Obituaries

Sep 28, 2022

Jean Ellen (Gilkes) Lange, 52, of Hillsboro, passed away at UW-Hospitals in Madison on September 28, 2022, after a brief battle with cancer. Jean was born August 7, 1970, to Kenneth and Marilyn (Sutton) Gilkes and raised on the family farm near Esofea.

Jean found her true calling when she earned her nursing degree from Viterbo University....

Sep 20, 2022

Steven P. Berger, 60 of Westby, died Tuesday September 20, 2022 at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse following a yearlong battle with cancer. He was born May 12, 1962 to Rudolph and Delilah (Hoilien) Berger. Steve graduated from Westby High School in 1980. He drove truck for Kwik Trip, BJ Transport and operated Berger Trucking before purchasing A-1...

Sep 16, 2022

Madonna Mae (Elsen) (Leis) Bahr, 82, of St. Joseph’s Ridge, died peacefully Friday September 16, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. She was born the first of eight children to Peter and Leona (Bushek) Elsen. She was born on the Feast of Saint Joseph on March 19, 1940. Madonna was raised on the family farm and attended Saint Peter’s...

Sep 11, 2022

Dianne Lynn (Davidson) McKibbin, 74, of rural Esofea, passed away on Sun., Sept. 11, 2022, at Vernon Manor. Dianne was born on Mar. 10, 1948, in Viroqua, to Delbert and Arlene (Skaaland) Davidson.

Dianne graduated from Westby High School and was a member of the National Honor Society. She married George McKibbin at Immanuel Lutheran Church in...

Sep 11, 2022

Conrad Allen Myhre, 70, of Coon Valley, died Sunday September 11, 2022 at his home. He was born October 9, 1951 to Lester and Cordella (Peterson) Myhre. He graduated from Westby High School in 1969. Conrad worked at Trane Co. in La Crosse and the Coon Valley Creamery until 1978. He then started at Nelson Muffler in Viroqua where...

Sep 5, 2022

Gloria L. Graupe, 75, of rural Cashton, died Monday September 5, 2022 at Benedictine Living Community in La Crosse. She was born February 10, 1947 to Herman and Mary Ann (Larson) Brendum in Viroqua. She graduated from Westby High School in 1965. Gloria married John “Sonny” Graupe Jr. on May 1, 1971 at Westby Coon Prairie Lutheran Church. She...

Aug 29, 2022

Catherine May Schlicht, 91, of Viroqua, died of congestive heart failure on Monday, August 29, 2022. She was born on May 19, 1931, to Charlie and Ragna (Blihovde) Johnson. She attended Westby High School, and after graduation in 1949, studied to become an elementary school teacher at Viroqua Normal School. Due to a diagnosis of tuberculosis she was forced...

Aug 24, 2022

Corrine M. Nelson, 83 of Coon Valley, died Wednesday August 24, 2022. She was born March 1, 1939 at LaCrosse Hospital in La Crosse to Rudolph and Linda (Schock) Wrobel. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Chaseburg. She graduated from Westby High School in 1957. Corrine married Roger Nelson on May 16, 1959 at...

Aug 23, 2022

Ruby E. Nevsimal, 85, of Westby died Tuesday August 23, 2022 at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby. She was born February 10, 1937 to Sigert and Hattie (Johnson) Larson on her grandparents’ farm in Purdy, rural Viroqua. She attended Sugar Grove grade school near Westby and graduated from Westby High School.  She was set up on a blind date...

Aug 5, 2022

Richard “Dick” L. Skrede, 76 of Stoddard, died Friday August 5, 2022 at his home. He was born December 12, 1945 in Viroqua to Marvin and Elaine (Larson) Skrede. He was a 1964 graduate of Viroqua High School and received a degree in drafting in 1966 from Coleman Technical College. Dick retired in 2003 from Century Tel (formerly LaCrosse...

Jul 2, 2022

A. Diane (Dummer) Johnson, 88 of La Crosse, passed away at Hillview Terrace on Saturday, July 2, 2022.  She was born to Alvin and Phyllis (Jefson) Dummer on March 17, 1934.

On December 29, 1956 she married Claurice "Stub" Johnson.  They had three children; Kala (Jim) Justin, Scott and Lisa (Schroeder) Johnson and Sara (Paul) Jelen and...

Jul 1, 2022

Michelle Marie Ripp died unexpectedly in Coon Valley, Wisconsin on July 1st, 2022 at the age of 49. Michelle was born December 1st, 1972 in Madison, Wisconsin to Ed and Marlene Ripp, joining older brother Patrick in the family.

She cared for others throughout her life, starting from a young age. On a cold, rainy day after...

Jun 24, 2022

Anthony “Tony” Rubasch, 76, of La Crosse, died peacefully in his home on June 24, 2022.  He was born September 24, 1945, in Illinois.  His mother died young, so in his early years, he and his brothers, Rich and Bill, were raised by his dad.  They often went fishing and boating every chance they got.  When Tony was 14...

Jun 10, 2022

Richard Earl Bakken Jr, 69, of rural Genoa, was welcomed into the arms of his Lord and Savior on June 10, 2022.

Dick was born in La Crosse, WI, on May 10, 1953, to Richard and Donna (Gerth) Bakken. He became a child of God through Holy Baptism on May 31, 1953, at St. Peter’s Ev. Lutheran...

Jun 9, 2022

Floyd Joseph Storey, 80, passed away peacefully in his Coon Valley home, surrounded by loved ones, on Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Floyd was born to Sylvester and Emma (Emery) Storey on February 10, 1942.  He spent his early years having countless adventures with his six brothers and two sisters on the fringes of the Red Cliff Indian...

May 28, 2022

Imogene “Gene” Hanson, 91 of Coon Valley, passed away peacefully at Vernon Manor in Viroqua on Saturday morning May 28, 2022.

She was born to Harley and Ethel Perkins on August 20, 1930 in Vernon County. She was the youngest of 3 children. On May 20, 1950 she married the love of her life, Calvin “Kelly” Hanson....

May 25, 2022

Gary R. Brosinski, 77 of Stoddard, died Wednesday May 25, 2022 at the Onalaska Care Center. He was born January 2, 1945 in La Crosse to Gustave and Elaine (Stellner) Brosinski. Gary served in the U.S. Army from September of 1965 to September 1967 and was honorably discharged after serving his country in the Vietnam War. Gary worked for...

May 24, 2022

Raymond Curtis Holen, 87, of Westby, passed away peacefully on May 24, 2022 at Gundersen Health System after a short battle with AML.

He was born August 15, 1934 to Oscar and Alice (Skogstad) Holen. He was baptized, confirmed, and was a lifetime member of Upper Coon Valley Lutheran Church. He took over the farm at an...

May 18, 2022

Ingeborg (Jacobson) Remley, 96, of Garland, Nebraska and formerly of Coon Valley, died Wednesday May 18, 2022. She was born to John and Ella Jacobson on April 12, 1926. Ing was baptized and confirmed at the Coon Valley Lutheran Church and graduated from Westby High School.  She married Virgil Schindler on September 1, 1945 and later divorced. She married...

May 14, 2022

James Victor Pedretti Jr, 62, of Genoa passed away unexpectedly May 14, 2022 due to an automobile accident.

Jim was born May 7, 1960 to James Sr. and Patricia (Larson) Pedretti at St. Ann's hospital in La Crosse and grew up on a family farm in Stoddard. He graduated from De Soto high school in 1978 and...