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Published - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Obituaries for Tuesday, May 13, 2008

By Tribune staff

Coline L. Atchison

Coline L. Atchison, 88 of La Crosse, died Saturday, May 10, 2008, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse.

She was born in La Crosse on July 3, 1919, to Thomas and Blanche (Harris) Loughlin. She married Ralph Atchison in La Crosse on Feb. 6, 1941, and he preceded her in death on Jan. 26, 2005. Coline will be remembered for the generosity she showed many of the foster children in our area, taking them into her home and making them part of her family. She was a charter member of the Onalaska Church of Christ. She enjoyed doll collecting, sewing and was an avid reader. She was a loving and beloved woman, wife, mother and grandmother.

She is survived by her five daughters, Kathleen Crary of Farmington, Minn., Maureen Shauck of Clinton, Wash., Margaret (Randy) Merry of Spring Valley, Minn., Deborah Atchison of La Crosse, Penelope (Kevin) O’Reilly of Onalaska, Wis.; one son, Thomas (Vicki) Atchison of Neenah, Wis.; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, at the Onalaska Church of Christ. Pastor Gordon Clary will officiate. Private family burial will take place in the Mormon Coulee Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date. Friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of Onalaska on Wednesday from 5 until 7 p.m. and again at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Conrad T. Baughman

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. — Conrad T. Baughman, 18, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, May 11, 2008, at Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital. A Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Garrity Funeral Home chapel, with the Rev. Paul Graham officiating. A private family interment will be held at a later date. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until the time of service Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. www.garrityfuneralhome.com

Charles F. ‘Chuck’ Burch II

APPLETON, Wis. — Charles F. “Chuck” Burch II, 64, of Appleton died unexpectedly on Friday, May 2, 2008, while vacationing in Tavernier, Fla.

He was born Feb. 9, 1944, in Muscoda, Wis., the son of Charles F. and Beatrice M. Cowie Burch.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin, the Rev. Richard Bartholomew officiating. The family will receive friends and relatives from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the funeral chapel. Memorials may be given to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) research.

Jeanette A. Collins

Jeanette A. Collins, 79, mother of Ellen (Jack) Kallies of La Crosse, died in her home on Sunday, May 11, 2008. Memorial services will be announced later by the Dickinson Family Funeral Homes of La Crosse.

Toni Antoinette Gallo

HARPERS FERRY, Iowa — Toni A. Gallo 84 of Harpers Ferry died Monday, May 12, 2008, at Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Chien, Wis. Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Calvary Cemetery, Prairie du Chien. The Thornburg-Hanson Funeral Home in Prairie du Chien assisted the family.

Mildred E. ‘Midge’ Hemstock

Mildred E. “Midge” Hemstock, 91, of La Crosse, died on Sunday, May 11, 2008, at the Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. Funeral services will be announced by the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse.

Carmela Perez Lopez

ARCADIA, Wis. — Carmela Perez Lopez was stillborn at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Medical Center in Arcadia. The Wozney-Killian Funeral Home will be assisting the family with arrangements.

Donald R. ‘Don’ Mattie Sr.

Donald R. “Don” Mattie Sr., 81, of La Crosse died Saturday, May 11, 2008, at Mulder Health Care Facility, West Salem, Wis.

He was born July 21, 1926, in La Crosse to Roy and Catherine Mattie. Don was employed as a deputy sheriff for La Crosse County for over 20 years. He also owned and operated a Trucking Co. in La Crosse for many years.

Survivors include his son, Donald, Jr. (Sandy) of West Salem; one grandson, Barry Stetter of La Crosse; two great grandchildren, Brianna and Bronwyn; and a cousin, Louie Mattie of Prairie du Chien, Wis. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A graveside service will be 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Oak Grove Cemetery, 1407 La Crosse St. La Crosse. Pastor J. Taylor Haley will officiate. Woodruff-Jandt Funeral Home, La Crosse is in charge of the arrangements.

Carolyn Ann Prestby

CANTON, Minn. — Carolyn Ann Prestby, 75, of Canton passed away Sunday, May 11, 2008, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, Iowa. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Assumption Catholic Church in Canton, with the Rev. Donald P. Schmitz officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the church, with the rosary at 7:30 p.m., and one hour prior to services.

Judith R. Schaller

BANGOR, Wis. — Judith R. Schaller, 68, of Bangor passed away early Monday morning, May 12, 2008, at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse. A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bangor. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Jandt Funeral Home, Bangor, and from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass on Thursday at the church. Memorials may be given to the Bangor First Responders or the Bangor Scholarship Foundation. A complete obituary will follow in Wednesday’s Tribune.

Ann (Opperman) Sherry

OKLAHOMA CITY — Former La Crosse resident, Ann (Opperman) Sherry, 82, died April 16, 2008, in Oklahoma City following a stroke ten days earlier.

She was born Sept. 17, 1925, in Clintonville, Wis., to William Frank and Mamie Opperman. She lived in La Crosse during high school and later studied at Luther College, where she met her husband, Reuben Sherry (Westby). Ann was a member of the Class of 1947 and attended her 60th college reunion last October in Decorah, Iowa. Ann attended University of Wisconsin, Madison; Ohio University (BA) and later got her master’s degree in French from the Pittsburg State University in Kansas. She studied several summers in Paris at the Sorbonne and taught high school French and biology in Ohio, Maryland and Oklahoma until she retired in 1986 and returned to Oklahoma.

Preceded in death by her parents; her sister, June Peugh; husband, Reuben Sherry; son, Steven Sherry; and great-grandson, Steven Sherry.

Survivors include, brother, Milton (Mo) Opperman of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two sisters, Marie Farnham of Cincinnati, and Laura Johnson of Maine; son, Dan Sherry, daughter, Cathy Sherry of Yukon, Okla; and daughter, Janelle Merritt in New Orleans. She had 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Ernest ‘Ernie’ Wagner

GALESVILLE, Wis. — Ernest “Ernie” Wagner, 92, died Sunday, May 11, 2008, at Marinuka Manor in Galesville.

He was born Feb. 21, 1916, to George and Olga (Olson) Wagner in Heartland, Minn. Ernie worked for many years at Armour Fertilizer Plant in Winona, Minn., and was a crop farmer for many years also. Ernie had been a resident at Marinuka Manor for almost nine years, where he had met many new friends. Ernie especially loved “Mary Jane” the resident dog.

Ernie is survived by four brothers, William (Marge) Wagner of Portage, Wis., Lawrence Wagner of West Salem, Wis., Leonard (Judy) Wagner of Galesville, and Irvin (Norma Jean) Wagner of Trempealeau, Wis.; three sisters, Edna Schubert of Galesville, Irene Schuh of Durand, Wis., and Elaine (Dan) Haines; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four brothers; and one sister.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, at Zwickey Funeral homes Galesville chapel. The Rev. Kristin Wendland will officiate. Burial will follow in the Pine Cliff Cemetery in Galesville. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until services at Zwickey Funeral Homes Galesville chapel.