, when she moved to Chetek. Mrs. Mortensen lived at her home until moving to Knapp Haven in May 1995. She was a member of her church's women's groups.
Survivors include three daughters, Beatrice Shears of Fulton, Ill., Vivian Williams of Chetek, and Helen Diers of Fruita, Colo; 14 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Mr. Mortensen died in 1962.
